The Secrets of Super Agers: Maintaining Youthful Brains
Vigorous physical activity in daily life found to protect brain health
The human brain is significantly affected by the aging process, leading to a decrease in brain volume and a decline in cognitive functions such as memory and learning ability. In some cases, this can even lead to degenerative brain diseases like Alzheimer’s. However, there are rare individuals who seem to defy the effects of time and maintain an exceptionally youthful brain. These individuals are known as “Super Agers”.
A recent study conducted by a university in Spain has shed light on the secret behind the youthfulness of Super Agers. The study, published in the prestigious international journal ‘The Lancet Healthy Longevity’, compared the brain images and lifestyles of 64 elderly participants and 55 individuals of the same age with normal cognitive functioning. The researchers discovered that Super Agers exhibited higher motor skills and had more gray matter in the brain, which is associated with cognitive abilities.
Interestingly, the key difference lies in their lifestyle choices. Although the level of physical activity between Super Agers and ordinary individuals was similar, Super Agers engaged in more physical activities in their daily lives, such as gardening and climbing stairs, starting from middle age. Additionally, they prioritized and enjoyed a sufficient amount of quality sleep. This constant physical activity and adequate sleep reduced the risk of hypertension and obesity, while increasing blood flow to the brain, effectively slowing down brain aging and reducing premature deaths.
Professor Jo Robertson from the Department of Psychological Sciences at the University of Melbourne, Australia, emphasized the significance of this study, stating that a healthy lifestyle that includes physical activity and adequate sleep can greatly support brain health. This finding is especially encouraging for individuals in their 30s and 40s who prioritize their health.
The World Association for Brain Health (GCBH) recommends the following five lifestyle habits to promote brain health:
- Interaction with the surroundings: Social isolation and loneliness are risk factors that deteriorate brain health. Regular interaction with family and friends, along with cautionary measures to prevent hearing loss, are crucial.
- Stress management: Excessive stress negatively impacts brain function, concentration, and attention. Engaging in activities like meditation and listening to music can effectively reduce stress. Sufficient sleep on stressful days also aids in restoring brain function.
- Regular exercise: Regular exercise promotes the release of neuromodulatory factors in the brain, facilitating the growth and maintenance of nerve cells and neurons, thereby slowing down brain aging.
- Brain-friendly foods: Consuming fruits, vegetables, nuts, olive oil, and fish reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and supports cardiovascular health.
- Life goals: Individuals with clear goals have a 30% lower risk of developing dementia. Setting achievable goals and striving towards them can positively impact brain health, even with small daily objectives.
By adopting these lifestyle habits, individuals can take proactive steps to maintain brain health and potentially delay cognitive decline. It is never too early or too late to prioritize brain health and embrace a fulfilling and healthy life.
The human brain is one of the organs most affected by ageing. When aging begins, brain volume decreases and problems occur in various cognitive functions such as memory and learning ability. In the worst case, it can lead to degenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. However, very rarely, there are people who seem to have nothing to do with the flow of time. That’s a super age.
Vigorous physical activity in daily life protects brain health｜Source: Getty Image Bank
Super Agers are people who are well past their 60th birthday, but their brains are up to 30 years younger than their age. The most representative example of advanced age is the elderly who are over 80 years old but maintain cognitive abilities at the level of those in their 50s. So, what is the difference between seniors and ordinary people? Recently, a university in Spain revealed the secret of super-agers.
Small physical activities in everyday life can make a senior
According to a study published on the 13th in the international journal ‘The Lancet Healthy Longevity’ by researchers from the Department of Clinical Neuroscience at the Technical University of Madrid, Spain, Super Agers have higher motor skills compared to normal people who were found to have more gray matter in the brain that is associated with These differences arise from lifestyle.
The research team analyzed the brain images and lifestyles of 64 elderly people who participated in a large-scale Alzheimer’s disease study conducted in Madrid and 55 normal people of the same age and levels of cognitive functioning. As a result, although the level of physical activity of the elderly and ordinary people is similar, the elderly do more activities that require physical abilities such as gardening and climbing stairs in daily life from middle age. In addition, it was examined that they were satisfied with the quantity and quality of sleep and that they lived a leading life.
The research team said, “Constant physical activity reduces the risk of hypertension and obesity and increases blood flow to the brain, which has the effect of slowing down the aging of the brain. “It helps to maintain speed and appear to reduce premature deaths.”
Professor Jo Robertson from the Department of Psychological Sciences at the University of Melbourne, Australia, said: “This study proves that a healthy lifestyle, such as increasing physical activity and getting enough sleep, can support brain health.” “This is very welcome news. for those in their 30s and 40s who pay special attention to their health,” he said.
Below are five lifestyle habits to become a senior, presented by the World Association for Brain Health (GCBH).
1. Interaction with the surroundings
Social isolation and loneliness are representative risk factors for deteriorating brain health and cognitive function. So, the older you get, the more often you interact with your family or friends. Also, care must be taken not to cause hearing loss. This is because every 10 decibel reduction in hearing reduces cognitive function and increases the level of the stress hormone cortisol, which adversely affects the brain.
2. Stress Management
Stress in everyday life is inevitable. The problem is that excessive stress reduces brain function and reduces concentration and attention. Therefore, it is important to actively manage stress. Meditation and music reduce stress. It is also good to get enough sleep on stressful days. Deep sleep helps restore brain function.
3. Regular exercise
Regular exercise increases the neuromodulatory factors that come out of the brain, helping to grow and maintain nerve cells and neurons, and has the effect of slowing the aging of the brain.
4. Brain friendly foods
It is also important to eat foods that are good for brain health. Fruit, vegetables, nuts, olive oil, fish, etc. reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and help cardiovascular health.
5. life goals
People who live with clear goals have a 30% lower risk of developing dementia than people who don’t. So, it is good to follow a goal oriented life as a rule. Even if it’s not a big goal, if you set a small goal that you can achieve in your daily life and achieve, it can have a positive effect on your brain health.
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