Can't find your way about?
December 3rd 2011 19:01
Are you directionally challenged?
Some people can find any destination — others are perpetually lost
 Fenton City resident Bob Jarrett remembers developing his sense of direction from the backseat of his grandfather's car at around the age of 8 years old. Armed with no more than a hand-drawn map by his grandfather, Jarrett often navigated the two to their final destination. Little did either one of them know - those hand-drawn maps and moments of early navigation would exercise Jarrett's ability to find any destination, anywhere.
 "I always remember road names and exits for some reason," Jarrett said. "People are always asking me for directions."
 Jarrett may consider the open road a second home as he travels often, installing fast-food equipment all over the country. Traveling from Michigan to Miami and roaming through the hills of Virginia with no more than a gas station map may seem impossible to some. But for Jarrett, it's the only way to travel.
 According to WebMD mental health expert Richard Senelick, MD, Jarrett and others that have a great sense of direction have an incredible recognition and spatial memory, recording their environment with phenomenal accuracy.
 Grid cells and place cells inside the hippocampus (an area of the brain that helps with memory) comprise a person's ability to navigate to a destination. Place cells help indicate where a person is located while grid cells identify spatial relationships between different places. People who identify land markers and buildings while en route to a destination use place cells more frequently. Those who use grid cells often calculate distance with direction to get to their destination, and are more likely to describe directions as "5 miles east and then 6 miles south."
 Jarrett's wife, Sue, said that although her husband has an amazing sense of direction, it doesn't always mean he can navigate through everything effortlessly. When it comes to computers for example, Bob suddenly becomes lost and often asks his wife for direction. Still, her husband's impeccable knowledge of location is extremely beneficial, especially when she's traveling alone. She can call her husband from any highway near any exit and he always knows of a good restaurant or rest spot in the area.
 "He's always just had a good sense of direction, and it's been refined from all of his traveling," Sue said. "He can go someplace totally new and get his footing immediately. It's an innate talent. His friends are calling him all the time, asking for directions."
 However, being directionally challenged may soon be a thing of the past, thanks to improved and affordable GPS units. Kmart Electronics Manager Jill Ingles said GPS units are a hot commodity this holiday season and have been increasing in popularity over the past few years. The latest versions of GPS units feature lifetime traffic updates, adjusting maps as roads change throughout time.
 "People who have them love them, and they want other people to have them," Ingles said. "A lot of parents buy them for their kids who are going off to college, thinking it might help them when they get lost."
 
espite the advancements in technology, there is nothing more reassuring than knowing where a location is. Batteries can die and gadgets breakdown. But knowing how to get somewhere on your own is irreplaceable. "You could teach yourself I believe, but to be real honest, it's probably built within you," Jarrett said. "I believe it's a knack and something you're born with. It's fun to have people ask ‘how do you do that?' And, I have no idea. I don't think anything of it."
Improving your sense of direction
While some people are born with an innate sense of direction, there are activities that can improve everyone’s memory. Here are some suggestions:
Exercise — Being active increasea blood flow to the brain, which allows the hippocampus to work more efficiently.
Balanced diet — Oatmeal, bananas and other foods rich with antioxidants help with blood flow, and can have similar effects to the hippocampus as exercising.
Brain games — Spatial memory improves after doing activities that involve objects and coordination.
— Source: WebMD
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