One of the greatest fears for aging attorneys is Alzheimer’s. We spend our entire lives using our mind to advance our careers. The thought of the erosion of our memories due to this disease is alarming. Luckily, neuroscience has shown that there are effective ways to battle the onset of Alzheimer’s at any age.
Professor Richard Restak is a Neurology Professor at George Washington University. In his class on Optimizing Brain Fitness, he offers eight methods that may be effective ways to minimize or avoid Alzheimer’s.
Sleep
Just as your mother tried to teach you, a good night’s sleep does wonders for you. During sleep your mind is learning and remembering. Short naps of fifteen to twenty minutes have also been shown to be effective at enhancing your memory and resetting your learning skills. The important thing to remember about naps is that you want them to be short so that they do not interfere with your nightly sleep.
Nutrition and Exercise
Healthy eating not only helps you maintain your weight, it is crucial for proper brain function. Eating less junk food improves memory and brain function. Likewise, exercise has been shown to produce new neurons in the brain. Exercise can be as effective as antidepressants in some individuals. One study showed that a daily one mile walk can cut dementia risks in half.
Attentional Exercises
In this day of the internet and instant gratification, we are losing our ability to concentrate. We can recover sustained concentration skills by practicing attentional exercises. These include card games such as poker or bridge. A more involved exercise is to randomly take the time to really pay attention to your surroundings. For example, in a waiting room, where is the receptionist seated? What is she wearing? How many magazines are on the table next to you. Take a picture of what you see. Later that day, close your eyes and try to imagine the scene. Jot down all you remember. Then look at the photograph and see how you did.
Dexterity
Using our hands is directly connected to working our brains. Brain function is increased when you improve finger and hand dexterity. Practice playing a guitar or keyboard. Take up juggling. Play more Jenga. All these will help with your finger and hand dexterity.
Television
Idiot Box. Boob Tube. Both are appropriate names for television. It has that effect on people. A March 2006 study in Neurology magazine showed that individuals that routinely watched a lot of television showed an increased risk of cognitive impairment than those that routinely read magazines and/or played board games. The lesson is to watch less TV.
Humor
A study in Norway showed a direct correlation between a person’s sense of humor and likelihood to reach the retirement age. In other words, the inability to laugh could kill you. There was also a University of Akron (OH) study that showed those with a good sense of humor live longer.
Art Appreciation
Expose yourself to different styles of art. Try Dada, abstract, landscape, etc. You not only will be more cultured, studies show that different art styles stimulate different brain areas.
Music
Listening to music can change your mood. In addition it will increase your brain stimulation. Music can also be a shared experience. Go to a concert with friends. Go out dancing and you will also get some exercise.
Contact me for complimentary 30 minute session to examine how you can increase your brain fitness!
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