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| Where is my camera? |
I waste too much time looking for things in my house. I know I had it yesterday. Now where did I put it? I think I left it on the desk. No, I can't find it in all this mess. I must have left it in the bedroom.
Did I take it downstairs? Wait!
Hey, it was in my pocket all the time.
After the age of fifty they say we begin to lose some memory, but I heard recently that the average woman spends about 30 - 40 minutes each day looking for misplaced items.
And -- from women I talk with, this problem is not just for women over fifty. I don't know about men. Barry said I lost things, but he seemed to always be asking me questions like, "Where is that little hammer that used to be in this drawer?"
Or, "What happened to that shirt I wore yesterday?"
Now that I think on it, I spent lots of time looking for things he couldn't find.
Brain exercises to help prevent memory loss
Physical exercise can make and keep your body stronger. Same holds true for mental exercise for your mind.
• Play games that involve strategy, like chess or bridge, and word games like Scrabble.
• Try crossword and other word puzzles, or number puzzles such as Sudoku.
• Read newspapers, magazines, and books that challenge you.
• Get in the habit of learning new things: games, recipes, driving routes, a musical instrument, a foreign language. (Why not take a writing class?)
• Take a course in an unfamiliar subject that interests you. The more interested and engaged your brain, the more likely you’ll be to continue learning and the greater the benefits you’ll experience.(Try a writing class.)
• Take on a project that involves design and planning, such as a quilt, a vegetable garden, or a workshop in your garage. (Put together a book of your life stories)
Memory loss is not an inevitable result of aging nor is it a warning sign of serious mental deterioration or the onset of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.
The brain is capable of producing new brain cells at any age, so significant memory loss is not an inevitable result of aging. But just as it is with muscle strength, you have to use it or lose it. Your lifestyle, health habits, and daily activities have a huge impact on the health of your brain. As you can see from the above techniques, there are many ways you can improve your cognitive skills, prevent memory loss, and protect your gray matter.
This was excerpted from Letlifein.com, an article by
By Gary Geyer
Italics are mine.
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