There's no doubt that as we age, our brains start to slow down. However, there are plenty of things we can do to keep our brains active and functioning optimally. Here are 10 active brain tips to help you keep yourself sharp!

1. Improve your memory by sleeping on it to keep your brain active

Having between seven to eight hours a night of sound sleep helps stimulate brain growth. Sleep hygiene is one of the most effective ways to keep the brain healthy. Start to keep a diary monitoring your hours of sleep so you can make the necessary changes. You’ll be surprised at what a difference it makes.

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2. Practice mindfulness

Stop at regular periods throughout your day and mentally check in with yourself. Notice any tension or preoccupations, without judging or analysing. If it's not something you can change now, why not shelve it until later? Mindfulness can be a key tool to combat any negative thoughts that can impact your mental health.

3. Practice self-soothing

Stop for a moment and take a deep breath every now and then and notice how it feels. Direct your attention to soothing elements of your environment - sometimes you just need to stop and smell the roses - literally! A hectic lifestyle can not only impact your brain function it can also impact your heart health. So, taking just a few minutes out of your busy schedule can be a win, win!

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4. Get support

Sharing your problem with trusted loved ones releases endorphins and is one of the best antidotes against stress. We all know that staying socially active is good for us but sometimes it’s difficult to make the effort. It is easy to allow social gatherings to pass by but studies show that this engagement is key to a positive healthy lifestyle.

So ‘carpe diem’, go for that lunch with your friends, and meet up for a drink as it’s all positive for your long-term mental sharpness.

5. Variety is key to keeping your brain active

Learn a variety of new things that are unrelated to what you normally do. Variety is key. Meet new people. Learn a new skill or hobby, such as drawing or knitting. Continuing to learn can help to keep your brain active, warding off mental decline and age-related memory loss.

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6. Step Outside Your Comfort Zone

This is great for your brain. Do something that stretches you and even makes you somewhat uncomfortable. Travel, or vary your routine. Even try a jigsaw puzzle if you don’t normally do them, this will exercise parts of the brain that might be a little underused.

Remember ‘use it or lose it’. Try doing something for the heck of it - occasionally, such as listening to different music styles and mentally stimulating your creative side.

7. Avoid Boredom

Boredom is the enemy of an active brain. The best way to avoid boredom is to develop an attitude of curiosity and work on your attention span. Do Brain Teasers, games, puzzles, crosswords, and Sudoku.

8. Stay active to keep your brain active

Just walking for 30 minutes a day will help to stimulate cell growth and repair in your brain. It doesn't matter whether you do Pilates, Yoga or jog - regular exercise is great for exercising the brain. There are plenty of online apps geared towards brain training exercises to help you keep your brain health intact.

Physical activity will increase the blood flow to the brain stimulating new ideas and creative thought.

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9. Eat A Rainbow Diet

Eat colourful foods; orange, red, blue, purple, and green foods. These are loaded with nutrients and antioxidants. The nutrients are important brain food and the antioxidants are important for your cell protection. A Mediterranean healthy diet is perfect for warding off cognitive decline.

10. Laughter is the best medicine

You've heard that laughter is the best medicine, and that holds true for the brain and the memory as well as the body. Unlike emotional responses, which are limited to specific areas of the brain, laughter engages multiple regions across the whole brain. Furthermore, listening to jokes and working out punch lines activate areas of the brain vital to learning and creativity.

We hope you’ve found these tips helpful and that they will help keep your brain active and healthy. Remember, it’s important to exercise your brain in a variety of ways, so don’t be afraid to try new activities or exercises. Keep your mind sharp by regularly challenging yourself with new mental tasks.

So, what are you waiting for, why not start today by improving your mental function and cognitive health with just one or two of the above active brain tips? It really is that easy.

Do you have any favourite brain exercise apps, brain-training games or puzzles? Let us know in the comments below!

Don't forget to check out our FREE Daily Puzzle Club!

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