Raise your hand if you want to live as well as possible for as long as possible! We all do here at Imagine Float. Our quest for longevity, which includes optimal brain health, always takes center stage. As we age, the desire to not only live longer but also maintain our cognitive abilities becomes increasingly important. Read on as we explore longevity and brain health while uncovering actionable takeaways and lifestyle choices to help you live your very best life!
Understanding Longevity
Longevity is not merely about extending the number of years we live but enhancing the quality of those years. It encompasses a holistic approach that addresses physical health, mental well-being, and emotional resilience. Scientific research has uncovered various factors that contribute to longevity, many of which are intricately linked to maintaining a healthy brain.
Muscle Mass and Longevity
One of the cornerstones of longevity is weight-bearing exercise. As we age, we gradually lose muscle mass and strength, which is characterized as sarcopenia. This loss of muscle mass and strength begins as early as your 30s. Even more importantly, this process accelerates between the ages of 65 and 80. Each decade, we may lose as much as 8% of our muscle mass. Why is this important to longevity? Muscle mass not only helps us to maintain a healthy weight, but it also creates functional strength. Functional strength keeps us mobile, independent, and active, increasing our health span while reducing the risk of chronic disease.
Think about it: Can you get up and out of a chair without using your arms? Can you carry your groceries in from the car without much effort? While these appear simple tasks, they keep us independent and are critical to keeping us healthy. While getting to the gym and lifting heavy things every day is vital to regaining that muscle mass, sometimes we need a helping hand. That’s why we love our EMSCULPT NEO® so much. It’s a game changer in the pursuit of muscle tone. In just thirty-minute sessions, this technology comfortably and non-invasively increases muscle tone by 25%, outpacing time and encouraging a proactive approach to aging.
Mindful Practices and Stress Reduction
Chronic stress accelerates premature aging and cognitive decline, making stress management crucial. While mindful practices such as meditation, yoga, and float therapy offer effective stress relief, some struggle to incorporate these practices into their daily lives because we’ve normalized the chaos and overstimulation in our day-to-day lives.
Recognizing this, we have introduced BrainTap® – a headset and app combination that uses four key elements to increase your brain fitness in just a twenty-minute session. You wear the headset/visor combination and let the ten-cycle holographic music, guided visualization, binaural beats, and isochronic tones take over. It requires no preparation and no effort and not only helps reduce the physiological impact of stress but also promotes neuroplasticity – the brain’s ability to adapt and reorganize itself. While we love combining BrainTap® with our other services, it is just as powerful when used on its own if all you have is twenty minutes to spare.
Good, Quality Sleep Doesn’t Necessarily Mean More
Sleep is often underestimated in its role in longevity and brain health. Not necessarily more sleep, but good, quality sleep. The brain, a muscle requiring rest, undergoes essential restorative processes during sleep, from repair to growth. Despite numerous factors contributing to compromised sleep, prioritizing good sleep hygiene, a consistent sleep schedule, and creating a conducive sleep environment is crucial.
I know this is easier said than done. But if I told you this lack of good quality sleep has been linked to an increased risk of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, would you pay more attention? Remember, these intentional shifts in lifestyle are FREE to all and offer immense rewards for overall well-being. To level up your deep sleep, our BrainTap® headset/app combination includes programs that allow you to experience thought processes that deliver the deepest states of relaxation and promote healthy, high-quality sleep!
Social Connections
True social interaction is often missing amid the rise of remote work and virtual meetings. We are inherently social creatures, and maintaining strong social connections is crucial in promoting longevity. At Imagine Float, we recognize the value of social connections that are an inherent part of our services. Clients are encouraged to stay and interact for as long as they like, creating an atmosphere that fosters physical and emotional well-being.
The Role of Genetics and Epigenetics
While genetics lay the foundation for our health, emerging data on epigenetics emphasizes how lifestyle choices can influence genetic predispositions. So why not make positive lifestyle choices, continuing to become more in tune with your holistic body’s needs and seek therapies that complement your lifestyle choices? If we can positively impact our longevity and brain health destiny, why not?!
Our lifestyle choices are the most significant contributors to our longevity. Regular weight-bearing exercise, stress management, quality sleep, social connections, and epigenetics collectively contribute to living as well as possible for as long as possible. Longevity and brain health are interconnected, and our day-to-day choices significantly shape our destinies. Call Imagine Float at 860.255.7771 or go to our website, ImagineFloat.com, to learn how you can increase your longevity and brain health.
Imagine Float is a locally owned, award-winning, woman-owned wellness center in Avon, CT. We offer several innovative healing therapies that, when used in synergy, have endless benefits for your physical and mental well-being. Our services and advice are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. A number of our services are not evaluated and/or approved by the FDA. We are not, nor do we claim to be, medical professionals and our therapies cannot guarantee results. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Our EMSCULPT NEO service is specifically managed and performed by our Medical Director, Karen Myrick, APRN, following Karen’s guidance.