5 .WAYS TO KEEP YOUR BRAIN ACTIVE

‘Everything in moderation’ is apt when it comes to screens. We can enjoy and utilise them, but add buffers to protect our brains, and work on memory and focus in other ways, too.

1 Test your memory.

We’ve become so used to having information at our fingertips that few of us pause before looking something up. Flex your mental muscles by trying to remember. A 2021 study found that trying to access facts from memory before googling can enhance our learning and retention when we do look things up.

Psychotherapist Giorgio Aprile (giorgioaprile.com) recommends making things you need to remember into songs: ‘It’s easy to remember melodies, which is why we can sing many tunes without looking at the lyrics.’ Or create visual links. ‘Associating words or numbers with visuals will make it easier to recall them,’ says Giorgio.

2 Break the habit.

Too much time spent scrolling takes us away from more creative, constructive or fulfilling pursuits that have a positive impact on the brain. ‘Digital devices offer tempting distractions and this can prevent us from focusing on what we really want to do,’ says Dr Gilbert. Download the app One Sec, which forces you to pause before opening distracting apps and websites.

3 Immerse yourself in nature.

Tackling reduced attention isn’t just about cutting screen time. ‘That isn’t enough, unless it’s replaced by activities that

increase attention span and reduce distraction,’ says Professor Rosen. ‘One easy replacement is to experience nature, which is calming to our overactive brains.’ Pairing time outdoors with exercise can also help boost cognitive reserve, which, says Age UK, is ‘the idea that we develop a reserve of thinking abilities, and that this protects us against losses that can occur through ageing and disease’.

4 Expand your mind.

‘Learning new skills that require activation and co-ordination of multiple sensory systems, such as dance, musical and visual arts, and many sports, are helpful in supporting cognitive reserve,’ says Dr Manwell. ‘Reading about, or listening to, new ideas helps build cognitive reserve, especially when doing so in social groups.’ Yes, your book club counts!

5 Look before you snap.

Recording experiences can affect episodic memory (our recall of events and their context). ‘Paying attention to sensory stimuli, such as being more aware of what one is seeing, hearing and feeling in the moment, and reflecting on it after, helps encode and preserve that memory in more detail and for longer,’ says Dr Manwell. So before you grab your camera, ground yourself in the moment and engage your senses.

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