A board-certified internist, George Mathew, MD, owns Pacific Family and Internal Medicine in Sequim, Washington. Possessing over 25 years of clinical experience, George Mathew, MD, has helped a wide range of patients, including those suffering from cancer, heart-related problems, and age-related problems.
As the body ages, keeping the body healthy is important; however, some individuals forget about mental fitness. There are several ways of keeping the mind healthy as it ages. Doing so prevents or delays many age-related mental-health problems. Regular physical activity is beneficial because it increases the amount of oxygen that travels to the brain. It not only improves memory and general mental ability, but it helps individuals stay happier and more energized.
Changing daily routines also helps keep the brain strong by creating new mental patterns and pathways. Good routines to change include brushing one’s teeth and driving home, along with exercise routines.
Monitoring one’s medication use is another important part of staying mentally fit because some medications may cause memory loss or dementia when not used properly. Most medications include various precautions, such as not combining them with certain medications or over-the-counter drugs, and some medications react negatively when taken with alcohol.
Doing puzzles or playing certain games improves a wide range of mental processes, including language and reasoning skills and memories. Jigsaw puzzles, crosswords, and word searches are especially beneficial to the brain because they require a good deal of mental activity.