We exercise to keep the pounds off, gobble antioxidant-rich foods to stay young and stave off cancer -- but how much time do we devote to brain fitness?
As we age, we begin to lose brain cells -- and once enough brain cells die off, that's when those so-called "senior" moments start happening, said David Wallace, the director of the Center for Integrative Neuroscience at Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences.
"Where did I put my keys?"
"Did I lock the door?"
"What's his wife's name again?"
Wallace can rattle off lists of studies under way at the OSU Center for Health Sciences or describe in depth the mating habits of field mice -- but recalling the names of his first-grade teacher or his childhood little league teammates is a smidge harder. Forcing ourselves to access those long-term memories, Wallace said, gives our brains the kind of regular workout they need.
We lose brain cells as we age because we're not getting as much oxygen to the brain or enough glucose to our brain cells -- and that causes certain brain cells to starve and die.
"But," he said, "you can do things to stimulate those areas of the brain to keep them active and healthy."
One popular term for activities to improve brain fitness and memory is "neurobics" -- mental workouts. The aging process is a bell curve, in which you start as an infant and stimulation encourages brain development. As we get older, mental stimulation helps keep our brains sharper and more focused.
"It's the same type of premise -- if you don't use it," Wallace said, "you lose it." There's no magic anti-aging pill and you can't stop time, but you can slow the process. Studies conducted over the past few decades have shown that people who continue challenging their brains tend to age better, especially with regard to short-term memory, which is what goes first. "Anything that stimulates blood flow and glucose to your brain cells can basically strengthen your memory," Wallace said. Good nutrition and exercise also help, by providing healthy fuel and oxygen that the brain needs to function properly. No age is too young -- or too old -- to start exercising your brain. "If you continue to work on these things," Wallace said, "there's no reason something else won't give out before your brain does." Simple Brain Exercises Start taking different ways to and from work, to force your brain out of its usual habits. Try making small calculations while on the way, noting different landmarks, miles between various markers. If you have coins in your pocket, sort through them with your fingers (without looking), and try to differentiate between the coins by touch only. Or, put a dime in a bowl full of pennies and try to find the dime using only your tactile senses, not your eyes.
Play computer games such as Free Cell as fast as you can, regardless of your score. Forcing your brain to work quickly will challenge it and help improve focus. Work through favorite old memories, trying to access as many intricate details as possible from the short-, middle- and long-term memories. Write down the memories by hand in a journal to work on fine motor skills at the same time. Try working through a daily crossword puzzle, Sudoku game or Scrabble session. Try working the games and tests in puzzle books. If you're tech savvy, try playing the Brain Age game for Nintendo DS.
