Staying Sharp
By: Source: AARP.org Date Posted: 2007-04-05 11:31:27.922071-04:00
The cliché is truly a reality—feeling "old" is a state of mind. According to the National Institute on Aging, older people today are not just living longer, they are generally healthier and wealthier than ever before. Experts say that only about 30 percent of physical aging can be traced to our genes; the rest is up to us. And there is so much we can do to improve our quality of life, no matter how old we are.
Healthy Bodies, Healthy Brains
One thing is now becoming very clear: good mental health is as important to overall quality of life as physical fitness. There are many ways to improve or keep your memory sharp, including:
- Use it or lose it. Intellectual challenge seems to be crucial to strengthening connections between brain cells.
- Get moving. Aerobic exercise and moderately strenuous activity appears to help preserve mental sharpness.
- Make a difference. Feeling in control and believing that you make a difference in your day-to-day life is strongly associated with successful brain aging.
- Stay in school. Continued learning, even outside of formal education, can help.
- Just say no. Excessive alcohol and illicit drug use may cause irreversible damage to brain cells.
Staying Connected
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- AARP's Staying Sharp Program
- Staying Sharp Forum
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Other Resources
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