From the moment you wake up and smell the coffee, your senses guide you through the day. As you get older however, your senses deteriorate, and until there is a cure for aging, here are some ways to keep your senses in shape for as long as possible.
Look out for your sense of sight!
As soon as you open your peepers each morning it kicks in. Most of us are born with 20/20 vision, but by the time we reach our mid 40's we'll start to have problems focusing on things close up. To prevent this and protect your eyes, be cool: wear your sunglasses. The shades don't have to be fancy, but they should have at least 99% UV protection. You can also reduce your risk of cataracts by loading your diet with leafy green vegetables, like spinach, that are rich in antioxidants.
Speak up for your sense of hearing!
Chances are, we'll all have some sort of hearing loss by the time we're 65 years old. So if you think that the people around you are constantly muttering their words, you may have already started on the hearing loss path. To prevent any further loss, monitor the volume when using headphones. Be aware of the noises around you, from the lawn mower to your alarm clock: they all emit above average decibel levels that can cause damage. Also, if you are a smoker, believe it or not, you are at a higher risk for hearing loss, because less oxygen gets to the ear.
A nose knows your sense of smell!
If your nose is at its best, you can tell the difference between 4000-10,000 smells! Our sense of smell gradually declines beginning when we are in our 30's. This decline takes place so slowly that most people do not even realize it has happened. Prevent sinus and upper respiratory infections by getting an annual flu shot to keep your sniffer healthy. If you are a smoker, again, stop smoking. Cigarette smoke contains a host of agents that can damage the olfactory nerve.
Yummy sense of taste!
Here's a new twist to weight gain: if you find yourself eating fattier foods, you may be losing your sense of taste. Another sign of taste loss is shaking on extra salt to add flavor. To keep your taste buds on their toes, try brushing your tongue. By gently brushing, you rid your taste buds of built-up bacteria that may alter flavors of food, and you'll save yourself on sodium intake.
It always feels good - your sense of touch!
It may sound simple, but think about it, this is the only sense that is found all over your body, and is not specific to one area, though the most sensitive areas of your body are your hands, lips, face, neck, tongue, fingertips and feet. In fact, there are about 100 touch receptors in each of your fingertips. The good news is that unless you suffer from a specific disease that damages or interrupts your nerve endings, you'll never lose your sense of touch! So feel to your heart's content! 
