SuperAging is a phenomenon of individuals over the age of eighty with the same mental and physical capacities of people who are decades younger. According to Harvard Health Publishing, “Research suggests that moving out of your comfort zone is the key to staying mentally and physically young.” Physicians are continuing to explore factors, such as genetics, lifestyle choices, and environmental influences that may play a significant role. Understanding super aging can provide insight on how valuable taking care of our mental and physical health is as we age.
Data from several organizations, such as AARP, Harvard Medical, and Northwestern University –Chicago, found that factors such as diet, physical activity, and adequate sleep play a crucial influence in superagers’ ability to live long and fulfilling lives. In a 2015 Rush University study of 960 older adults, participants for an extended amount of time consumed “an eating pattern rich in vitamin-,carotenoid-and-flavonoid-packed foods such as whole grains, veggies, leafy greens, nuts, berries and fish, and low in red meat, butter and sweets.” When consuming red meat and dairy products, choose grass fed and finished for optimal health benefits. The outcome of the study was brain aging slowed by approximately 7.5 years and candidates had sharp memories. Focusing on blood pressure and blood sugar stabilizing foods improves overall health and has been linked to lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, high blood pressure, and diabetes. In conjunction with a nutritious and balanced diet, physical activity in the form of walking, gardening, stair-climbing, modest weight-lifting, balance activities, or swim aerobics, with the purpose of increasing heart rate can improve thinking skills. Spanish researchers spent 8 years observing a cohort of 119 individuals, aged 70-85 years; among the group were 55 superagers who scored at least 20 years younger in brain tests, compared to others in their age range (AARP). According to Professor Jeff D. Williamson at Wake Forest School of Medicine.
“Good sleep is really important for maintaining brain health.” Nightly slumbers aid in clearing toxic waste that builds up in the brain, causing an increased risk in memory issues with older adults. A chronic reliance on over-the-counter sleep aids boosts the risk for dementia by 48%, according to a 2021 study of 4,197 at-risk people in their 70s, composed by the University of Minnesota. If sleeping becomes an issue, practice proper sleep hygiene habits, incorporate meditation, reading, or taking a warm bath before bed to soothe worries, unwind, and relax.
Superagers were found to have a strong community base with friends and relatives. According to a 2023 Japanese study in the journal Neurology, older adults who communicate and connect with others on a daily basis had less brain shrinkage in key brain areas (cortex) than those who seldomly connected with others (AARP). Superagers may spend their time interacting with friends, joining a weekly fitness class, participating in volunteer programs, attending church, or joining an art class. Living a life with variety is beneficial because “your brain needs to do a lot of different things. If we want to do [things] well, science and common sense suggest exercising it in a lot of different ways” (qtd. in [Seitz, Aaron][AARP]). Superagers are also more likely to frequently read, listen to music, attend concerts and movies, travel, play board games and cards, crossword puzzles, and sudoku. Dr Jennifer Ricker, DC, stated, “Chiropractic adjustments help the nervous system by removing interferences through realigning the spine which reduces inflammation, tension, pain, and allows the brain to better utilize its connections to the spinal cord. When your nervous system is functioning properly, thinking is clear, senses receive effective information, and the body becomes coordinated with reduced, or no pain.”
In conclusion, superagers are a fascinating group of individuals who defy the conventional aging process and maintain exceptional cognitive abilities well into their later years. Dedication to a healthy lifestyle, social engagements, and mental stimulation, they serve as a positive testament to the potential for lifelong brain health.