How to Make Sure You’re Looking After Your Cognitive Health

Unless you are getting on in years and heading towards retirement, or have someone in your family with a diagnosis of a cognitive condition, the chances are that your brain’s well-being has not factored much into your thinking about health. The truth of the matter is that when we think about cognitive well-being, most of us do think about the expected decline that occurs towards the end of our time. There are two problems with this way of thinking: firstly, it’s not guaranteed that such a decline will happen at any stage of our life; secondly, it’s never a bad time to think about your cognitive health or take steps to improve it.

Some facts about your cognitive health

Our thinking on this subject is dominated by the word that falls like a hammer blow when we hear it spoken by a doctor: dementia. But dementia and cognitive health are still poorly understood by many people, including some health influencers. Consider:

• One in six people worldwide over the age of 80 is understood to have dementia; that means it’s far from inevitable as you age.
• There are many ways that your cognitive health can be impaired by conditions that are not dementia, and which will usually be entirely situational.
• There are things you can do to make dementia less likely as you age; you can’t guarantee anything, but you can lessen your risk factor and improve your outlook.
• The decisions you make today can both improve your cognitive function in the here and now and lessen your risk in old age.

What should I be doing?

The truth is that you may find yourself experiencing reduced cognitive function at any stage of your life, and it will usually be an entirely short-term issue. What we do, and don’t do, at any time can improve or lessen our cognitive performance. Regularly drinking excessively or eating unhealthy food will certainly blunt your mental capacity. Getting enough exercise has been shown to have benefits for your brain, so it’s never a bad time to book into a class at Fitness 19 and get the blood pumping. Also, mental exercise such as learning a language or an instrument, or taking up woodwork or painting can make a big difference.

What are some signs that my cognitive health needs help?

If you’re experiencing brain fog on a regular basis, are struggling to make decisions or remember basic facts, you may be in need of a boost to your cognitive health. If you’re finding yourself struggling to maintain conversation with loved ones and colleagues, you could benefit from doing some things differently.

What else will help?

You can always do more to boost cognitive function, and the good news is that the effects are cumulative, so this will help you moving forwards. Getting enough sleep is a huge factor; it should be good quality sleep, so avoid screens for an hour or so before bed. You can also take supplements; cod liver oil and lion’s mane are highly recommended. Also, rates of cognitive function in Mediterranean Europe are world-leading, believed to be a consequence of their antioxidant-rich diet, so getting more fruit, veg and beneficial oils for nutrition is always a good idea.

Your cognitive health is like any other aspect of your health; it is affected by what you do in the present day, and there are always things you can do to improve it. So why not take some steps to boost your brain today?