Nine out of 10 Hawai‘i residents surveyed say staying mentally sharp is a high priority—yet only one-third of those residents believe that they have everything they need to stay that way. AARP is addressing these concerns by sponsoring a series of events that identify research on brain health and offer guidelines for staying sharp at any age.
4 simple factors of brain health suggest what we can do now, regardless of our age, to reduce the risk of age-related disease and optimize our chances for staying sharp:
- Mental Activity — Exercise your brain, learn new things and pursue intellectually stimulating activities. Activities should be enjoyable and interesting.
- Physical Activity — Aim for 15 minutes a day and increase incrementally.
- Social Engagement — People with good social networks tend to live longer and are physically healthier than people who are socially isolated.
- Vascular Health — Stress management means controlling weight and diet, monitoring your blood pressure and cholesterol, and not smoking.
