Aging affects your body in more ways than one. Gray hairs and wrinkles are easy to spot, but your brain is also changing in subtle ways. Learning what keeps aging brains sharp will help you feel like yourself as the decades pass.

Why Getting Older Changes Your Brain

People generally understand why getting older causes physical changes. You start to slow down as aches and pains creep up, and you may not be as fast or strong as you were before. You might not realize that your mind is the central hub of that activity, and its structure shifts along with the rest of your body.

Your brain loses volume and thins with age, and these changes affect your thought processes. You may feel like you’re struggling to focus or recall things more than you did years prior. While you should talk with your doctor if you have significant concerns, you can retain your cognitive functioning through lifestyle adjustments. 

What Keeps Aging Brains Sharp? 

Think of your brain like a muscle. You need to use it and give it what it needs to thrive. Tools like nutrients and water are crucial, but you can also stay sharp by exercising.

Building muscle is about more than improving your appearance. People lose 3%-8% of their muscle mass per decade, so building strength could help you maintain your quality of life. Exercise also increases blood flow to your brain. Getting more nutrients and oxygen enables it to keep performing everyday functions.

Best Exercises for Cognitive Functioning

Target your cognitive functioning during future workouts by selecting exercises that are great for your mind. You’ll retain your current capabilities and potentially feel more alert.

1. Upbeat Dancing

You don’t have to pay for a gym membership to work out regularly. Create a playlist with fast-paced music and start dancing. This increases your heart rate, which is a great way to send extra oxygen to your brain.

The physical movements can also help with aging. Hip hop often includes squats and isolation movements that build functional strength. You’ll get stronger and keep your mind sharp without going to a gym.

2. Walking With Weights

Walking is an excellent form of exercise. You can do it almost anywhere and walk at your preferred speed. Next time you go for a stroll, bring a couple of dumbbells. Maintaining a brisk pace engages your abdominal muscles and legs. If you’re also carrying 1-pound weights, you’ll also build strength in your arms.

Aerobic exercise enables you to tackle two signs of aging simultaneously. You’ll retain your muscle mass and keep your brain at its best.

3. Lap Swimming

If getting older has made your joints more sensitive, try exercising in a pool. Lap swimming is an excellent form of cardio that’s easy on the joints. Your buoyancy in water takes the weight off your joints, reducing the discomfort you may feel when working out in a gym. You can always join a local swim club to meet new friends or swim competitively if you fall in love with it.

4. Yoga

Quiet exercises might be more your speed. Set aside 15 minutes for a quick yoga session and follow a YouTube video. You’ll engage your muscles and hone your mind. Yoga requires consistent focus on your breathing while holding specific poses, so it combines cognitive functioning and physical strength. You can even do yoga in your chair at work if you don’t have much free time.

5. Water Aerobics

Traditional strength training may be too hard on your joints, so do it in a pool. Water aerobics uses the water to your advantage by challenging your muscles in a joint-friendly environment. You’ll retain muscle mass, get stronger and improve oxygen flow to your brain while having fun. 

Other Ways to Reduce Brain Fog

Turning new exercises into a healthy habit takes time. Support your workout goals and your mind with complementary lifestyle changes. While you’re getting used to your exercise routine, make other adjustments such as:

• Improve your nightly sleep: Getting more rest allows your mind to reset and gain energy. Try going to sleep earlier or making your environment quieter to achieve deeper rest.
• Drink more water: Even small amounts of water improve your cognitive outcomes, so every sip counts. Carry a bottle so you can hydrate no matter where you go.
• Follow a well-rounded diet: Replace highly processed items with whole food alternatives to fill your brain with extra nutrients. You may even increase your energy by avoiding ingredients that otherwise leave you sluggish, like high amounts of sugar.

Talk with your doctor or nutritionist to figure out the best ways to support your new workout routine. Little changes can make a significant difference when paired with effective exercises.

Try Brain-Boosting Movements

You don’t have to become an Olympian to stay mentally fit. Understanding what keeps aging brains sharp leads to gradual lifestyle adjustments, like trying different exercises that engage your mind. Incorporate cognition-boosting movements into your workout routine to feel your best as the years pass. You might even meet new friends while exploring fun ways to stay mentally and physically active.