From our Partners at Quebec Blue Cross
Keeping fit can mean a lot of different things and we’re often thinking about them consciously. There’s physical health, mental health, financial health and more. When was the last time you considered your brain health?
Cognitive Reserve Keeps Brains Healthier
Our brains are incredibly complex organs with connections between grouped nerve cells called neurons. To process thoughts, our brains tap into these neurons and carry information between them to process the world around us and allow us to engage fully within it.
The connection points between neurons often overlap and where there are degraded connections, which is a normal part of aging, the brain will work to find new routes to the neurons it seeks. This process of re-mapping is called cognitive reserve.
Strengthening Your Cognitive Reserve
Having more connections between neurons enables our brains to have stronger performance in key areas, such as attention and memory. How do we strengthen or maintain these connections? It’s all about good lifestyle habits – including healthy eating and physical activity – while seeking out mentally stimulating interests.
Regularly engaging in educational, creative, social and cultural activities as well as certain games greatly promote good brain health. This could include reading a good book you enjoy, learning a new language, watching a documentary on a new topic, taking up painting or sculpture, dancing, singing, playing chess, volunteering, tutoring others or visiting an art gallery or museum.
There are lots you can do to keep your cognitive reserve growing and with it, you gain a stronger and more resilient brain as you age.
Learn More about what’s covered with Blue Cross Health Benefits to keep you active and engaged.
