Creating Your New Normal

Ways to keep your mind active and body moving

Now more than ever we are looking for ways to keep our bodies moving but our minds active. And now is the time to work on creating your “new normal.” Keeping an active mind should be a part of everyone's daily routine. We have assembled some things to accomplish just that.

1. Keep Learning/Continuing Education 

   • Sign up for a class held at your local community center or college. Both offer classes on a wide variety of topics. 

2. Read, Read, Read

   • We all have the stack of books we have purchased and put aside to “read later.” Now is a great time to sit down, take a break from social media, and news, and escape into the literary world. 

     • We have assembled some great reads on brain health - check out our Resources page for more.

3. Spirituality

   • Take time during each day to explore the spiritual side of your life.

4. Be Artistic 

   • Paint, draw, doodle - you name it. This is a great way to “work out” your brain. 

5. Puzzles / Brain Training 

   • This is a great way to keep your mind stimulated and challenged. Crossword puzzles (in your local paper, online printable versions, etc.) Jigsaw puzzles, and Sudoku. 

   • Brain HQ - great online training for your brain. They have it broken down into quick 2-minute training sessions. BrainHQ can be used on any computer or mobile device. 

     1. “BrainHQ, the interactive brain training program built by Posit Science, is your online headquarters for working out your brain. Think of it as a personal gym, where you exercise your memory, attention, brain speed, people skills, intelligence, and navigation instead of your abs, delts, and quads. Just as our bodies require care and exercise over the course of life, so do our brains—especially as we age. BrainHQ provides the exercise your brain needs to be at its sharpest.” 

6. Listen to Music

7. Physical Exercise 

   • Physical Exercise can help your memory and thinking skills. As “We know that physical exercise, and aerobic exercise, in particular, is very beneficial for maintaining brain health, even in people who are at risk for developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease (AD),” says neuropsychologist Aaron Bonner-Jackson, Ph.D. “You can make a major difference in terms of how your body is functioning and, as a result, how your brain is functioning.”

   • Here are some exercises you can do at home: 

     • Straight Leg Raisers & Quad Sets 

     • Chair Exercises (including repetitive sitting/standing) - remember nose in front of toes

     • Standing Balance Exercises 

     • Standing Toe Heel Raises with Partial Squats 

     • Walk, Bike, or Run 

     • Dancing & Prancing 

In this 15-minute video that features exercises for seniors, Go4Life fitness instructor Sandy Magrath leads older adults through a workout featuring a warm-up.

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These are just some of the things we can be doing to keep our minds active and bodies moving. 

Stay positive, stay healthy, and stay tuned for more! 

Sources:

https://www.silverchain.org.au/media-and-news/your-best-life/7-ways-to-keep-your-mind-active-as-you-age/

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/why-exercise-protects-your-brains-health-and-what-kind-is-best/

https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/6-simple-steps-to-keep-your-mind-sharp-at-any-age