by How to Maintain Mental Clarity? Many people find that as they enter middle age, they start forgetting things easily. Words may slip their minds just as they are about to speak, or they might walk into the kitchen to get a glass of water only to forget why they went there. Our memory naturally declines with age, but if we don’t address and manage it properly, it could become very serious in old age. To avoid this, let’s work together to maintain mental clarity!
Why Does Cognitive Impairment Occur?
There are many reasons for cognitive impairment, and some of the main causes include the following: (1)
- Aging
- Having diabetes
- Smoking habits
- High blood pressure or cholesterol
- Obesity
- History of brain injury
- Long-term sleep apnea
- Lack of physical activity
- Absence of a healthy social circle
- Air pollution
How to Maintain Mental Clarity
Cognition and memory may decline with age, but by keeping our minds active, we can slow down the deterioration and also maintain mental clarity.
1. Keep Learning
Studies have shown that people with higher levels of education tend to maintain better memory. This might be because they frequently exercise their brains and keep their mental state active. Therefore, we should cultivate activities we genuinely enjoy, learn new knowledge or skills, and participate in volunteer groups. These are all great ways to maintain mental clarity.
2. Believe in Yourself
Many people, as they enter middle age, repeatedly tell themselves, “I’m getting old.” This mindset can lead to a loss of self-confidence and make one feel that there’s no need to improve anymore. Since they’re already in the later stages of life, they stop striving, and stop thinking, and over time, this becomes a sign of memory decline. We should embrace the mentality of “live and learn.” Some elderly people, even in their 90s, still appear healthy and full of vitality. This is because their mindset remains young, and they continue to have the energy and confidence of younger people.
3. Healthy Diet
Many natural foods are beneficial for maintaining a healthy brain and can help maintain mental clarity, such as legumes, nuts, seeds, foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, and green vegetables. Additionally, there is a strong connection between the brain and the gut, so we should prioritize gut health. Eating more probiotics, green vegetables, fruits, and other gut-friendly foods is also a way to maintain a healthy gut.
4. Keep Your Brain Active
Constantly relaxing and thinking that using your brain is tiring can also lead to cognitive decline. Think about this, are you always:
- Do not want to remember someone’s phone number, thinking it’s fine to just save it in your phone’s contacts?
- Forget important family dates, such as birthdays, anniversaries, or holidays, and hope that other family members will remember them for you.
- Go shopping at the mall and not bother remembering if you’ve missed anything, thinking, “It’s okay, I’ll just buy it next time”?
Of course, not remembering these things might not cause immediate harm. But when you get into the habit of not thinking or remembering things, your cognitive abilities begin to decline.
5. Spaced Learning
We can often use spaced learning to train our memory. Have you ever heard of spaced learning? It can help us retain information in our brains for a longer period and make it more profound, which contributes to improving long-term memory. Spaced learning requires regular practice. When you first start, review the material every hour, then gradually increase the time intervals, reviewing every few hours. As the intervals get longer, it will deepen your memory and cognitive abilities. (2)
6. Improve Sleep First
Many people facing insomnia problems. Occasional sleepless nights don’t cause much harm to the body, but if insomnia lasts for a long time, the brain cannot undergo deep detoxification and repair. Having good sleep is an effective way to improve memory.
If you suffer from frequent insomnia, it’s essential to address it first. Here are some methods to improve sleep: (3)
- Maintain a regular sleep schedule by going to bed at the same time every night.
- Sleep in a comfortable, quiet, and dark environment.
- Avoid drinking coffee or engaging in stimulating activities a few hours before bedtime.
- Massaging your body or acupressure points is another way to relax and can help you fall asleep more quickly.
7. Maintain a Balanced Life
Many people don’t realize how important it is to maintain a balance between work and life. They often find themselves caught up in busy work and a hectic lifestyle. This can lead to fatigue, unclear thinking, and a general sense of confusion. Over time, cognitive abilities are affected. To maintain mental clarity, we should take time to relax and separate work from personal life. If possible, take breaks every half hour during work to relax, have a coffee, or take a walk. Every weekend, make sure to enjoy fresh air in nature or have a small gathering with family.
8. Exercise More
Don’t think that exercise is just for weight loss—it’s very beneficial for the brain, including helping to maintain mental clarity. Regular exercise improves blood circulation, allowing nutrients to be efficiently delivered to the brain. The brain needs these nutrients to sustain healthy thinking.
These types of exercise have been proven to reduce anxiety: (4)
- Jogging
- Swimming
- Walking
- Dancing
- Cycling
Exercise not only makes you happier but also helps pass the time and makes your day feel more fulfilling. Consider spending some time each weekend doing moderate exercise, or incorporating light exercise into your morning routine before heading to work.
9. Repeat What You Want to Remember
When you repeat something, it becomes deeply imprinted in your mind. So, if you want to remember something, you should keep repeating it. For example, if you’re worried about forgetting Rebecca’s name, you can repeatedly say it during conversations: “Rebecca brought this to you,” “Why didn’t Rebecca come today?” “Do you want to invite Rebecca over?”
Summary
Do you know how to maintain mental clarity? We can improve it through the 9 methods mentioned above. Although age is a major factor in cognitive decline, it is not the only factor. As long as we are willing to exercise, learn to balance life, improve sleep quality, and maintain healthy eating habits, we can still maintain mental clarity even as we grow older.
