Cognitive Health

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Ancient cultures associated age with wisdom, regarding elders as leaders of the community to be respected. Nowadays, however, age is often associated with a decline in focus and memory. This doesn't have to be the case, though, as cognitive health is influenced by lifestyle just as physical health is. The key is to continually challenge the brain! 

Mental exercise keeps the mind sharp and can even be fun. Engaging in a variety of "brain games" provides the most holistic support, but even adding just one to a daily routine can have an impact.

• Word games: Research shows crossword puzzles can delay the onset of dementia, but even watching Jeopardy! or playing trivia games prompts recall and tests vocabulary. 
• Brain training games: There are video games designed to improve cognition, and research has shown that they can have a positive impact on memory. A variety of free and paid apps and websites exist, so it might be worth testing a few before picking one. Speed training has been in the news lately for its effect on dementia even years later. If that seems too intense, though, it's worth starting with something enjoyable and adding the more challenging options from there.
• Physical puzzles: While not created for mental health specifically, physical puzzles - like jigsaw puzzles, Rubik's cubes, and model kits - require visual-spatial reasoning, concentration, and short-term memory. Adult Lego sets have also become popular, but even unstructured play with Lego bricks has been shown to aid patients with dementia.

Most people stop learning new things after they've completed school, but continuing to challenge the brain through adulthood increases its neuroplasticity (the ability to form new connections). While any new pursuit will have an impact, two in particular are well-studied for their effects on multiple facets of cognitive health.

• Language: Language classes may have felt grueling in school, but apps and websites make memorizing vocabulary and grammar enjoyable by using games, pictures, and more. There can be a goal associated with learning a new language - e.g. to speak to friends from another country or prepare for a trip - but simply studying one because it's unique or "sounds pretty" can be fun. Big companies like Duolingo and Rosetta Stone have a wide variety of options, but smaller-scale businesses can also be found online.
• Music: Playing an instrument has been associated with lower risk of developing dementia, and music can be a relaxing way to stimulate the mind and improve fine motor coordination. While the more popular instruments like pianos and guitars have the most learning opportunities - free YouTube tutorials, in-person classes, etc. - chances are that there are online guides to almost any instrument out there.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), all aspects of health are interconnected, and when it comes to cognition, Western medicine agrees that influences on the physical body can have a direct impact on the mind. Although every healthy habit can arguably benefit brain health a few in particular have been well studied.

• Exercise: Physical exercise may slow brain aging by up to ten years.
• Sleep: The brain clears compounds associated with Alzheimer's during sleep.
• Nutrition: A diet rich in B vitamins, iron, whole grains, vegetables, and other "natural" foods can play a big part in cognitive function throughout a person's lifetime.  

Finally, while games and healthy habits are great ways to spend free time, living a rich life filled with activities is arguably one of the biggest keys to keeping the brain strong. Work takes up a large chunk of the day during adulthood, which equates to a large amount of time solving problems, managing people, and thinking creatively. While retirement from having to work is something to celebrate, it shouldn't consist of idleness.

The Blue Zones project studies communities that have an unusually large amount of people who live past 100 years of age around the world, and two common factors amongst all of them are having a sense of belonging and purpose. Retired persons can volunteer, get involved with faith organizations, join clubs, take up hobbies, and pursue other endeavors that challenge their brains and keep them connected to a social network.