As we age, brain function may gradually decline, which is a natural physiological process. However, by understanding the signs of brain aging and taking appropriate measures, we can slow down this process to some extent.
Intellectual and cognitive health of the brain
We all inevitably experience changes in brain function as we age. The results of the current study show that:
1. The age of 35 is the peak stage of cognitive function in the human brain, after which it begins to decline gradually. After the age of 45, the rate of decline accelerates.
2. According to statistics, the brain will have a "cliff-like" aging process at a certain critical age. At age 80 with a life expectancy, the brain may begin to show signs of aging around age 54 and accelerate aging at age 72.
These data show that we need to pay attention to and maintain the health of the brain in a timely manner. Although brain aging is an irreversible natural process, through an active lifestyle and exercise, we can still effectively delay brain aging and protect cognitive function.
There are 4 common manifestations of brain aging
As we age, we inevitably encounter the problem of brain aging. Here are four common manifestations of brain aging:
1. Memory loss
This is one of the most obvious features of brain aging. You may find yourself often forgetting what happened recently and always losing sight of things.
2. Decreased executive ability
The brain can coordinate and direct various activities of the human body. When brain function declines, you may find yourself having trouble multitasking at the same time, or even a single task.
3. Decreased emotional control
Aging of the brain affects the ability to regulate emotions. You may feel indifferent to things you used to enjoy, or you may be easily angry and emotionally out of control.
4. Decreased language ability
You may have difficulty listening, speaking, reading, writing, and expressing your thoughts accurately. This can also affect your ability to react.
These symptoms can occur during the aging of the brain. We need to be vigilant and take proactive and effective measures in time to maintain brain health and slow down the decline of brain function. Through a scientific lifestyle, we can delay brain aging to the greatest extent and embrace a better state of mind.
8 Ways to Delay Brain Aging
1. Practice "potato cutting" finger exercises
This is a simple and fun hand exercise that can help slow down brain aging. According to the rhythm change, a series of hand movements such as fists and eyes touching each other, palms facing each other, and ten fingers crossing are carried out, which not only exercises flexibility, but also stimulates brain activity.
2. Use your brain diligently
The brain is an organ that can be used to maintain its health. Consistently learning new knowledge, communicating with others, and engaging in complex mental activities all help keep your brain active.
3. Exercise moderately
Moderate exercise not only keeps you healthy, but it also improves your learning and memory skills and keeps your brain active. It is recommended to choose some exercises that require coordination of the body and mind, such as walking, swimming, tai chi, etc.
4. Get a good night's sleep
Sleep is key to the functioning of the brain. A study published in the journal Science in 2019 by American scientists showed that the brain turns on the "automatic cleansing" mode during sleep to remove harmful toxins. Only when the brain is well rested can it function better and improve learning efficiency and memory.
5. Be in a good mood
Emotions can have an important impact on brain function. A positive and optimistic mindset can help improve learning and memory efficiency. Conversely, long-term exposure to stress or negative emotions can lead to excessive cortisol secretion, which can damage nerve cells in the hippocampus and affect memory function.
6. Moderate alcohol consumption
Long-term heavy alcohol consumption can damage brain tissue, leading to brain atrophy, cerebral hemorrhage, etc. Even mild to moderate alcohol consumption can cause some impairment of cognition and memory. Therefore, alcohol intake should be properly controlled to protect brain health.
7. Reduce stress
Mental stress can cause cortisol levels to rise, which can damage nerve cells in the hippocampus and affect memory processing. Therefore, it is necessary to learn to regulate stress reasonably and maintain a good mental state to protect brain function.
8. Regular physical examinations
Some diseases or physiological abnormalities, such as chronic underlying diseases, abnormal biochemical indicators, pneumonia and other infections, can threaten brain health and cognitive function. Therefore, it is important to have regular medical check-ups to detect and control these potential risk factors in a timely manner.