Now that we’ve learned that chronic stress ages the brain, let’s put what we learned into practice. Join “Try This” host Cristina Quinn as she leads a 5-minute box breathing exercise.For more on ways to reduce your risk of dementia, check out some of The Post’s reporting:How to calm your mind with breathing, according to scienceHow to use your voice to reduce your stress and feel calmer5-minute breathing exercises can improve your mood and reduce anxietySubscribe to The Washington Post or connect your subscription in Apple Podcasts.
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Breathe: Reducing stress can help your brain
When we’re in constant stress, our brains become less resilient. Chronic stress can lead to inflammation of the brain — increasing our risk of cognitive decline. Breathing exercises hold a lot of power for calming the body and brain. Host Cristina Quinn talks to Washington Post Brain Matters columnist Richard Sima, as well as neuroscientist and psychiatrist Helen Lavretsky from UCLA, about steps we can take to reduce stress and improve our brain health. Sima unpacks what inflammation does to our brains and why this can lead to more cognitive decline in the future. Lavrestsky walks us through her research on breathwork, yoga and other practices that have shown positive impacts on brain aging and cognitive health. For more on ways to reduce your risk of dementia, check out some of The Post’s reporting:How to calm your mind with breathing, according to scienceHow to use your voice to reduce your stress and feel calmerTeen brains aged faster than normal from pandemic stress, study says5-minute breathing exercises can improve your mood and reduce anxietySubscribe to The Washington Post or connect your subscription in Apple Podcasts.
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Simple lifestyle changes to reduce your risk of dementia
As we age, we can develop a higher risk for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. It may even run in our families for some of us. But hope is not lost: About half of dementia cases are potentially preventable. Host Cristina Quinn walks us through the U.S. POINTER study led by Laura Baker, professor of gerontology and geriatrics at Wake Forest School of Medicine. This study is considered the largest clinical trial examining how simple lifestyle changes like eating healthier, staying socially engaged and moving more can slow down cognitive decline. Cristina also speaks with neurologist Monica Parker from Emory University School of Medicine. Read more about Baker’s work with the U.S. POINTER study here. For more on Parker’s work, visit the Emory Healthy Brain Study. For more on ways to reduce your risk of dementia, check out some of The Post’s reporting:Want to keep your brain sharp as you age? Science may have a recipe,4 vaccines linked to a lower risk of dementiaWant to lower your risk of dementia? Here’s what the science saysNo amount of alcohol is safe, at least for dementia risk, study findsSubscribe to The Washington Post or connect your subscription in Apple Podcasts.
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The Ever-Changing Brain: Adapting, Aging, and Cognitive Health
Your brain does a lot of work. It’s processing and adapting to changing environments and routines throughout our lives.In this episode, host Cristina Quinn talks with The Washington Post’s “Brain Matters” columnist, Richard Sima, about our aging brains, what a healthy one looks like, and why we don’t necessarily have to worry about forgetting where we put our keys. For more on brain health and aging, check out some of The Post’s reporting: How does the brain age across the lifespan? New studies offer clues.How does alcohol affect your risk of dementia? Your brain health questions, answered.Is this dementia or normal brain aging? Here’s how to tell the difference.Subscribe to The Washington Post or connect your subscription in Apple Podcasts.
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Strength Training – Get stronger to live longer
Just the thought of going to the gym or lifting a dumbbell can feel intimidating. Good news — you don’t need either of these to strength-train! In this episode of “Try This,” host Cristina Quinn chats with Washington Post health columnist Gretchen Reynolds about what strength training is and how to do it anywhere – and no matter your fitness level. Gretchen shares why building and maintaining muscle is so important as we age, and how just one hour of strength training per week can go a long way. Subscribe to The Washington Post or connect your subscription in Apple Podcasts.
“Try This” from The Washington Post is a series of audio courses designed to jump-start the parts of life where we can all use a few pointers — with pithy, snackable solutions you can easily use. Host Cristina Quinn brings exactly the right amount of motivation with her endearing enthusiasm and the curiosity to learn along with you. Each course is a quick and practical guide that provides new perspectives on the kinds of hurdles we all share. If you’ve been searching for the right place to start, Try This.
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