You might think that the impact of aging on the brain is something you can’t do much about. After all, isn’t it a certainty?
Although we may not be able to change our levels of higher education or intelligence (both factors that delay the onset of symptoms of aging).
But adopting specific lifestyle behaviors–whether in your thirties or fifties–can have a tangible effect on how well you age in your sixties, seventies, and on.
Even in your fifties and beyond, activities like learning a new language or musical instrument, participating in aerobic exercise, and developing meaningful social relationships can work wonders for your brain.
When we neglect our health, our aging minds pay the price.
The Aging Process and Cognitive Decline
In the brain, toxins such as tau proteins and beta-amyloid plaques build up over time, contributing to the aging process and cognitive decline.
Although this is a natural part of growing older, many factors can exacerbate it. Stress, neurotoxins such as alcohol, and lack of (quality and quantity) sleep can speed up the process.
Neuroplasticity–the function that allows the brain to change and develop in our lifetime–has three mechanisms: synaptic connection, myelination, and neurogenesis.
The key to resilient aging is improving neurogenesis, the birth of new neurons. Neurogenesis happens far more in babies and children than in adults.
A 2018 study by researchers at Columbia University shows that in adults, this type of neuroplastic activity occurs in the hippocampus, the part of the brain that lays down memories.
This makes sense as we respond to and store new experiences daily, cementing them during sleep.
The more we can experience new things, activities, people, places, and emotions, the more likely we will encourage neurogenesis.
With all this in mind, we can come up with a three-point plan to encourage “resilient aging” by activating neurogenesis in the brain:
A gift from nature is youth, but an art form is aging.
Aerobic exercise such as running or brisk walking has a potentially massive impact on neurogenesis.
A 2016 rat study found that endurance exercise was most effective in increasing neurogenesis.
It beats out interval training sessions and resistance training, although doing various exercises is also beneficial.
Aim to do aerobic exercise for 150 minutes per week, and choose the gym, the park, or the natural landscape over busy roads to avoid compromising brain-derived neurotrophic factor production (BDNF). This growth factor encourages neurogenesis which aerobic exercise can boost. However, exercising in polluted areas decreases production.
If exercising alone isn’t your thing, consider taking up a team sport or one with a social element like table tennis.
Exposure to social interaction can also increase neurogenesis. Doing so lets you practice your hand-eye coordination, which research has suggested leads to structural changes in the brain that may relate to various cognitive benefits.
Socializing and coordination increase brain thickness in parts of the cortex related to social/emotional welfare, which is crucial as we age.
- Change your eating patterns.
Evidence shows that intermittent fasting and time-restricted eating encourage neurogenesis in humans.
In rodent studies, intermittent fasting has been found to improve cognitive function and brain structure and reduce symptoms of metabolic disorders such as diabetes.
Reducing refined sugar will also help reduce oxidative damage to brain cells; increased oxidative damage has been linked to a higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Twenty-four-hour water-only fasts have also been proven to increase longevity and encourage neurogenesis.
Try any of the following after checking with your doctor:
- 24-hour water-only fast once a month
- Reducing your calorie intake by 50%-60% on two non-consecutive days of the week for two to three months or on an ongoing basis
- Reducing calories by 20% every day for two weeks. You can do this three to four times a year
- Eating only between 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. or 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. as a general rule.
- Prioritize sleep
When people are sleep-deprived, we see evidence of memory deficits, and if you miss a whole night of sleep, research proves that it impacts IQ.
Aim for seven to nine hours, and nap if it suits you.
Our need to sleep decreases as we age.
Of course, there are individual exceptions, but having consistent sleep times and making sure you’re getting sufficient quality and length of sleep supports brain resilience over time.
So how do you know if you’re getting enough?
You probably are if you naturally wake up at the same time on weekends that you have to during the week.
If you need to lie in or take long naps, you’re probably not.
Try practicing mindfulness or yoga Nidra before bed at night, a guided breath-based meditation shown in studies to improve sleep quality.
There are plenty of recordings online if you want to experience it.
Pick any of the above that work for you and build it up until it becomes a habit, move on to the next one, and so on.
You might find that by the end of the year, you’ll feel even healthier, more energized, and more motivated than you do now, even as you turn another year older.
