Staying Stimulated

You may have heard the saying ‘if you don’t use it you’ll lose it,’ this is true for more than just physical activity. Keeping your brain active is important and there is many ways one can do this. From written brain games to digital games, and reading etc.

Brain games like crossword, word search, anagrams, sudoko are all great ways to challenge your mind. Doing a couple daily builds a great habit of mental stimulation. Daily reading does similar things for the brain, an active brain is a step towards a healthier brain longer in life.

Another way of keeping stimulated is maintaining social connections. Having regular interactions with those you enjoy being with all stimulates the brain, doing activities, having conversations, building a social circle are all healthy options and opportunities to preserve your brain health and mental health.

On the topic of later life, many lose connections or social circles and end up into an area of personal isolation. Isolation and lack of stimulation can be detrimental for the mind, especially long term. During covid, many were forced into isolated stated, this had a large correlation to increased cognitive impairment and rise in mental health concerns. Since covid, many still are facing the habit of isolation or isolating behaviours. Loneliness and isolation go hand in hand for negative effects on the body, brain and may I say soul.

Getting back into the groove of things can be a challenge in itself. But starting those simple social and stimulating habits is a huge step towards a positive life routine.

Mall walks, coffee trips, senior clubs/centers, as well as brain games and puzzles to aid in both personal mental stimulation and social stimulation. Restarting or creating these routines are never easy and can be uncomfortable to start but well worth it for the long term effects and the mental health benefits that follow.

Mental health and physical health are both affected by isolation and loneliness, by being mindful and understanding of what we can do to stay on top of yours is key. Finding things that work for you may not be the easiest but once there you’ll never want to go back!

I’ll end this off with a question, what do you do to keep yourself socialized and stimulated?