Gamifying your Golden Years

A Blueprint for Super Aging

I have a theory. Aging well is built on a foundation of Physical Fitness, Cognitive Fitness and Financial Fitness. Add a passion and you have all the ingredients for Super Aging.

Physical fitness is a no-brainer. Science has been delivering the health and fitness message forever. In addition, solid Financial Fitness advice abounds. I believe neither requires the complex protocols sold by buffed young Instagrammers or high risk investment scheme salespeople who haven’t yet hit the tipping point of aging. By the time you get to mid-life, you know that simple habits compounded over time produce the best results.

Cognitive fitness, however, is relatively new. Since science discovered Neuroplasticity, the doors have been opened to rewire our brains potentially back to our sharp teenage brains. Dr Michael Mosely provides evidence in his documentary series Secrets of the Superagers.

Neuroplasticity is the key. It refers to the brain’s ability to change and adapt to new experiences, learning, injury, or disease by reorganising its structure, function, and connections. Instead of a one-way decline, the brain can change and grow no matter our age. Stimulating the brain with cognitive activities builds new neural pathways, ‘neural muscle’ just like we build bicep muscle.

It’s in our hands…

We can easily measure Physical fitness - VO2 max will tell us what our cardio capacity looks like, and Grip strength tells us a lot about our muscular system.

Financial fitness is also easily measured. Given some assumptions, our financial planner can predict when our money will run out, and we can choose our financial habits.

Cognitive fitness can also be measured and improved, but professionals still do most testing. We need a way to measure and take control of our cognitive fitness so we can maintain and improve it as we age.

I have been exploring the domain of Cognitive Fitness for a while now and am excited about the possibilities. Science tells us that only 1% of Dementia is genetically pre-determined. That means we have much more control over our brain health and fitness than we think.

I have incorporated the following resources and strategies into my lifestyle to maximise cognitive fitness. They are readily accessible to all rather than requiring a professional to administer.

Dementia Australia has created a free app called BrainTrack. The fun travel-oriented games are based on validated scientific cognitive testing, each measuring a specific area of brain performance.

They advise playing a set of games every month. In my experience, the games take a bit of getting used to. Play them a few times, slowly reading and understanding the instructions before playing or getting concerned about the results.

A report shows your performance across several domains: executive function, language, visual recognition, and visual-spatial. If three sub-domains are under 75%, you are advised to discuss the report with your doctor. If, over time, your results start tracking towards the centre of the circle, it could also be a warning sign requiring further assessment.

Here is my latest Brain Track report:

You might notice a dip in spatial awareness. With a map-reading, boy-scout husband, I have had little need for an A for Spatial awareness. Also, my days of turning maps upside down to get home have been superseded by a SatNav. I’ll stick to what I do well.

Secondly, a UK-based charity, Food for the Brain, has created a free, accessible, but comprehensive test for dementia. It tests cognitive function and asks many lifestyle questions to assess your Cognitive Function accurately.

Here is my latest Food for the Brain report…

This is my second test. In the month between the tests, my score improved from 78% to 92% by eliminating a significant stressor, tweaking my lifestyle, and playing Lumosity daily.

These two testing regimes are excellent and easily accessible. I will continue to take the tests over time to monitor for any potential decline.

However, I use the Lumosity app daily to observe and build my cognitive fitness. Lumosity has been my go-to for nearly 12 months now.

I have previously written about building cognitive resilience and maximising cognitive fitness using Lumosity on Substack.

Nearly a year in, I have fine-tuned my strategy using daily stats to fast-track my results. Instead of playing the five classic games that Lumosity suggests each day, I determine the lowest domain score and choose a game in that domain to play today. I play it repeatedly until I produce a top score. Sometimes, it is a few times through; other times, I have been able to hit it the first time. I vary the games in the domain to ensure I am getting across all the skills of that domain. I love to finish on a high, punch the air with my fist, and anchor a win.

Playing this way ratchets up domain scores. The ratcheting strategy has got me to the 80th percentile (I started at 12% at the start and 40% by the end of the first month).

Recently, as the life stressor took hold, my ability to play Lumosity was sorely tested. I felt like I was in a Snakes and Ladder game and it was all snakes. I can report that my function returned immediately after the stressor was resolved, and I can now achieve top scores again. It was a clear indicator of stress’s impact on cognitive function

My plan is to be at the top of my age group before I move to the next decade in two years.

Super Aging isn't just a fantasy. It is achievable by laying down a foundation of physical health, cognitive strength, and financial stability. By embracing this multifaceted approach and integrating gamified strategies into our daily routines, we can empower ourselves to age with attitude, resilience, and a zest for life.

My favourite Substacks this week:

Where It All Began by Kevin Ferguson

Warming up in Cabo by Susie Kaufman

Practical ways women can fill the Superannuation gap by Bec Wilson (podcast)