Dubai, United Arab Emirates (CNN) — Your daily experiences affect your brain health and general well-being much more than you can imagine.
These experiences include what you eat, how much activity you do, who you communicate with, challenges you face, how well you sleep, and what you do to reduce stress.
There may not be a drug that everyone can take to prevent, let alone treat, dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases, but we can all have access to a powerful set of tools that we can use to have a sharp memory for life.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN’s chief medical analyst and author of “12 Weeks to a Sharper You: A Guided Program,” highlights all the practical tools you need to apply in your life today.
We know that change is a challenge, and that changing ingrained habits takes effort, but it doesn’t have to be hard.
Gupta offers 6 “keys to the kingdom of mental acuity,” as he put it, that will help you maintain your brain health in 2023.
nutrition
Skip crash diets, simply follow the SHARP diet, reduce sugar and salt, hydrate smart, add more omega-3 fatty acids from food sources, reduce portion sizes, and plan ahead.
This system is the easiest way to move towards healthy foods in general, and reduce the amount of brain-damaging processed foods.
And if you need to focus on one thing, start by cutting down on sugar.
the movement
Physical activity is the only thing scientifically documented to improve brain health and function, and it may even slow memory loss. It is the only superfood for the brain.
No equipment is necessary. You can increase your activity by walking more, using the stairs, and getting up for two minutes of light activity every hour.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Control (CDC), cognitive decline is more common among inactive adults than among active adults.
And in 2022, a large international study that tracks the health of more than half a million people shows that doing simple household chores like cooking, cleaning, and washing dishes can reduce the risk of dementia by a staggering 21%.
Spare time
Dozens of studies routinely show that chronic stress can impair your ability to learn and adapt to new situations, and it can impair your cognition, too.
Specifically, stress damages cells in the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for storing and retrieving memory.
Therefore, relieving stress not only helps preserve important memory cells, but also improves focus and productivity.
Take a break during the day to do a calming, meditative activity that reduces stress. This might include nature walks, journaling, spending time with your pet, or even daydreaming.
sleep
Contrary to popular belief, sleep is not a state of nervous lethargy. It is an important stage during which the body renews itself in a variety of ways that eventually affect every organ, from the brain, to the heart, to the immune system.
So prioritize sleep as you would anything else important.
Start by adjusting your bedtime routine, and stop looking at electronic device screens an hour before bed, including your smartphone.
exploration
Do you learn something new and cognitively stimulating every day?
Challenging yourself mentally is important, as studies have shown that people who retire at the age of 65 face a 15% lower risk of developing dementia, compared to those who retire at the age of 60. So, retire late, or never retire.
communication
We are social creatures who need social contact to thrive, especially when it comes to brain health.
Call a friend today, invite the neighbors to dinner, or go for a walk with a friend, talk about your problems, and appreciate the relationships you have.
And the strength of our connection with others can predict the health of our bodies and brains throughout our lives.
Good relationships protect us and are the secret link to a long life with a sharp memory.