Welcome to our first ever “part 2” of a Road to Retirement article. In part one of “How to Stay Sharp in Retirement,” linked here, we went over the different free classes that are available in San Diego and talked a bit about SDCCE’s Emeritus program. These are still great options that have been expanding as of late, so be sure to check those out!
In this article we want to move away from the “structured” activities of classes and move more into the things you can do on your own. This article comes at the request of some of retirees who loved the first article so much, that we just had to do another.
Lifestyle Options
There are several easy lifestyle choices you can make that help ease brain fog and prevent cognitive decline. You’ve definitely heard them before too:
- Stay Fit and Active
- Get plenty of Sleep
- Quit Smoking and Limit Drinking
- Talk with Friends and Family
- Eat Healthy
Now, obviously we’ve been hearing all of these for all our lives. But! These are even more important once you retire, and they should be easier since you likely have more free time.
If you’re having trouble with any of these, check out Best Health, a free program given to all SDPEBA members. Best Health provides articles, classes, quizzes, and access to a health coach, all for free! These articles are written to help motivate you to stay healthy, sign up by going to https://sdpeba.yourbesthealth.com/!
Another tip is to find a buddy, preferably someone with the same goals as you. If you know any other retirees, ask them to go on walks or to help hold you accountable to your health goals.
If you don’t see yourself using Best Health or finding a buddy, another good option is to volunteer/pick up a part time job. I know retiring is supposed to mean you don’t have to work anymore, but there’s a reason a lot of retirees volunteer at the San Diego Zoo! You get exercise, socialization, and you get to learn new things! All of which help you clear brain fog and stay sharp.
By actively doing these 5 things, you’re creating a healthy routine. Healthy routines help eliminate stress and are self-fulfilling, by routinely being healthy, you’ll have more energy to be healthy!
Workout… Mentally!
Mental fitness is just as important as physical fitness. But you can’t exactly pick up some dumbbells with your mind. There are, however, plenty of fun ways to occupy your brain productively:
- Try Brain Games, like Brain Age, Wordle, Chess, or Crosswords
- Take Classes
- Learn something new: like an instrument, hobby, or even language
- Read!
Let’s start with Brain Games, because I feel like that’s an easy one to get lost in. There are dozens of apps and websites that promise to help you think more clearly, but a lot of them are brain candy and aren’t too effective at doing anything except occupying your time. Brain Games like the ones found on Brilliant.com, push you to learn something. There are others, like sudoku or crosswords that help with memory/recall. And then there are more interactive ones like Brain Age/Big Brain Academy (which are video games).
The issue with many brain games, is they don’t actually help your brain improve, they just help you get better at that game. So be careful with apps that promise to help you with cognition. A lot of studies show that there really is no substitute to reading a book, but more on that later.
Sudoku and crosswords are everywhere! You can find them online, at bookstores, or in the newspaper. You can even make sudoku puzzles for your friends! They are a great and often free way to keep your brain sharp.
There are also free apps and websites that allow you to play chess at anytime against real people. LiChess and Chess.com both offer classes and online matches for free.
Reading is, scientifically, the best way to reduce brain fog and stimulate the brain. Studies show that some games, like crosswords and sudoku have a similar effect, but they are miles behind reading an actual book.
There are a lot of sites that help you find a book that you’d like, but nothing is better than the San Diego Public Library. The library even offers free e-books and audiobooks that members can download from anywhere at any time. It is the perfect place to get books.
But, if you’d rather not pester the librarians asking for recommendations, you can check out a site like www.whatshouldireadnext.com or www.goodreads.com to find reviews and recommendations.
If you want more information on learning something new, check out our previous “How to Stay Sharp in Retirement” by clicking here.
Get Outside!
And finally, one of the best ways to keep your brain fresh is to go outside. A retiree I talk to frequently told me that, after not leaving the house for two weeks, she realized that she was becoming a “pickle.” I asked her what she meant by that, and she said “by locking myself indoors I was pickling myself. I was becoming sour, and I didn’t want to leave.”
A strange comparison, but one I related to! So don’t pickle yourself! Studies show that experiencing new environments can reduce stress and stimulate the brain. But it doesn’t have to be somewhere new every time! Just doing a lap around the block is enough time to get fresh air, get blood flowing, and to help your brain produce positive chemicals like dopamine and endorphins.
So go touch some grass if you’re feeling foggy! Or like a pickle!
Hopefully, these tips helped! I tend to do a lot of retiree interviews for road to retirement articles, and I cannot stress enough how many people I talked to repeatedly stressed the importance of developing a routine. It was the #2 regret among retirees that they didn’t get a good routine going sooner (#1 was saving more money).