Beat the kids at your next game!
Want to be able to beat your grandkids at Scrabble or Words With Friends? Here’s how to keep your brain sharp as you get older: Spend two minutes a day catching up with a friend! It doesn’t matter whether you do it in person, over the phone, or on Facebook, it’ll cut your risk of age-related memory loss in half. That’s according to scientists at Cornell University. It’ll also boost your odds of staying sharp after you retire by about 50%. The reason? Because talking to someone you care about kick-starts the body’s production of neurotrophins, which are compounds that fuel the growth of healthy brain cells. That’s it: Just 2 minutes of chatting with a friend every day can keep your brain sharp as you age.