Our Middle Aged Brains

Ah... if only I could stay young... instead of faking it.

Even if I did pretend, I have too many reminders bringing me back to my middle aged reality... like not being able to recall what movie I saw last weekend!

No kidding! It is actually true that our brains change with age. There was a report that said forty percent of your brain cells are lost with age but that is actually not true.

They are not lost but recent studies show the neural connections that receive, process and transmit information can weaken with disuse or age. But hearing a sound similar to words you are trying to remember can trigger your memory so you can recall that movie name you forgot.

Something the middle aged brain is better at doing is recognizing the central idea or big picture. So if the brain is in good shape, it can build pathways that allow it to recognize patterns and their significance and find a solution faster than a young person.

How do you keep effective brain connections and establish more of them?

Even at middle age, the human brain has plasticity... meaning it can change and increase the complexity of the connections. One theory about promoting adult brain health is to confront your brain with thoughts that are contrary to your own.

For example when taking a history class, read multiple viewpoints and reflect on how that influences your opinion. If you only read about and talk with those who agree with your views, your brain won't be challenged to create new connections.

So force your brain to stretch!

Learn a foreign language or take a different route to work. Just because you're middle-aged like we are does not mean your brain can't stay sharp.