Your mind is a terrible thing to lose. Have you ever wondered about those words you can’t find? …those papers you misplaced? …are you, in fact, losing it? Here’s the real scoop, complete with practical tips on maximizing your brain cells…for the long haul.

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Contrary to what you may have heard….

All alternatives to aging are bad

Therefore, finding the most graceful, successful way to age, definitely has its merits.

WHAT TO EXPECT AS YOU AGE

• A slowed speed of mental processing
• An increased difficulty in retrieving information rapidly: names, faces, facts
• A reduced ability to focus on multiple tasks

We all have trouble finding the right word, or have walked into a room and forgotten what we were going to do. It’s also normal to find it challenging to balance a checkbook; to occasionally forget names, appointments or the day of the week. The frequency of these can increase with lack of sleep, stress or with the number of things we are juggling (stressful or not)…and still be considered normal. (1) BRAIN FACTS:

Ø We are born with 50% more brain cells than we ever use

Ø Brain function begins to deteriorate starting in your 20’s

Ø Dwelling on problems has an uncanny way of attracting even more of them. No one understands how the subconscious works, but rest assured, it does. (4) E.g., You may not always get what you want, but you’ll usually get what you expect.

SENIOR FACTS:

Ø An overwhelming majority of seniors have little functional disability with only about 5% living in nursing homes.

Ø 1/3 work for a living; 1/3 serve as volunteers. (4)

INTERPRETATION OF FACTS:Ø Having extra brain cells allows us to re-learn and retrain, where we may have lost ability or function. Ø The overriding principle is: USE IT OR LOSE IT. GOOD NEWS:There are a number of things that you can do to prevent or delay the onset of dementia. Many of which you are probably already doing. One myth, though, concerns aluminum: the Alzheimer’s Association has stated that “there is no conclusive medical or scientific evidence of a link between aluminum and Alzheimer’s disease. Worldwide research has not found any evidence that exposure to everyday levels of aluminum is a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease.” PREVENTATIVE MEASURES:

Exercise your mind…stay involved in life….continue to learn….do mentally challenging activities. Activities such as Scrabble, conversation, learning new hobbies, practicing mind challenging hobbies, reading, playing a musical instrument…learn new songs, working crossword puzzles or Suduko. REMEMBER: any challenge is good but only those challenges which you enjoy will be sustained…so if Suduko drives you nuts, DON’T DO IT. Do something new each day: learn something new, even the answer to a question you’ve always had; do a routine task in a new way, even folding towels the opposite way that you usually do, exercises a different part of your brain.

Exercise your body…something you enjoy, something you can sustain. Start small. Build up as you can. Leisurely or brisk walking, aerobic exercises, strength training, Yoga, dancing, tennis….whatever works for you. Do a variety. Make the commitment and do it. Exercises will increase cerebral blood flow, increase mental abilities and protect against dementia, heart disease and stroke.

Eat, drink, and be healthy …..yeah, yeah….you’ve heard it all before. But it’s true. Whole grains, plant fats, fruits, vegetables, and nuts ….all in moderation. 1,600-1,700 calories/day or less has been shown to be the best for your body and brain functioning.

Stress When you think how high levels of stress can lead to ‘Stress Exhaustion Symptoms’, it is easy to understand how these symptoms can effect all facets of our lives: physical, mental, emotional, social and functional. It also takes a long-term toll on brain health, even if only the damage that ensues from an increase in blood pressure. So relax. Breath. It is possible to manage stress, and with practice, as with any muscle, it gets more efficient the more you practice. While we can’t eliminate stress completely, can learn to prevent much of it and deal with the rest constructively‘

Stress Bites

Ø Just as LIFE/HAPPINESS is what you perceive it to be….

Ø So is STRESS a perception. It’s our self talk….

Ø On a physiological basis….it’s known as the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)

Ø The stages of GAS are:

1) Alarm Reaction 2) Resistance 3) Exhaustion

Just the terms for the stages is enough to raise your blood pressure

Ø Stress is ADAPTIVE and therefore Necessary

Ø But it’s also about CHOICES: the number of TV stations The number of

shampoos to choose from. We have 2x income of 1957, but we’ve gone from

35% were happy to 31% now

Ø So, create your own SANTUARY & PRACTICE

Sleep - Sleepless nights can lead to fatigue and lethargy, which leads to nervousness, anxiety, irritability, difficulty concentrating, memory problems, falls, depression and lower quality of life. The cycle perpetuates itself. So take the time & do it right. See Sleep Tips box for ideas and resources.

Sleep Tips

Ø Keep a regular sleep-wake cycle. Even on your day off.

Ø Have a bedtime routine that relaxes and winds you down.

Ø Avoid caffeine, alcohol & nicotine 4-6 hours before bedtime

Ø Avoid large meal, exercise within 2 hours of bedtime

Ø Don’t go to bed until you’re sleepy. If you can’t fall asleep within 20 minutes, do a quiet activity & come back to bed when you are sleepy.

Ø Naps: listen to your body, to make up sleep or if you are drowsy, take a nap. Better if before 3pm

Ø Sleep in a dark, quiet room, that is slightly cool

Ø Use bed only for sleeping, that other fun thing and maybe reading

Ø Correcting back pain: sleep with a pillow between your knees (on side) or under knees (on back), and hug a pillow. These pillows puts your hips and your shoulders in good body alignment and eases back pain. It’s also heavenly.

Ø Sleep diary: if you have trouble, note times, food, drink, bathroom visits, pain, dreams, stress levels, etc.. Over time a pattern may evolve that you &/or your physician may be able to sort out. [National Sleep Foundation, 5]

Positive attitude….optimists live longer (50% lower death rate) and have higher mental functions into old age. And yes, you can re-program your circuitry. Call it thanksgiving, call it an Attitude of Gratitude, as a beginning exercise, I call it making a Happy Thoughts Card, put it in a prominent place and read it whenever you feel stress.

Slow down…..take time, decrease the multitasking….focus. Create a space, a sanctuary…far from the reaches of man. Even if it is a corner of your bedroom. No TV. Just a place for you to be. To relax. To breath. Set aside 30 minutes morning & night of total silence (or 20 or 10 or even 5 minutes)

INSIST ON QUIET TIME

NOTE: TV is an insidious form of noise pollution.

I don’t have one in my bedroom. This is

my sanctuary…far from the politics of man.

Take care of health issues Control your blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol. Lowering these prevents damage to and blocking of those critical arteries that feed your brain.

REFERENCES

1. For further information on normal/not normal memory changes, the Alzheimer’s Association: Ten Warning Signs www.alz.org
2. Healthy Women, Healthy Lives: A Guide to Preventing Disease, from the Landmark Nurses’ Health Study. Edited by S. Hankinson, RN, ScD; Graham Coldits, MD; JoAnn Manson, MD; Frank Speizer, MD. A Harvard Medical School Book. Simon & Schuster, 2001.
3. Mayo Clinic Guide to Alzheimer’s Disease. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 2006.
4. Successful Aging. Mary O’Brien, M.D. Biomed General, 2007
5. sleepfoundation.org

© Elaine Scribner, 2008

WISHING YOU JOY

TOPICS COMING SOON:

True Strength

Patient Advocacy How-To’s

Building Resilience

WHA-WHOOOOOO!!! Making Happiness Happen

Wishing you joy, wishing you peace, Elaine