How to help your brain stay sharp – at any age

Our brains can grow and change at any age. In this article, I share simple, practical ways to keep your mind sharp through movement, learning, and social connection.

For most of the 20th century, scientists believed the brain was pretty much a “finished product” by the time you reached young adulthood. The idea was that all your important neural connections were formed early in life, and from there it was mostly downhill – you could lose connections, but not make new ones. Any damage or decline was seen as permanent and irreversible.

We now know that our brains can grow and renew at any age.

Then, from the late 20th century onwards, something remarkable changed that entire picture. Scientists discovered that the adult brain can, in fact, form new connections. It can strengthen existing pathways, reorganise itself after injury, and keep adapting – even well into old age.

💡 This powerful ability is now known as neuroplasticity – the brain’s lifelong capacity to change itself through use, learning, and experience.

It means you are not stuck with the brain you had at 20. It means learning a new skill really does build new brain connections. And it means mental decline is not simply inevitable “wear and tear” – your brain is far more flexible, responsive, and resilient than we ever thought possible.

The best way to keep your brain sharp

Now, you might think that doing things like completing a crossword or filling out a Sudoku are good ways to exercise your brain, but the research actually disagrees.

If you’ve been doing a task – no matter how difficult it was to master – for a very long time, your brain has already formed its neural pathways for that task. Continuing to do your crossword or Sudoku will help maintain those pathways, but your brain won’t grow new cells or make new connections in response to them.

💡 If you want your brain to develop, grow, and renew, you have to give it new challenges – and the best way to do this is by learning new skills, whether they’re physical or mental.

Examples of activities that force your brain to really work and refresh include:

• Learning a new physical skill – any activity that forces you to pay attention and do something you’re not familiar with can work, for example learning to sew your own clothes, or starting Tai Chi, Pilates, golf, or bouldering.

• Doing activities you’re already familiar with and love under unfamiliar circumstances – this can be as simple as walking on uneven or challenging trails you’re not familiar with, or sewing new patterns.

• Learning a language.

• Learning to use a new device, for example a new computer programme.

• Learning to play a new musical instrument.

• Being exposed to any new sights, sounds, and experiences.

Hiking on uneven terrain forces your brain to pay attention and problem-solve while also improving your balance and coordination.

There’s also an element of “Use it or lose it” to this

There’s a lot of truth in the saying “use it or lose it” when it comes to the brain – it really does work that way.

The parts of your brain you use often stay strong and active, while the parts you stop using begin to shrink. Skills you practise regularly become easier, sharper, and more automatic over time, while the ones you abandon slowly start to fade.

This applies to:

• Memory

• Balance

• Coordination

• Language

• Problem-solving

• Even emotional control

💡 This happens because our brains are extremely effective at preserving energy, so they don’t waste it maintaining things you don’t use.

Tai Chi ticks so many boxes for brain health – it helps improve balance, coordination, and memory, and if you interact with others in your class, it also supports your language and emotional skills.

Three simple steps to help keep your brain sharp

If I had to summarise this advice in 3 simple steps, it would be:

1. Continue doing activities you already love (like hiking, sewing, Sudoku, etc.), but find ways to make them more challenging so your brain has to pay attention, reason, and problem-solve.

2. Exercise – it is the only way to maintain and improve your balance and coordination.

3. Interact with other people – preferably in many different environments – as this helps you maintain several aspects of brain function, including language, emotions, memory, and problem-solving.

If you’re looking for inspiration, here are ideas for connecting with new and current friends in a variety of environments – and my mom has also shared the top hiking trails in Cape Town that her hiking group enjoys.

Pensioner discounts that can help

There are plenty of pensioner discounts related to fitness, culture, nature, and experiences on our website that can make learning and trying new things affordable and fun! Here’s how to search for them:

• Go to the main deals page.

• Pick your province.

• Then you can view all the deals or use the filters to check for specific categories that interest you.

All the best

Maryke

Co-founder, PensionersPayLess!

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Meet Maryke Louw

Maryke is a co-founder of Pensioners Pay Less! A physiotherapist with a BSc in Physiotherapy and an MSc in Sports Injury Management, she’s spent more than 20 years helping people live happy, healthy lives. Through her popular sports injury blog and YouTube channel, Maryke shares practical advice that inspires people to stay active and confident as they age. She’s passionate about busting the myth that getting older means slowing down – a belief inspired by her own mom’s journey from struggling with stairs to hiking up Table Mountain again!