Page 28 - Tracy Anderson Magazine | Spring 2021 Issue

Whether we like it or not, getting older is inevitable. Not In addition to protecting your memory, these sorts of ac-
only does aging give us fine lines, wrinkles, and thinning tivities may enhance the quality of your life, increase your
hair, but it also impairs our cognitive abilities. self-esteem, reduce stress, and boost your mood, according
to the National Institutes of Health.
As we age, the structure and function of our brain changes,
which can cause lapses in memory, trouble learning new Dance like there’s no tomorrow.
skills, and difficulty tuning out distractions, according to Regular physical activity is one of the best ways to keep
Harvard Medical School. The aging process slows down your mind and body healthy, so it’s no surprise that it also
our mental processing speed, so it might take us longer to keeps your memory, focus, and concentration intact. Get-
complete everyday tasks. Everyday Health reported that ting at least 150 minutes of exercise every week increases
getting older also leads to a decrease in the volume of our the size of the hippocampus, which controls memory, and
brains, so nerve cells shrink or lose connections to other it also slows down the mental aging process and acceler-
nerve cells.
ates your information processing speed.
RIGHT IN Luckily, with advancements in neuroscience research, we Dancing, in particular, is an effective way to stimulate
now know that the brain can grow new cells and form new
your brain. The Centers for Disease Control reported that
THE MIND neural connections through repeated use and exercise. We learning new dance moves helps you retain and process
information better, and listening to the upbeat music that
can keep our brains sharp, prevent cognitive decline, and
accompanies dance classes allows you to solve problems
reduce our risk of dementia through healthy habits; men-
tal, physical, and social activities; and brain exercises. with more creative solutions. To get started, try investing
in an online workout subscription like Tracy Anderson’s
Ways to improve cognitive health. The brain plays a vital role in our daily lives, from helping Online Studio, which provides dance cardio workouts that
us regulate our emotions to communicating our thoughts will sculpt your body and activate your mind.
to coordinating our movements, so it’s important that we
keep this powerful part of the body healthy. Here are some Play games.
practical tactics you can incorporate into your daily life to Who doesn’t love a good old-fashioned game of solitaire
slow down the aging process and preserve your memory, or Scrabble? Playing board games or computer games is
focus, and cognitive functioning, so your brain will stay an excellent way to spend downtime. Plus, these activities
forever young. challenge the parts of your brain that control reasoning,
language, logic, visual perception, and attention.
Make learning a priority.
If you’ve always wanted to speak Italian or play the piano, When you play cards, complete a jigsaw puzzle, or fill out
here’s your sign to take the plunge and enroll in a course. a word search, you engage your brain by trying to solve a
A study that evaluated the brains of taxi drivers with strong problem, which a 2018 study in Aging Neuroscience found
navigational skills suggests that continuous learning builds protects against cognitive aging. To experience the brain
cognitive reserves by reshaping brain regions, strengthen- benefits, try gathering a group of friends or family mem-
ing brain cells, and enhancing cognitive functioning. bers to participate in a game night once a week.

Not sure where to start? Try sharpening your literature Use your five senses.
skills. Reading and writing protect against dementia, and The more senses you use, the more your brain will be in-
based on a 2016 study in Brain Imaging Behavior, learning volved in the process. When you activate your sense of
new vocabulary words that you come across engages the touch, taste, smell, sight, and hearing, your brain will work
areas of the brain that are responsible for visual and audi- harder and therefore build a better memory, Harvard
tory processing. Medical School says.

Pick up a new hobby. If you’re looking to engage all five senses, take a virtu-
Not only are mentally stimulating activities a great way to al cooking class where you prepare a dish and taste the
Jordan Whitfield, courtesy unsplash.com challenge your brain by learning a new skill, like photogra- structor and music while moving your body. If art is your
give your brain a workout, but they’re also an enjoyable way
meal along the way. You can also try a dance cardio class,
to spend your leisure time. Get out of your comfort zone and
which will give you an opportunity to listen to the in-
phy, knitting, painting, dancing, or creative writing.
forte, sign up for a pottery or ceramics class after pan-
demic lockdowns lift, and pay attention to how the clay
Learning a new skill preserves your memory and improves
feels and smells.
your ability to think more efficiently and effectively. One
By trying one (or all) of these mentally challenging tech-
2014 study from Annals of Neurology on cognitive health in
older adults shows that new hobbies or skills help your
niques, you’ll slow down the aging process and enjoy
from age won’t be as prominent.
activity. ■
26 26 brain become more adaptable, so brain changes that result the rewarding experience of immersing yourself in the