How to Stay Mentally Sharp in Retirement

As you get into retirement age and no longer have the daily demands of work to keep you on your toes, it is important to take up activities to stay mentally sharp. You don't need a scientist to tell you that as you get older, you tend to forget things. It is important to keep your brain active, so it continues to develop fresh mental pathways. Try a few of these retirement ideas.

Instructions

• 1

  Take up a new hobby. Whether it is golf, building ships inside bottles, collecting antiques or playing piano, the important thing is to make your mind try new things and develop new memories. It is also crucial that you have a certain passion for the hobby, so you are not just going through the motions.

• 2

  Stay physically active. Research shows that staying physically active slows mental decline. One of the latest trends is seniors playing the new Nintendo Wii system, which requires a person to be physically engaged in each game by using its controller to mimic the real movements. Many retirement homes and senior citizen centers have started to purchase the system with public funds. There is even a National Senior League's Wii bowling competition with 186 teams.

• 3

  Listen to music. Scientists have recently discovered that playing music can enhance the brain and sharpen your hearing skills. A study at Northwestern University found that experience with music appears to transfer to activities like reading or hearing sounds in a noisy room better. Check out what the kids are listening to these days or develop your passion for Mozart by listening to his collected works.

• 4

  Eat well. It might be common knowledge, but it is true. Antioxidants, the substances found in many fruits and vegetables, protect and nourish brain cells. These include red beans, blueberries, oranges, pecans, broccoli, spinach, carrots, sweet potatoes and tomatoes. A list of the top 20 antioxidant-rich foods are found on WebMD.com.

• 5

  Listen to good debates and discussions. Apart from the standard fare of political arguments on television, there are endless sources for interesting discussion. The Intelligence Squared Debates, founded in Britain and available online, brings together the world's brightest minds in politics and journalism. The Teaching Company sells audio recordings of lectures of professors from the country's best universities. They have over 200 different courses on a wide variety of topics, from religious mysticism to nutrition.

• 6

  Learn a foreign language. Its never too late to pick up a few words in Spanish or try to master French. You can find a tutor at a local university or buy an interactive software program.

• 7

  Manage your stress. When you're stressed, your brain releases hormones that can damage your brain, according to a special report from the Mayo Clinic done for CNN. And constant stress can cause depress or anxiety, feelings that decrease your ability to remember.

• 8

  Think young. The age-is-just-a-number maxim is very much true. If you think and act young, you will ten to stay younger. Open up your mind to new things. Be curious. Ask questions. Talk to someone you have never spoken to. Recall how you thought about things when you were only 21.