Staying sharp
Keeping our bodies in good condition is straightforward, in theory. You just need to stick to a healthy diet and take plenty of exercise.
While the same basic principles should help to keep your brain healthy too, scientific research is also revealing secrets about other ways to keep you mentally sharp for longer.
So just how do you keep your grey matter in great shape?
Get your brain active
It's essential to get your brain working. But doing bit of reading or tackling the crossword isn't enough on its own. Getting out there and learning new skills can make a huge difference. Click or tap to learn more.
Brain food
Eating the right foods can also play a key part in keeping our brains young.
Social creatures
Ultimately, human beings are a social species 鈥 we need each other to survive in a very real way.
Social activity stimulates your brain in a similar way to activities like reading and doing crosswords.
Just like learning new skills or being physically active, it helps to develop connections between the nerve cells in different areas of the brain.
And research also suggests that people who are lonely are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's disease and dementia. When it comes to the brain, a rich and varied life is the key to long-term health.
Learn more about this topic:
Inside the Human Body. collection
A series of short films looking at how the human body works.
Amazing Me. collection
A series of primary biology films that demonstrate the amazing processes that go on inside each and every one of us.
Biology with Dr. Chris van Tulleken. collection
Doctor Chris van Tulleken introduces some handpicked biology clips from the 麻豆社 archive for use in the classroom.
