Senior Moments

From – Psychology Today

Aging gives wisdom and temperance, but it also brings “Senior Moments”. These senior moments may be forgetting where you left your glasses, forgetting the name of a long-time neighbor, etc. These short “blanking-outs” give some idea of what cognitive decline must be like. Fortunately, studies on the brain and aging have provided seniors with the how to stave off this decline.

A healthy active life aids in keeping the brain healthy and vice versa. Researchers followed the health of young adults in their 20s and 30s. One group lead a physically active life, while other group did not lead a physically healthy life. After decades of this study, it found that those with physically active lives, had better cardiovascular health and higher cognitive function, even 25 five years later in midlife than, those who lead a sedentary lifestyle.

To lead both a long life and a healthier life, the practicing of “self-care” is important.  Self-care includes eating a healthy diet, sleeping well, not smoking, and limiting alcohol intake.  Self -care is another element to keep you both physically and mentally healthy.

Strong relationships and good social support are needed to protect your health and well-being. These meaningful relationships lead to better health, less stress, general happiness, higher life satisfaction, and longer lives. Good relationships with family and friends, etc., can cause quicker recovery from illness or trauma. Intimate relationships such as marriage, can have an even greater impact and can lower mortality by 50%.

A study done at Harvard University School of Medicine, followed a group of men for 30 years, they found that men with high-quality, loving relationships in their 50s were healthier in their 80s. Another study done at Brigham Young University, found that “superior relationships” protected your health as much as quitting smoking.