Your brain functions by building pathways to increase the efficiency of organising your daily activities. If you were a working woman, you already have built-in pathways to meet your work obligations and will be very strong in those areas.
Your brain wants to use the neural pathways you already have, but these may no longer be necessary in retirement. Or, you try to relax, but your brain may not know how to do that if relaxing has not been part of your life when working.
The simple truth is, your brain wants to achieve something on a daily basis, like you did at work. If it can’t, it is unsure what to do.
With less tasks to organise and complete in retirement, the brain becomes less active. It doesn’t produce as many neurochemicals that activate happiness. Instead of the stereotype of a “grumpy old man” (or woman) what we may really have is a “grumpy old brain.”
What can we do in retirement to make our brain happier, fulfilled, and producing positive neurochemicals? Most people in retirement need at least four things to feel fulfilled and content:
Integrating those activities into your daily life will help you and your brain maintain a healthy outlook and mental awareness.
Here are some ideas to challenge and stimulate your brain:
If you’re still wondering what to do to keep your brain – and yourself – happy, here are four tips you may want to utilize:
Both you and your brain experience an amazing transformation when you retire. Retiring is like puberty. There is very little that doesn’t change in either of those transitions. So, it is not surprising that your brain is also feeling the results of this change and may need some support.
Remember, the brain’s reality is what you say, think, sense, and do; it has no other way to acquire inputs. It is these inputs – what you do and think each day – that build your retirement pathways.
Keeping that spark of interest, learning new things, exercising, and helping others are the keys to a smooth transition for you and your brain into something brand new.
What ways have you found to train your brain in retirement? Do you notice you perform better when you use your old neural pathways? Please share in the comments below.
Tags Brain Health