#583: How to Stay Mentally Sharp and Fulfilled as You Age

The Art of Manliness

Society & Culture, Education, Philosophy

4.7 • 14.5K Ratings

🗓️ 10 February 2020

⏱️ 39 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Everyone gets old. But not everyone experiences old age the same way. Some folks spend the last few decades of their life sick, sad, and stagnating, while others stay sharp and find great satisfaction in the twilight years of life. My guest today is a neuroscientist who has dug into the research on what individuals can do to increase their chances of achieving the latter outcome instead of the former. His name Daniel Levitin and today we discuss his latest book Successful Aging: A Neuroscientist Explores the Power and Potential of Our Lives. We begin our conversation discussing the societal narratives we have about old age that don't always hold true. We then dig into the fact that while the brain slows in some ways with age, it gets sharper in other ways. Daniel shares the personality trait that's the biggest predictor of a successful elderhood, and the recognizable-yet-surprising reason the idea that memory declines with age is overblown. We also talk about what really works for preserving your memory and keeping your mind agile and keen, and no, it's not doing puzzles and brain games We end our show discussing the question of whether people get happier or sadder as they age. Get the show notes at aom.is/successfulaging.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Brat McKay here and welcome to another edition of the Art of Manliness Podcast.
0:11.0	Everyone gets old, but not everyone experiences old age the same way.
0:13.8	Some folks spend the last few decades of their life sick, sad, and stagnating while
0:17.3	others stay sharp and find great satisfaction in the twilight years of life.
0:20.8	My guest day is a neuroscientist who's dug into the research on what individuals can
0:24.1	do to increase their chances of achieving the latter outcome instead of the former.
0:27.6	His name is Daniel Levedin and today we discuss his latest book, Successful Aging,
0:31.5	Neuroscientist Explores the Power and Potential of Our Lives.
0:34.2	We begin our conversation discussing the societal narratives that we have at old age that don't
0:37.6	always hold true.
0:38.6	We then dig into the fact that while the brain slows in some ways with age, gets sharper
0:42.2	in other ways.
0:43.2	Daniel shares the personality trait that's the biggest predictor of successful elderhood
0:46.6	and the recognizable yet surprising reason, the idea that memory declines with age is over
0:50.7	blown.
0:51.7	We all talk about what really works for preserving your memory and keeping your mind agile
0:54.7	and keen and no, it's not doing puzzles and brain games.
0:57.6	We intershow discussing the question of whether people get happier or sadder as they age,
1:01.3	after the show's over, check out our show notes at aowm.is slash successful aging.
1:05.7	Alright, Daniel Levedin, welcome to the show.
1:22.0	Thank you Brett.
1:23.0	You are a neuroscientist and a cognitive psychologist who has written books about thinking clearly
	...

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