3 Brain Hacks to Boost Your Memory and Problem-Solving as You Age
In Part 3 of our neuroscience expert series with social media science communicator Ben Rein, I sat down with him to discuss brain hacks and ways we can improve our brain health.
Rein, a neuroscientist at Stanford University, amassed a large following after one of his videos went viral in 2020. Since then, he has dedicated his platform to educating people on topics in neuroscience, creating engaging short-form videos for over 600,000 followers on his TikTok. (Scroll down to watch our full conversation about brain hacking.)
As we age into our 30s and 40s, brain size naturally decreases. Some areas of the brain shrink faster than others, most notably in your frontal lobe, which is an area that is responsible for higher-level brain functions like memory, problem-solving, reasoning, and judgment. When your brain shrinks, it causes many complications that affect your mental function. As a result, you’re more likely to have memory loss, difficulty in performing everyday tasks, and even increased risk of disorders like Alzheimer’s.
Although you can’t prevent aging, there are ways you can help maintain your brain health, Rein says.
Tip No. 1: Incorporate Physical Activities Into Your Daily Routine
As we previously discussed in the last episode, exercising is beneficial for not only your physical health, but also your mental health. Multiple studies have shown that people who exercise regularly are less likely to develop mental disorders. You don’t necessarily have to be a marathon runner in order to maintain your brain health, either, according to Rein.
“I encourage people to consider what they’re doing right now, and maybe step up one level from that,” he says. Whether you go for a 15-minute walk or swim laps at the pool, any sort of physical exercise is encouraged if you want to maintain a healthy brain.
Tip No. 2: Stay Mentally Active With Brain-Stimulating Activities
Our brains are similar to our muscles in that we have to train different parts in order to keep them fit. Reading is a great activity if you want to engage multiple functions in your brain. One study has shown that playing games that engage your brain, like sudoku and crosswords, can improve brain function in people over 50. However, Rein warns us to avoid most paid brain-training apps because their services typically don’t have research to back up their claims.
Tip No. 3: Engage in Social Activities
Actively engaging in social interaction can help strengthen your brain health. Simply spending time with friends and family, while avoiding long periods of social isolation, has a positive effect on your mental health. However, it is also important to think about the types of interactions we are having. Are you constantly meeting new people and having complex conversations, or are you living a repetitive lifestyle?
Bonus: Try This Night Vision Hack
As a bonus, Rein taught us a cool hack that will help you see better in the dark. When you sense something in the distance at night, instead of looking directly at the object, use your peripheral vision. You’ll notice that when you do this, the object is seemingly brighter. In our eyes, we have photoreceptors called rods and cones. Rods detect low light, while cones detect higher levels of light and color. Rods are more abundant in the periphery, which is why you see objects much more clearly when you look slightly off center. Though this hack may seem only useful for stargazing, this could potentially help you protect yourself if you’re being followed at night.
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