BOOST YOUR BRAIN
YOU South Africa|11 January 2024
Stand while working, ditch the GPS and sip green tea - experts share their best tips for keeping your brain brighter
MICHELE O'CONNOR
BOOST YOUR BRAIN

MOST of us devote more time to looking after our teeth than we do our brains, often taking our mental capacity for granted.

Your brain is actually the most precious part of the body and defines who you are, says Gill Livingston, professor of psychiatry at University College London. "And looking after your brain isn't just about remembering things, it's about your feelings, reactions and simply enjoying life more."

Your brain changes with age, starting as young as when you're in your 20s, and as you get older you tend to become more forgetful and find learning new skills more difficult.

But cognitive decline isn't an inevitable part of the ageing process, says British neuroscience professor Hana Burianová. "The brain is plastic, so its structure and function change and adapt throughout our lifetimes."

Your lifestyle and habits can directly affect brain elasticity', either contributing to your dementia risk or protecting you against it.

According to neuroscientist and author of 100 Days to a Younger Brain, Dr Sabina Brennan, our brains are dynamic organs that not only influence our behaviour but are also influenced by our behaviour.

What you do every day can protect your brain in the long term, as well as ensuring sounder sleep, more laughter, sharper thinking and better memory.

Here's how.

1 MAKE IT 'NEW'

You know about aerobics, but have you heard of "neurobics"? These are brain-stimulating exercises that involve trying something new or performing routine habits slightly differently.

Research shows the region in the brain responsible for regulating motivation and processing reward responds better to novelty than to the familiar.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM YOU SOUTH AFRICAView all
PUSHED TO THE LIMIT
YOU South Africa

PUSHED TO THE LIMIT

The unusual relationship between an heiress and her husband has taken a sinister twist

time-read
5 mins  |
5 September 2024
HOW TO MAKE A SUPERBABY
YOU South Africa

HOW TO MAKE A SUPERBABY

Noor Siddiqui says her company can test embryos for hundreds of conditions from diabetes to Alzheimer's. Critics call it social engineering but she insists she's just giving prospective parents the means to avoid a lot of future heartache

time-read
10+ mins  |
5 September 2024
THE GROWN-UP BRAIN
YOU South Africa

THE GROWN-UP BRAIN

If you think your brain deteriorates as you age, think again!

time-read
3 mins  |
5 September 2024
THE eyes HAVE IT
YOU South Africa

THE eyes HAVE IT

They're the windows to our soul - and the first place to show the stresses of everyday life. Juliette Winter reveals expert tips to de-puff, brighten and smooth this delicate area

time-read
1 min  |
5 September 2024
WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER
YOU South Africa

WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER

It hasn't been an easy road but now this bodybuilding couple are making waves in the industry

time-read
4 mins  |
5 September 2024
I CAN'T WAIT FOR SUMMER!
YOU South Africa

I CAN'T WAIT FOR SUMMER!

Annetjie's about to get effective treatment for the skin condition that has blighted her life and she's looking forward to hitting the shops and facing the world

time-read
5 mins  |
5 September 2024
'SHE NO THREAT TO ANYONE'
YOU South Africa

'SHE NO THREAT TO ANYONE'

When SA boxer Chris van Heerden's Russian girlfriend went to visit her parents she was thrown in jail and accused of treasonnow he's in a fight to free her

time-read
5 mins  |
5 September 2024
SUNK IN 16 MINUTES!
YOU South Africa

SUNK IN 16 MINUTES!

A sun-drenched holiday turned into a living nightmare for those aboard this luxury vessel

time-read
5 mins  |
5 September 2024
READY TO SMILE AGAIN
YOU South Africa

READY TO SMILE AGAIN

A groundbreaking surgical procedure will restore this Limpopo teen's badly damaged jaw and teeth

time-read
5 mins  |
5 September 2024
HARRY AT A CROSSROADS
YOU South Africa

HARRY AT A CROSSROADS

As the prince turns 40, royal experts paint a picture of a troubled soul- isolated, homesick and struggling to find a purpose in life

time-read
8 mins  |
5 September 2024