[bLue_oNioN]

[size=xx-small]Introduction[/size]
It's inevitable: We will age and our bodies will begin to wear out. The symptoms first appear physically, but eventually progress into the mental capacity. Most of us will probably lose some degree of sharpness and become more forgetful.

As a son, it is heart wrenching to see the people who took care of you move into a more vulnerable position as time passes. Growing up, I formed a sort of preconceived notion that my parents and teachers were constants in life, impervious to the ticking clock. But the clock does tick, and as some of us have learned, it will never stop for anyone.

[size=xx-small]Never give up, never surrender[/size]
This does not mean the aging are headed for the trash bin. As the National Institute on Aging notes, "Most people remain both alert and able as they age, although it may take them longer to remember things."

I hope that we may discuss in this thread some strategies and daily exercises useful in sharpening memory recollection, shortening reaction times, and ultimately, helping keep aging family and friends on their toes.

One exercise I have heard of is as follows:

Walk into the center of any room. Close your eyes and spin around slowly without attempting to position yourself toward any specific side of the room. Take a deep breath, open your eyes, and in the next 15 seconds, attempt to point out and simulatenously name as many objects as you can (e.g. table, chair, tissue box, etc). Each object you successfully name counts as one point. 15 points or higher should be the goal.

 

[wallijonn]

What about diet?

 

[chadbang]

I was amazed by seeing director Sidney Lumet at the oscars. 80 years old and sharp as a tack (he made poor Clint Eastwood look way too old -- Clint Eastwood is an old man; I can't believe it). I guess that lesson is stay busy, stay involved.

And for some reason, I think being short seems to help. Small equals less prone to the slings and arrows of aging?

 

[mbriant]

Quote:

Walk into the center of any room. Close your eyes and spin around slowly without attempting to position yourself toward any specific side of the room. Take a deep breath, open your eyes, and in the next 15 seconds, attempt to point out and simulatenously name as many objects as you can (e.g. table, chair, tissue box, etc). Each object you successfully name counts as one point. 15 points or higher should be the goal.

Blue Onion, I don't fully understand this exercise. "attempt to point out and name as many objects as you can ... with your eyes open?" That doesn't seem too difficult to do at any age. Do you mean objects you cannot see from where you are facing?

 

[bLue_oNioN]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wallijonn What about diet?

Probably should be one of the factors on the top of the list! Eating healthy is paramout.


Quote:

Originally Posted by chadbang I was amazed by seeing director Sidney Lumet at the oscars. 80 years old and sharp as a tack (he made poor Clint Eastwood look way too old -- Clint Eastwood is an old man; I can't believe it). I guess that lesson is stay busy, stay involved.

This is definitely very important, but I'm not so sure it's a foolproof insurance. Through my parents, I know many management and executive level engineers/managers who are forced to wrack their brains all week long. The general concensus is that age is beginning to show. They certainly aren't dull, but occurances of little daily things like forgetting where they put their ATM cards, who said what when, and what happened when have increased significantly.


Quote:

Originally Posted by mbriant Blue Onion, I don't fully understand this exercise. "attempt to point out and name as many objects as you can ... with your eyes open?" That doesn't seem too difficult to do at any age. Do you mean objects you cannot see from where you are facing?

Yep that is correct, name as many objects as you can with your eyes open. The exercise sounds easier than it actually is, I think. Try it in a room you are unfamiliar with, and see what you get, it might just be that you're very sharp already.

EDIT: Almost forgot, the post of mine at the top of this thread was my 1500th =)

 

[mbriant]

Quote:

it might just be that you're very sharp already.

I doubt that ... I still don't think I'm understanding this. I spin around slowly, then open my eyes and point to the coffee table and say "coffee table", point to a magazine and say "magazine", point to a dust bunny and "dust bunny", etc. Is that it? Are you supposed to spin around until you are dizzy perhaps?

Sorry I"m so thick. ( Boy, if I had a dollar ever time I've said that

)

 

[bLue_oNioN]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mbriant I doubt that ... I still don't think I'm understanding this. I spin around slowly, then open my eyes and point to the coffee table and say "coffee table", point to a magazine and say "magazine", point to a dust bunny and "dust bunny", etc. Is that it? Are you supposed to spin around until you are dizzy perhaps? Sorry I"m so thick. ( Boy, if I had a dollar ever time I said that )

What score are you consistently getting?

 

[mbriant]

"3". Just kidding.

I think having someone else keeping an eye on the clock would help. I keep overshooting the 15 seconds and it's hard to keep an eye on the clock as I'm scanning the room. As best I can tell, it's taking me about 20 seconds to get 15 things .... so I guess I'm below average, which doesn't surprise me. I'm 51 years old and my memory sure isn't what it used to be.

 

[bLue_oNioN]

It also helps in terms of testing accuracy if you aren't familiar with the room, I think. For reference, my 19-year-old roommate just did the test and got 16. But we've lived in this room with the same objects for the past eight months, so perhaps the score is artifically inflated by a few?

Indeed, it may just be that this isn't a good exercise at all -- that's why I hope more people can chime in with tips, and perhaps, better exercises!

 

[usc goose]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chadbang And for some reason, I think being short seems to help. Small equals less prone to the slings and arrows of aging?

I do know that being small equals less chance of getting cancer. Having fewer cells in your body means less of a chance that one goes haywire, cancer style.

 

[aerius]

Reaction time. Play hockey, racketball, tennis, or any other sport that requires fast hand-eye co-ordination. As a bonus you stay in shape which helps greatly with reaction time, healing speed, and many other things.

For keeping your mind sharp, debate people. Science, politics, audio, cars, nuclear power, marijuana legalization, societal issues, gun control, gay rights, etc. find a message board or some other venue and debate others on the topic of choice. You'll have to look up and cite info & research and present the facts in a logical and convincing way, it can be very challenging and keeps you on your toes.

 

[Calanctus]

To keep your mind sharp, keep learning. Learn something significantly new and different from what you already know--not different in the sense of mere different facts, but different in the sense of something that works completely differently.

Examples: If you are a scientist and know a lot about how to reason scientifically, study art, music or something creative. If you are a lawyer and know how to argue with people, but speak only English, then study a foreign language--preferably one that's very different, such as Chinese or Hindi.

There have been a few articles in the press about this, suggesting that it is effective at maintaining mental clarity.

Oh, and also, drink green tea.

 

[Spankypoo]

At a driving school I attended a few years back the school owner was going over the physiology behind reactions, and said that most of the age-related increase in reaction times is due to lack of practice, not anything neurological. Obviously you hit a point where it is a physical factor, but it's much later than we typically think.

I'd pick up a copy of Mozart's Brain and the Fighter Pilot - it has a lot of exercises to improve your mental capacities, whether spacial, memory-related, etc.

 

[Spankypoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aerius For keeping your mind sharp, debate people.

I'm not sure that'll serve to increase the length of your life - in fact, it may achieve quite the opposite!