10 hobbies for seniors that improve brain and body health

Americans often have more leisure time as they get older.Perhaps this is a natural consequence of having fewer childcare responsibilities and eventually retiring from paid employment. How you use that time has a huge impact on how you age, both mentally and physically.

A recent study of 700,000 U.S. veterans presented at the American Academy of Nutrition’s annual meeting found that even if you take it in your 40s, 50s, or 60s, it can add 24 years to your lifespan. Eight lifestyle habits were identified. You probably won’t be surprised by the recommendations to exercise, eat well, don’t binge drink alcohol, sleep well, don’t smoke, stay away from opioid addiction, keep stress in check, and maintain a vibrant social life. But there is much more you can do to live a long and healthy life. Incorporate some of these hobbies into your daily life to maintain important brain and body health.

walking

We’ve been told for years that high-intensity aerobic exercise is the key to a long and healthy life. It turns out that simply putting one foot in front of the other can increase brain volume and increase neuroplasticity. (Neuroplasticity roughly translates to the brain’s ability to adapt and change.)

One study found that older men and women who were more active (average age 70) had a lower risk of death than sedentary men and women. Those who ran or played racquet sports benefited the most, with walking a close second. And a recent review of existing research found that just 4,000 steps a day may be the magic number for living a longer, healthier life.

“I used to have a hard time doing high-intensity exercise, but now I find walking to be the best activity,” says Dr. Laura D. Baker, professor of gerontology and geriatrics at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. talk. Go for regular walks and find a buddy to support you.

Sports for beginners

Walking is just as good for your health as more intense exercise, but if you want an extra challenge, step it up a bit. Consider the case of Olga Koteko, a teacher in Saskatchewan, Canada. In her 70s, she competed in various track and field events such as sprinting, triple jump, and discus, and was breaking world records right up until her death at the age of 95.

Dr. Art Kramer, founding director of Northeastern University’s Center for Cognitive Brain Health, had the opportunity to perform an MRI on Koteko before he died. When he asked her why she had never seen a photo of her pole vaulting, she replied: “I had to give that up in my 80s,” she said.

Among other things, the MRI revealed that the white matter tracts in her brain were similar to those of women decades younger. These areas of the brain are involved in reasoning, planning, and self-control. In other words, people with the most aging-prone features.

learn a new language

“There is growing scientific evidence that learning new things throughout your life is neuroprotective,” says Kramer. (Fun fact: Kramer’s 103-year-old aunt is currently learning Italian for the first time.)

It doesn’t have to be a new language, but a language may have special advantages. A small 2019 study of adults ages 59 to 79 found that those who participated in a four-month second language program showed cognitive improvements. This is based on a 2014 study that reported that participants who speak two languages ​​retain more cognitive abilities as they age. This includes people who learned a second language as adults.

Quilting (or photography)

A groundbreaking study led by Dennis C. Park, Ph.D., research director at the University of Texas at Dallas Center for Life and Longevity, randomly assigned a group of adults between the ages of 60 and 90 to receive quilting, digital photography, or I learned the skills to activate both. You spend about 16 hours a week over three months learning working memory, episodic memory, and reasoning. The other group was assigned less demanding problems, such as crosswords and social studies. What are the findings? “Learning quilting and photography adds new knowledge,” Park says.

Tests taken at the end of the three-month period showed that people in the formal learning group had improved memory and processing speed compared to the control group. The authors speculated that in addition to learning, the social environment and required perceptual-motor skills may have made a difference. “I think people underestimate the impact of socialization,” Park says. Many other activities may provide the same benefits. “It’s really important to have an interest, but you have to have the space for it,” she says.

pursuit of education

The benefits of new learning extend beyond quilting and photography. Look for things that challenge you. You might even be able to get some use out of your new remote control, Baker said. “When you retire, many of the challenges you normally have at work disappear,” she says. “It’s really important to be challenged regularly.”

The task activates another part of the brain, the cerebellum, which is responsible for more automatic and reflexive behaviors. You can automate tasks and free up energy for new things, Baker says. The Internet makes it easy to find new opportunities to learn and get involved. “It’s an almost endless world of things you can learn from,” says Kramer.

