Brian booster

1. Exercise: Studies have shown that older people who exercise – even just simple exercise such as moderate walking a few times a week have healthier brains.  Decreases [login to view URL] can decrease your brain energy and make it harder to think properly.  Improves blood flow to the brain.  Sleeping better. Sleep improves memory and keeps the blood flowing to all parts of your body and brain.  Exercise can also help improve your overall health 2. Get Social: Staying social is considered very important for keeping our minds healthy. Any social activity helps keep your brain active and strong.  Find friends who have similar interests.  Think about participating in new activities or things that you may have stopped but might enjoy again.  Try to find and do activities that are fun so you enjoy doing them. 3. Sleep: , Experts say that healthy sleep patterns are very important for cognitive performance, especially memory.  Your body and brain need at least 6-8 hours of sleep each night.  Sleep can lower levels of stress hormones and relax and refresh your body and brain.  If your sleep is often interrupted by pain, using the washroom, and/or stress, discuss this with your doctor or other health care professional.  If you have trouble sleeping, you can try limiting intake of alcohol, as it can disrupt sleeping patterns. 4. Fruits and Vegetables: Experts on aging say that people need to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables to keep their brains healthy.  Eating 5 to 7 servings of fruits and vegetables can keep your brain at its best. This helps to make sure your brain gets all the nutrients it needs.  There is no official "brain food," but antioxidants -- which are often found in fruits and vegetables -- help to curb damage to cells in your brain.  If you have a hard time eating a wide variety of foods, talk to your doctor about introducing a senior’s vitamin into your daily medication routine.  5. Stop Multitasking & Reduce Clutter: As the brain ages, paying attention to many different things at once becomes more challenging. Trying to multi-task will make it harder to remember things.  Don’t leave the kitchen when you are cooking, even if the phone rings.  Write down important information, and dates in a journal or calendar so you do not need to worry about storing that information in your brain.  Reduce clutter. This will make it easier and faster to find what you want. Start with one location and gradually reduce clutter around your home.  6. Drink Water: Keeping yourself hydrated not only helps your brain function at its best, but is also important for your body in a number of different ways. Discuss how much water you should be drinking every day with your doctor. 7. Managing Medications: It is common for older adults to be on a wide variety of medications.  It is important to take all of your medications exactly as they are prescribed.  Ensure your doctor is aware of ALL prescribed and over the counter medications you take.  Consider asking about “blister packing” at your pharmacy. Blister packing separates your medication into individual packets for you to take at the righttime of day to help reduce errors.  8. Maintain your “spirit”: Healthy brains need purpose, perspective, and social connections. A positive outlook and optimism can be really important to your brain and wellbeing.  Use Your Sense of Humor.  Build Solid Friendships.  Treat Depression.  Keep Your Perspective - Contemplating past, present and future. Lastly, don’t be hard on yourself; no one’s memory is perfect. Give yourself and your memory a break from time to time by asking a relative or close friend to help with things you are struggling with.