2012 is here and many people are thinking what the New Year will bring. This time of year is an occasion to get us thinking about our health – specifically brain health. A healthy lifestyle is easy to understand but not everyone realizes the more you work out your brain, the better you'll be able to process and remember information. Carve out time to give your brain work-outs. You can do that by creating your own "health club" that includes ongoing learning. Make a commitment to keep learning, no matter what your age or stage of life, and you will automatically improve your brain power.

Learning curve

Students from K-4 to college are continually engaged in stimulating learning experiences. These students don't have to work on brain fitness because for them, everyday learning is a habit. But that's not true as we grow older, when the conduits of information and memory slow down. As we decrease our need to keep the brain as fit as a student studying, the creation of new neural pathways diminishes. To have a sharper brain/memory, begin by making a commitment to learning something new, weekly or daily, then add other challenging ways to give your brain a regular boost of energy. A growing body of research shows that people who commit to lifelong learning can lower their risk of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia.

Jump-start your brain power

Brain power has incredible potential when it is "sharpened" and kept fit. As millions of people grow older, some experience age-related changes like forgetfulness or decreased concentration. Some people have difficulty sleeping and their short-term memory isn't as sharp as it used to be. People's short-term memory is like a scratch-pad for temporary recall of information being processed.

About 70 million baby boomers are heading to retirement in the next few years, and many of them join health clubs to stay fit, or exercise at home with family and friends. If you are heading to retirement, make sure to continue exercising your brain. By learning something new you are breaking the way you think about topics and ideas. You are using brain pathways that may not have been used if you hadn't ramped up your brain calisthenics.

Brain health tips—a "no-brainer"

Here are some things to do to keep your brain sharp and fit:

• Use your senses to learn: Know how you learn best, and then use it to your advantage. Some people learn best with audio tapes, others videos or in a classroom.

• Stay organized: Take notes. Use both words and pictures. Take advantage of calendars, date books and other organizational tools to help you concentrate while learning.

• Journal: Record information of your learning milestones by keeping a journal. Writing down your experiences helps build on previous knowledge and creates good retention.

• Participate in educational experiences: Take an adult education class or enroll in a technical college course.

• Take up a new hobby: People who enjoy life have found new outlets like quilting, woodworking and other hobbies.

• Take up a new sport: Possibly, learning to play tennis, badminton, golf, or numerous other sports? Your local parks and recreation department probably has numerous opportunities, along with other community resources.

• Play board games and puzzles: The more you play the better your mental dexterity will likely become.

It's never too late to learn something new and feed an aging brain.

Mark Underwood is a neuroscience researcher, president and co-founder of Quincy Bioscience, a biotech company in Wisconsin focused on the discovery and development of medicines to treat age related memory loss and the diseases of aging. Visit TheGoodNewsAboutAging.com for more articles and tips for healthy aging.