Is cognitive decline something that you’re worried about? It should be. People don’t seem to be worried enough about this, and it’s causing them to decline faster than they would if they were being more caring with themselves. The thing is that there are things that you can do to prevent the onset of this decline, and it’s important that you know what they are so that you can incorporate them into your life. Down below, this is what we’re going to be looking at, so if you would like to find out more about this, feel free to read on.
Playing Certain Games
While you might not realize it, one of the best things that you can do for your cognitive ability is to play certain types of games. Those that require some kind of strategic thinking and problem solving are fantastic for this, including games like chess and checkers. Now, we’re not saying that you have to spend your whole day trying to come up with the best strategies for these games, but the critical thinking that it requires keeps your brain active, which is what it needs.
Problem solving games such as sudoku are also brilliant for your brain. The more that you use it for things like this, the less likely you are to experience general cognitive decline.
Getting Enough Sleep
As an adult you need to be aiming for around six to nine hours of sleep each night. Failure to get this on a regular basis can lead to cognitive decline as your brain isn’t getting the rest and recuperation it needs. Your brain is a vital tool in your health and wellbeing so you need to look after it the best you can. If you regularly find yourself losing sleep then you need to find out why, this could be due to a number of reasons. It could be due to general aches and pains associated with getting older, it might also be that your mattress is old and lumpy. Ideally, you should be mattress shopping for a new one every eight to ten years. If you have children then sleepless nights can become a thing for a while, try and sleep when they sleep.
Nutrition
Lastly, think about what your diet currently looks like. You may not know this but certain foods containing vitamins and nutrients can work wonders for your brain and cognition. Making sure your diet is rich in antioxidants and Omega-3 is exactly what you should be aiming for. These can be found in fruits, vegetables, and oily fish.
Sometimes it can be helpful to speak to a nutritionist or dietician as they will be able to design menu plans for you with your health in mind.
So there you have it, if you are worried about cognitive decline then you can take small steps now and make changes to slow it down or completely avoid it. While preventative measures can work for some time, you need to keep these up otherwise you might begin to notice your brain skills slipping and you often forget things.
