Grey Matters: 3 Easy Ways to Tune-Up Your Ageing Brain

Did you know that your brain begins to deteriorate structurally as early as age 30?

Changes to your brain’s size, vasculature and cognition are all caused by ageing, with memory impairment and incidences of stroke, white matter lesions, and dementia rising as the number of candles on your birthday cake increases.

Great news, huh?

However, there are a number of protective factors that will aid your ageing brain. These include regular exercise, a healthy diet, low to moderate alcohol intake, and increased cognitive effort in the form of education.

And it’s the last point we want to explore in more detail.

Higher levels of education may act to provide a certain level of defence against an ageing brain, which is why we’ve put together three easy ways for you to give your grey matter a tune-up in the fight against dwindling cognition.

Listen to podcasts

It’s 2019, which means most of us will have access to a laptop, tablet or smartphone. And if you have access to one of these, you can broaden your educational horizons by subscribing to a few choice podcasts.

The great thing about this form of media is that you can listen to them wherever you are and whatever you’re up to. Doing the laundry? Pop on a podcast. At the gym? Pop on a podcast. In the bath? Pop on a podcast.

Check out the interview with Luke Combs on Rogan’s podcast if you like your country music. Listening to other people’s life experience can always be enlightening.

It may take you a little time to figure out your likes and dislikes when it comes to an educational podcast, but Hardcore History, The Tim Ferriss Show, The Joe Rogan Experience, and Russell Brand’s ‘Under the Skin’ are decent starters for 10.

Grab a distance learning qualification

You may not be at a stage in your life where a full university degree would be beneficial for a career change, but if you’re retired or simply have plenty of spare time, you can grab a qualification online from a reputable distance learning provider.

Institutions like Cambridge-based Anglia Ruskin Distance Learning have been offering qualifications online for many years. They have students of all ages and nationalities enrolled to learn new skills in areas such as management, digital marketing and even football coaching.

Distance learning allows you to study when and where it suits you—all you need is access to a computer and an internet connection. It’s the perfect way to gain a respected qualification without attending a bricks and mortar institution.

Check out MOOCs

If you want to get serious about fine-tuning your brain but are less than keen on opening your purse or wallet for a university qualification, Massive Online Learning Courses (MOOCs) are a great way to grab an education for next to nothing.

These informal courses are especially popular in the US, with a number of fascinating subjects for you to get your teeth into, including dinosaur paleobiology, international law, flight mechanics, and astrophysics.

Now it’s over to you …

How do you keep your brain active as you get older? Any tips you’d like to share with our readers? Please let us know in the comments section, we’d love to hear from you.