Is your mind as sharp as it used to be

Not as quick as you used to be?

Research suggests that it’s more common for people from the age of around 45 to 65 to start noticing the effects of slower brain function. Especially for people in the workforce, who are constantly keeping up with the rapid minds of younger colleagues. It could take longer for you to grasp a new concept or digest information. Once in a while, this behaviour is perfectly normal and can usually be put down to tiredness, stress or simply part of aging. However, constantly feeling this way is sometimes a sign of the beginning of something more serious.

Why are our memories getting worse?

As we’ve said, sometimes this can be due to effects of stress or poor sleep, which unfortunately for most us, is a regular occurrence. Genetics play their part in this, but lifestyle and diet are the most important factors that can affect our brain function.

How to reduce the risks

We’ll start off with the obvious - don’t smoke. Smoking may damage your brain by causing thinning in your cortex, which is important for thought processes such as memory. This does thin naturally with age, but smoking potentially helps to speed it up.

Stay active, both physically and mentally. Regular exercise that gets your heart pumping appears to boost the size of the hippocampus, the brain area involved in verbal memory and learning. Exercise also helps your memory and thinking through its ability to reduce insulin resistance and stimulate the release of growth factors. These are the chemicals in the brain that affect the health of your brain cells.

Don’t underestimate the benefits a difficult crossword can have. Anything that makes us use our brain is good for us. Even little things like socialising and reading a book do wonders for improving our brain function.

Putting the right stuff in your body

Of course there’s plenty of other ways to help your brain function. However, what you put in your body is incredibly important. When we’re in our teens or twenties, we can try to get away with not eating healthy foods and having a less than healthy lifestyle, but once you hit middle age, you need to take a more serious approach.

The brain needs specific nutrients to keep it functioning properly. Without them, memory, mental sharpness, focus, concentration and general brain function all start to go haywire. Luckily there are specific brain food supplements that can help ensure you’re getting everything you need.

Phosphatidylserine (PS) increases the communication between your brain cells, which is crucial to proper brain function. It’s naturally found in your brain, but levels decline as you get older. So it’s a good idea to get started on the supplement now to keep those levels healthy. It’s also a good idea to make sure you’re getting enough iodine in your diet, as deficiency is associated with lower intelligence and learning disorders. Vitamin B12 deficiency is also commonly associated with neurological problems including memory loss & dementia. B12 absorption decreases as we age. Finally, folic acid is needed in the manufacture of brain neurotransmitters (the brain’s chemical messengers), which helps with mood stability and clarity.

Think about what you eat

The Mediterranean diet isn’t just delicious and fresh; it is also beneficial for brain function and can help protect you against cognitive decline. So if you’re not already a big fan of the following foods, think about including them in your diet.

Fish is rich in omega 3 fatty acids, and the oiler the better. Salmon, mackerel and sardines are some of the best fish you can eat, as they’re particularly high in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). DHA is very important to keep our brain cells functioning normally. Fish is also a great source of iodine. If you’re not a fan of fish, don’t worry, you can always take Omega 3 tablets to get the nutrients your body needs.

If you’re interested in reaping the benefits of folic acid, dark green leafy vegetables like kale, spinach and broccoli are fantastic foods to include in your diet as they’re packed with it.

Not all fats are bad for you. The healthy fats you get from plants are usually a rich source of Vitamin E, which is a great antioxidant – and not to mention tasty. Think avocados, nuts and seeds. Perfect additions to a delicious summer salad. Yum.

Look after your brain; you’re using it even when you’re not thinking about it. Every strange thought or new idea that pops into your head is your brain working like it should. Without it, the world would be a very boring place. As you get older, important brain nutrients start to decline and need to be replenished by eating better quality food and paying more attention to your lifestyle choices. And think about tackling that crossword next time you’re flipping through a newspaper or magazine, it could just keep your thinking sharp for a long time.