How To Be A SuperAger

I recently found this term online and was immediately intrigued. What the heck is a SuperAger? It sounds very heroic and exciting, and who doesn't want a little more of that in life?

SuperAger is a term coined by scientist Marsel Mesulam describing test subjects in their 80's with cognitive performance of people much younger. Dr. Mesulam founded the Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer’s Disease at Northwestern in the late 1990s and has been using techniques to find common traits between this group of subjects. Since 2000, about 300 volunteers were followed and donated their bodies for reasearch.

The recently published results found that the SuperAgers had some brain structure characteristics, like a lack of thinning cortex (the outer layer of the brain). The brain was also thicker in the area of the cortex in charge of emotion, motivation, and decision-making. Their brains also had more neurons linked to social behavior and memory, showing that the brain is better at repairing itself and making new connections, referred to "plasticity". Most importantly, in my opinion, the SuperAgers were highly social with strong interpersonal relationships.

SuperAgers may have advantages in terms of brain structure and cell production, but similar research shows that people who practice good brain health may also prevent cognitive decline, said Alzheimer’s prevention researcher Dr. Richard Isaacson, director of research at the Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases in Florida.

“Our studies have found lifestyle changes including diet, exercise, reducing stress and optimizing sleep, along with managing vascular risk factors with certain prescribed medications, can also grow brain areas including the hippocampus, and reduce telltale signs of Alzehimer’s such as tau tangles and amyloid plaques,” Isaacson said.

So what does all this science-y stuff mean in real life? Here are some activities for optimizing your own brain health to keep it regenerating itself and making new connections.

• Embrace mental challenges. Instead of doing what you're used to, so something different and more difficult. Instead of crossword puzzles, try Sudoku or math games. Instead of hiring out a job for others to do because it's intimidating, try it yourself - jobs like updating computer software or setting up a new phone. Learning a language or taking up a music instrument are also activities that challenge us and use our brains in ways we aren't used to. Create something artistic with your hands and mind by taking up painting, fabric and yarn crafting, origami, memoir writing, poetry, or theater. Basically, do a variety of different things with your brain and choose to persevere through the difficulty to master a new skill. Follow your interests and see what you come up with!

• Take care of your physical and mental health. Research shows reduced rates of Alzheimer's in patients who use medication and diet to control blood sugar and blood pressure. It also shows that people who protect their vision and hearing with glasses and hearing aides received memory benefits versus those who don't, which makes sense. Our brains are fed not just by our activities but our senses. Keeping this input keeps the brain active and processing what it takes in. It also keeps us connected to the other people in our lives, cementing social bonds. Sleep and stress reduction are also important for brain health, and we can use our yoga and breathing practice to help both of those.

• Exercise harder. Gentle mobility practices are wonderful and important for overall movement, balance, stress relief, and pain management. That is our first focus in our Chair Yoga classes. But increasing our heart rate is also an important part of fitness and brain health. Talk to your doctor about the types of movements you should do to get your heart going safely. If you are tracking your heart rate during exercise, the maximum rate is 220 minus your age.

• Stay connected. You may find it easier to take on new challenges if you're in the company of other beginners. Check your local community center classes. As most of you know, the Senior Center has a wide variety of fitness, dance, art, language, and hobby classes as well as seminars on new topics. Aside from working in a group, just getting together with friends and family supports the parts of the brain that thrive and rejuvenate on being with others.

Let's get out there together to keep our bodies moving, and our brains fed with new experiences!

Om Shanti,

Laura

REFERENCE:

https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthy-aging-and-longevity/what-does-it-take-to-be-a-super-ager

https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/25/health/superagers-brain-plasticity-neurogenesis-wellness

https://www.aarp.org/health/healthy-living/super-ager-secrets/

https://scientificinquirer.com/2025/08/07/the-first-25-years-of-superager-research/I re