3 simple tips to keep your brain young and healthy

What changes occur in the brain with age

You probably think that aging inevitably affects the functioning of the brain and there is nothing you can do about it. This is not entirely true. Yes, you cannot turn back the clock and improve your level of intelligence and education. But lifestyle also affects mental clarity in old age. It doesn't matter when you started sticking to it - at 30 or 50.

Over time, toxins accumulate in the brain - tau proteins and beta-amyloid plaques. Their appearance is correlated with the onset of aging and a decline in cognitive functions. This is a natural process, but many factors exacerbate the situation and speed it up. For example, stress and neurotoxins - alcohol, quality and quantity sleep deprivation.

The property of the brain that allows it to develop throughout life is called neuroplasticity. It has three mechanisms: synaptic communication, myelination, and neurogenesis. Most important for healthy aging is neurogenesis, which is responsible for the production of new neurons. In people of mature age, this process is no longer as good as in infants and children.

The formation of new neurons in adults occurs in the hippocampus, the part of the brain where memories are stored. Every day we react to new experiences and accumulate them, and during sleep they are fixed. Therefore, the more new things in our life - actions, people, places and emotions - the more we stimulate the process of neurogenesis.

How to help your brain stay young

1. Make your heart beat faster

Aerobic exercise, such as running or brisk walking, has a positive effect on neurogenesis. A 2016 study in rats found that endurance exercise - high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and resistance exercise - had the best effect. Although there are benefits in other types of physical activity too.

Try to devote 2.5 hours a week to cardio. It is preferable to work out in the gym, park or just in nature. Avoid busy roads: air pollution suppresses the brain's neurotrophic factor, which stimulates the growth of nerve cells. So there will be little benefit under these conditions.

If playing alone is not for you, consider team sports. For example, table tennis. Social interaction also has a positive effect on neurogenesis. Moreover, in table tennis you develop hand-eye coordination. This leads to structural changes in the brain, which lead to a host of cognitive benefits.

So, experiments have confirmed: the development of coordination and socialization simultaneously increases the thickness of the cerebral cortex in those parts of it that are associated with social and emotional well-being. But it becomes very important with age.

2. Change your eating habits

Restricting calories and eating time and intermittent fasting have been shown to promote neurogenesis. A rodent study has shown that intermittent fasting improves cognitive function and brain structure. In addition, it reduces the symptoms of metabolic disorders such as diabetes.

Reducing sugar in the diet helps to reduce the negative effects of oxidative processes in the brain cells. This greatly reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. A one-day water fast has also been shown to improve brain function and stimulate neurogenesis.

Talk to your doctor and try one of the following:

Once a month, carry out a one-day fast.
Eat 50-60% fewer calories two days a week. Do this for two to three months or on an ongoing basis.
Eat 20% fewer calories each day for two weeks. Conduct such courses three to four times a year.
Determine the period when you are allowed to eat: for example, from eight in the morning to eight in the evening or from noon to eight in the evening.

3. Pay special attention to sleep

Sleep stimulates the cleansing of the brain by the glymphatic system. It removes accumulations of toxins - tau proteins and beta-amyloid plaques, which were mentioned above. In addition, if a person does not sleep enough, his memory deteriorates.

Researchers claim that one waking night takes away several points from your IQ. Therefore, try to sleep 7-9 hours and do not give up the afternoon siesta if you need it.

Of course, the need for sleep is individual. And here's how to check if you need to change anything. If you naturally wake up on weekends at the same time as on weekdays, chances are everything is fine. If you stay in bed for a long time or sleep a lot during the day, then there is a high probability that something is wrong here.

Try yoga nidra, or the practice of mindful relaxation, in the evenings - scientists have found that it improves the quality of sleep. There are many videos on the Internet with which you can start practicing.

Pick any action from the above and start working diligently with it until it becomes a habit. Then move on to the next and so on. You will find that within a year you will feel healthier, more energized, and more motivated than you do now. Even though you will become a year older.