The Aging Brain and Accepting What We Really Know About It

The more we learn about the way the mind works, the more amazing it seems to be. However, new research suggests that your brain can actually get better as you age. That’s right, you can improve your aging brain. The phenomenon is called “brain plasticity” and it comes from what you’ve experienced over your lifetime. And the older you get, the more opportunities for new experiences you have. 

Brain Plasticity and Your Aging Brain

Once upon a time, it was generally believed that your brain naturally deteriorated over time. Today, you know this to be a myth. Brain plasticity is proving that the aging brain can change and actually improve as you get older.

This means learning new skills, ideas, and attitudes is possible at any age. Since learning requires memory, this suggests that mental training and brain exercises are worthwhile.

For an example of how this works, let’s say you play golf.

In fact, you play golf every week. With the same people. On the same course. Making the same swings every time. For the last 30 years. With time comes habit and your golf game may have reached the point of stagnation. You don’t usually do too bad but you aren’t improving either. 

One thing we know about the aging brain is that if you keep doing the same thing, especially when you are older, you end up with more rigid mental functions. Basically, what happens is your brain cements itself in a state of habit. Essentially, this means if you want to improve your mental health as you age, you need to start doing things differently. You have to change what you are doing every day.

• Firstly, to improve your brain plasticity takes motivation. You have to try to improve and get better at things you may have been doing for years. In golf, this may translate to going out of your comfort zone and playing a new course.
• Secondly, you can only change things you’re aware of. So, simply being aware that brain plasticity exists can help you improve. 
• Thirdly, you must challenge yourself to experience new things. 

What the Brain Does Better With Age

Believe it or not, aging brains actually have advantages over younger ones. Even in circles where youth is valued more than age, mental maturity has its advantages. Here are just a few:

• Inductive Reasoning: Older people are better at making judgment calls and are more likely to reach correct conclusions when given information. 
• Verbal Abilities: You continue to expand your vocabulary and hone your language skills past middle age. 
• Spatial Reasoning: Older individuals are more likely to score higher on spatial quizzes in their 50’s and 60’s. 
• Basic Math: That’s right, since you’ve been doing it for so many years you can do some fast math.
• Accentuating the Positive: The part of the brain responsible for emotions – the amygdala – isn’t as responsive to negativity in older adults. This leads to seniors brooding less than their younger counterparts.

In short, we are still learning about the aging brain and how cognitive function can be maintained as we age.

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