Cognitive health is crucial for maintaining independence as we age, as cognitive decline is linked to increased susceptibility to financial scams, a higher risk of physical accidents, and diminished professional performance. For those striving to stay sharp and maintain their independence, sensory wellness is a hot topic among cognitive researchers, like those at the National Council on Aging, who emphasize that sensory stimulation can encourage neuroplasticity, which is the brain’s ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life.
To harness the crucial link between your five senses and brain health, SuperSenses created an innovative at-home assessment kit. The 5-Sense Cognitive Performance Kit evaluates the status of your vision, hearing, smell, taste, and touch, allowing you to monitor your sensory health and take proactive steps to maintain cognitive function and overall wellbeing.
The Connection Between Your Senses and Brain Health
Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and other types of dementia often start showing up with changes in sensory abilities like vision, hearing, smell, and touch. These changes can even appear before any noticeable memory loss or cognitive decline. This makes sense since our brains are deeply connected to how we experience the world through our senses.
For instance, researchers have discovered that people with Alzheimer’s often struggle with seeing in low light or hearing clearly. These sensory changes can significantly impact daily life and make everyday tasks more challenging. However, the crucial point is that, by paying attention to our sensory health, we might be able to detect early signs of cognitive decline and take proactive steps to address them.
Why SuperSenses Can Make a Difference
SuperSenses empowers you to take control of your sensory health with easy and accurate at-home tests. Designed to be simple and understandable, these assessments reveal your sensory strengths and areas needing extra attention. This knowledge puts you in the driver’s seat, enabling you to take proactive steps to maintain sharp senses and support your brain health.
What the Research Says
- Taste and Cognitive Health: Changes in your sense of taste could be an early sign of cognitive decline. A study found that people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s disease had more trouble recognizing basic tastes. This suggests that paying attention to changes in taste might help catch early signs of Alzheimer’s.
- Touch and Brain Function: Our sense of touch is more important than we think. Research shows that people with cognitive issues often have reduced tactile sensitivity. Keeping our sense of touch sharp can help preserve our brain functions and slow mental decline.
- Hearing and Dementia: Hearing loss has been linked to an increased risk of dementia. This might be due to the extra strain on the brain when trying to hear, leading to reduced cognitive reserves and even social isolation. Keeping our hearing in good shape is smart for our brain health.
How to Nurture Your Senses for a Healthier Brain
Though we are all on sensory overload with many screens and inputs, our brains need energy to perform and function at their peak. Eating a diet rich in antioxidants (colorful fruits and vegetables), essential fatty acids like those found in oily fish, plenty of leafy greens, and healthy oils, and avoiding smoking, excess alcohol, and added sugars helps feed your head what it needs.
Exposure to various scents daily can engage your olfactory system and enhance your brain’s sensory processing. Exercise your eyes by alternately focusing on distant objects to sharpen your vision and give them rest to prevent strain.
Getting natural light is excellent and, as far as exercise, get your groove on because dancing is a beautiful way to satisfy your senses. Crosswords, reading, listening to or playing music, or learning a new language are great ways to keep your brain at its best, as is spending time with people you like and keeping stress at bay. Regularly testing and tracking changes in your senses can help you stay aware of their status and detect any alterations early.
SuperSenses: Your Partner in Sensory and Brain Health
SuperSenses is dedicated to helping you maintain your sensory and brain health. The tests are based on the latest scientific research, providing accurate and reliable insights. Regularly checking your sensory health with SuperSenses allows you to stay informed and take proactive steps to protect cognitive functions.
Easy At-Home Testing: The tests are designed to be user-friendly and precise so you can conveniently check your sensory functions.
Practical Insights: We offer clear, actionable recommendations based on your test results. These insights are tailored to support health decisions and help you take effective steps to improve sensory health.
Proactive Health Management: Understanding sensory health empowers you to make informed choices that safeguard cognitive functions and enhance overall wellbeing.
Conclusion
Taking care of your senses is about more than just enjoying the world around you — it’s also a crucial part of keeping your brain healthy. SuperSenses offers a friendly and effective way to monitor and optimize sensory experiences backed by the latest science.
As Datar Sahi, founder and CEO of SuperSenses, shares, “A user recently reached out to express their gratitude, saying, ‘My fiancé has multiple sclerosis, and your app helped us discover potential vision issues that prompted us to consult an eye doctor.’ This shows how understanding the connection between senses and brain health is crucial.” Taking care of your senses is about more than just enjoying the world around you— it’s also a crucial part of keeping your brain healthy.
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