An expert has shared their tips to keep your brain healthy and sharp
A care specialist has revealed that a simple 10-minute daily habit could significantly reduce your risk of developing dementia in later life. This easy routine can help keep your brain “sharp and healthy” well into the future.
According to current estimates, there are currently around one million people across the UK living with dementia, with projections indicating this figure could reach 1.4 million by 2040 if current trends continue. While no single technique can completely prevent dementia, practicing certain daily habits can promote lasting brain health and potentially lower risk, regardless of age.
Michael Berkley-Blezard, a care specialist from Elmfield Care’s Old Sarum Manor, listed five simple tasks and hobbies to keep your brain in top condition, potentially decreasing dementia risk. Among his recommendations was completing a short daily puzzle such as a sudoku or Wordle.
He said: “One way to keep your brain sharp and healthy is to do puzzles regularly. Whether it’s playing Wordle before starting your workday, solving a sudoku in bed, or tackling a word search while watching TV, giving your brain a daily workout helps keep it in top condition. Puzzles engage multiple parts of the brain simultaneously, including memory, visual, and processing areas, which helps strengthen and maintain neural connections.”
What the research says
The guidance is supported by two interconnected studies carried out by the University of Exeter and King’s College London, published in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry in 2019. The research, which included over 19,000 participants, found that adults aged 50 and above who regularly took part in puzzles such as crosswords and sudoku showed superior brain function, reports the Daily Record.
Dr Anne Corbett, from the University of Exeter Medical School, who led the research, said: “We’ve found that the more regularly people engage with puzzles such as crosswords and Sudoku, the sharper their performance is across a range of tasks assessing memory, attention and reasoning. The improvements are particularly clear in the speed and accuracy of their performance.”
She added: “In some areas the improvement was quite dramatic – on measures of problem-solving, people who regularly do these puzzles performed equivalent to an average of eight years younger compared to those who don’t.”
However, she cautioned that whilst taking part in puzzles can improve brain function, it does not necessarily guarantee a reduced risk of dementia. She further added: “We can’t say that playing these puzzles necessarily reduces the risk of dementia in later life but this research supports previous findings that indicate regular use of word and number puzzles helps keep our brains working better for longer.”
Alongside this guidance, Michael provided other tips for maintaining brain health as you age.
Maintaining Social Connections
He elaborated: “Social isolation is one of the biggest risk factors linked to developing dementia later in life. Staying socially active, whether it’s spending time with friends or family, or making an effort to get to know your colleagues at work, helps keep your brain active, while also reducing stress and supports the neural pathways that protect against cognitive decline.”
The Power of Music
Michael said: “Music, whether listening to it, playing an instrument or singing, is a great way to keep your brain sharp. This is because musical memory is a powerful type of implicit memory that’s typically hardwired into the brain and is highly resistant to the changes that come with conditions like dementia. Scientific studies show that listening to music activates widespread areas of the brain, often reaching regions that other stimuli cannot.”
Learning a New Language
He added: “Research has found that learning a second language may help delay the onset of dementia. This is thought to be because bilingual people develop greater cognitive reserve, making their brains more resilient to the damage dementia can cause. There are plenty of mobile apps and YouTube videos that make learning a new language affordable and accessible at any age. Dedicating a small amount of time to it every day can help you pick up new phrases and form new neural pathways.”
Reading 20 Pages Daily
Michael suggested: “Reading on a regular basis is a wonderful way to keep your brain active and healthy. It provides mental stimulation that strengthens neural pathways and builds cognitive reserve, helping to protect against memory loss as you age. Even reading 20 pages a day will help to improve memory and attention, supporting long-term cognitive health. Reading also helps reduce stress, another key factor in maintaining a healthy brain at all stages of life.”
If you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms of dementia, you should speak to a medical professional.
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