People are reestablishing fitness routines all around us, and while physical fitness is important, we also need to be intentional about brain fitness.
Here are seven proven suggestions for maintaining a healthy brain:
- Connect with others daily.
Studies show that people who have an active social life can reduce the risk of dementia.
I need a lot of people in my life. I have friends with whom I pray and another group I exercise with. We were not designed to do life by ourselves.
I have friends who help me see things in a different light and from a different perspective, which stimulates my thinking.
- Keep learning.
Every time you learn something new you develop new brain cells. My in- laws are retired Southern Baptist ministers, over 80 and are amazing learners.
I am delighted when my husband will be talking to his dad and telling him about a new book he has just read and his dad will say, “Oh yes, I finished that one myself last month.”
We are never too old to learn something new.
- Seek peace.
Sometimes we give into worrying instead of praying. Every person I know is living in some kind of stress. Jesus said it would be this way.
The problem comes when I get into stress overload, and I become “distressed.”
Stress overload can manifest itself into worry.
Too much stress may lead to excess cortisol in the brain, which can affect our memory. Seeking time with God, listening for His voice, letting Him lead us beside still waters rejuvenates my mind and my spirit and reminds me of His sure and precious promises.
- Turn off the TV.
Since we moved to Edisto Island, off the coast of South Carolina, we have some kind of TV cable on steroids and now have about a hundred more channels not to watch.
New studies show that people who watch more than seven hours of TV a day are at a higher risk of developing memory loss.
I would hate to add up all the hours in a lifetime that we have wasted watching programs on TV that have little or no eternal value.
- Eliminate hurry from your life.
Nothing makes me crazier than having too much to do in my 24-hour day.
It causes my thinking to become frantic and unclear. I tend to make hasty and impulsive decisions when I am in a hurry. I make more mistakes and tend to forget things a lot more.
I have a lot to think about these days, and I certainly don’t need to have my decision-making process compromised.
Having my prayer time every morning and praying over my “planner” helps me keep things in perspective.
I ask God to prioritize my day that it should go according to His plan for me.
- Keep moving.
I can’t begin to tell you the studies that conclusively show how exercise keeps the brain healthy. It helps with blood flow; it lightens our mood.
I have discovered that when my mind is bogged down with too much information, if I go even for a short walk, my mind clears.
- Let God renew your mind with His word.
He has changed my mind about so many things over the years.
I used to think I could not write. I used to think I could not speak in public. I used to think I could not understand the Bible. I used to think He did not love me.
I have changed my mind about all of these because He has transformed my mind with a new way of thinking. His Holy Spirit is a good and kind personal trainer who is teaching me brain fitness.
EDITOR’S NOTE — Vicki Heath is national director of First Place for Health. Vicki is a certified fitness instructor, a certified life coach and wellness coordinator for her church in Edisto Beach, South Carolina. Her books include “Don’t Quit Get Fit” and “My First Place.”
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