Check out the timestamps below to help you navigate through the many topics we discussed.
On This Episode:
As science improves, we’re learning more and more about brain health and how to maintain our youth even as we age. Today we’re joined by Ryan Sullivan, CFP®, CRPC®, RCC™ of Hartford Funds to share the valuable knowledge he’s gained from a partnership with the MIT Age Lab and explore how simple lifestyle changes can significantly impact our brain health and, consequently, our financial future.
Ryan is the Vice President and Managing Director of Applied Insights with Hartford Funds. They have a partnership with the MIT Age Lab to get a better understanding of how we make decisions and what motivates us as we age. Understanding these insights and how they tie into our finances can help us improve our long-term outlook.
One of the key takeaways is the concept of "brain age." While our chronological age is a given, our brain age can be significantly different. Advances in medical technology, such as functional MRIs and PET scans, have shown that some individuals, known as "super agers," have brains that function like those of people decades younger. This discovery is promising, as it suggests that we can take actionable steps to maintain and even improve our cognitive functions as we age.
Ryan and Jeremy discuss several practical tips for keeping your brain healthy. Exercise is a major factor. Regular physical activity not only benefits your body but also plays a crucial role in maintaining brain health. Similarly, a balanced diet rich in nutrients can make a world of difference.
Sleep is another critical component. The brain undergoes a "cleaning" process during deep sleep, removing toxins and waste products. Lack of adequate sleep can hinder this process, leading to cognitive decline. Stress management is equally important. Techniques like the 4-7-8 breathing exercise can help regulate stress levels, promoting better brain health.
Of course, there are financial implications of cognitive decline. The costs associated with conditions like Alzheimer's and dementia are staggering, averaging around $400,000. Planning for these potential expenses is essential, and the discussion highlights the importance of having a comprehensive financial plan that includes considerations for long-term care.
Taking proactive steps to keep your brain young will have a great impact on your lifestyle and finances in retirement, and it’s never too early for CRNAs to begin planning.
Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:
- Some of the factors that keep your brain from aging at the same rate as your body.
- How can you get a sense of what your brain age is?
- Our brain creates trash that needs to be removed from our bodies or else it will accumulate with enough sleep.
- The costs that are associated with cognitive health decline and how we incorporate that into retirement planning.
- Our diet is connected to our brain health.
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"Our brain, how it functions, changes a bit over time but that doesn't mean we can't learn. We just might have to adapt in how we do that. It's really the fact that we do it and that we keep challenging our brains. That's key to keeping that long -term brain health."
- Ryan Sullivan, CFP®, CRPC®, RCC™
