If you’re forgetting your keys more frequently than normal or often lose your train of thought, you’re not alone. It’s common for older adults to have lapses in memory. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t work to maintain your brain health. Below, the staff members at Lifetime Care, a home health care provider in Rochester, NY, share a few tips on how to keep your mind sharp as you age.

Home Health Care Provider on How to Improve Brain Function

1. Get Moving

Sticking to a consistent workout regimen will do more than help you maintain a trim waistline. Vigorous exercise can also lower your risk of developing high blood pressure and dementia. Try to exercise about 30 minutes at least four days a week. Opt for aerobic activities, such as walking, jogging, and swimming.

2. Stimulate Your Mind

Whether you are living with a family member or a home health care provider, it’s important to stimulate your mind with meaningful activities. Reading books, doing crossword puzzles, and participating in other mentally stimulating activities can make your brain establish cognitive reserve, helping it adapt easier in certain mental functions. 

3. Revamp Your Diet

What you eat impacts your brain health. To keep your mind sharp, include fruits, vegetables, fatty fish, whole grains, and lean meats in your diet. Additionally, limit your intake of foods high in sugars, saturated fats, or sodium, such as canned meat and pizza.

4. Stop Smoking

If you are a smoker, you aren’t just putting yourself at risk of lung cancer and heart disease. Smoking tobacco can also increase your chances of developing dementia by increasing oxidative stress. Quitting the habit right now can reduce your risk of developing this brain disease in the future.

By following these tips, you can keep your mind active for years. Lifetime Care was founded in 1960 and serves eight counties in the Finger Lakes region, providing home health care, skilled nursing and rehabilitation services, palliative care and hospice services. The home health care provider also offers emotional support for both patients and their families, including support groups and bereavement programs. For more information, call (585) 214-1000 or visit their website.