Try local adult centers, local community colleges, continuing education programs, university extension programs, and, of course, the web. No matter what you decide to learn, Baker says it’s a good idea to set milestones and goals to keep you going. “Unless we have a goal of where we want to go, we do it for a few days and then quit,” she says. “The brain needs regular stimulation. It’s not just two days this month, she’s every day this month.”

One of the benefits of getting older is that you don’t have to take new tests, at least not the traditional school type of tests. On the other hand, studying for an exam may just be the motivation you need to acquire new knowledge.

A now classic study published in 2011 looked at people studying to become taxi drivers in London, a notoriously difficult job. Candidates must master the maze of approximately 25,000 streets, alleys and boulevards that make up his one of the world’s largest cities, known as “Knowledge”. Researchers found that those who passed the exam had increased gray matter and improved memory.

“Milestones and goals help you keep going,” Baker says. “Unless we have a goal of where we want to go, we do it for a few days and then stop. The brain needs regular stimulation. Not just two days this month, but every day this month. ”

teach

Many people in retirement have skills that others would like to learn. Teaching a class may not seem like it requires acquiring new knowledge, but it actually does. “When you teach a class, you need to know more about the material than you do when you’re sitting there as a student,” says Kramer. “I learn the most when I’m teaching. I have to anticipate the students’ questions. I have to dig deeper into them.”

Kramer recently taught a class at the request of a student and found that he puts a lot of effort into structuring his lectures and classes to be more interactive and participatory than when he was in school. . “The model 50 years ago was to just sit down and ask maybe one or two questions,” he says. It expanded his mind. Many of the same institutions and organizations that offer classes are also recruiting teachers.

juggling

Several studies have identified juggling as one of the new skills that is especially helpful for maintaining the brain and body. A 2022 review of 11 studies examining the effects of juggling on the brain found that it enhanced neuroplasticity.

“Juggling is a complex sensorimotor task,” says Kramer. “You have to know where the ball is, anticipate the ball, and move your arms. And as the review authors point out, juggling requires no special equipment and can be done while sitting or standing. You can do it while you’re away, and you don’t need an instructor. You can do it alone or with others.”

dancing

Dancing is another physical activity that may slow aging, and one study in healthy older adults found that, similar to endurance training, dancing has positive effects on the hippocampus (a brain region associated with aging). Changes are associated. Dancing also led to improved balance, but endurance training did not.

Participants either took weekly dance classes or did endurance and flexibility training such as cycling or Nordic walking for 18 months. While the endurance team did the same thing over and over again, the dancers were tasked with new routines each week, ranging from jazz to line dancing to square dancing. The added challenge of remembering and learning routines may have made a difference. And, as another study points out, dancing can help you get out of the house.

video game

Video games and screens are often blamed for many of society’s negative effects, but in the right way they may actually help you stay young. Researchers at the University of California, Irvine observed a group of adults between the ages of 60 and 80 as they played Angry Birds or Super Mario 3D World on the Nintendo Wii U. Participants had no experience with video games. Meanwhile, the control group played solitaire on a computer.

The group that played video games showed improvements in memory, a major ravage of aging. I saw results after playing for 4 weeks. This indicates that you need 10-20 hours of play to see the effects. The authors speculated that this change, which persisted for an additional four weeks after individuals stopped playing, was due in part to Super Mario’s three-dimensional environment.

Mindfulness

A certain amount of stress is inevitable in life, but too much stress can cause various health problems and even shorten your lifespan. Older adults may be especially at risk, as studies have shown that the stress hormone cortisol increases after middle age.

All of the hobbies listed above can help reduce stress, but mindfulness practices like meditation, yoga, and journaling can be just as effective. Alternatively, try getting a pet (or even just hanging around your pet). According to one study, they may improve memory and energy levels.

all of the above

There are so many healthy hobbies, but how do you choose one? Actually, that’s not the case. “If the overall goal is to protect the body and the brain, it’s not just one issue,” says the study, which is evaluating whether lifestyle interventions that address multiple risk factors can prevent cognitive decline. said Baker, principal investigator of the pioneering US Pointer clinical trial. “It’s exercise, diet, cognitive stimulation, and social engagement.”

Another trial in Finland found that exercise and nutrition, cognitive training, socialization and addressing heart risk factors were more effective than any drug at protecting the brains of older people without dementia. It turns out that there is something. Park’s research also found that multitasking has positive effects on the brain.