Forget it! - blame the cell phone and 'smart' technology
March 4th 2008 02:47
Signature Tune
The proliferation of cell phones, BlackBerries, Outlook calendars and other “smart” technology — not to mention frenetic multitasking and easy Googling — has left many of us feeling stupid in the memory department.
You’re not alone, and you’re not necessarily on the far side of 40.
“At least half of people, by the time they reach their 40s and 50s, notice cognitive decline,” said Small, who is launching a one-day Brain Boot Camp at the UCLA Memory and Aging Center.
“We can fix your brain in a few hours. I’m laughing, but we really can,” he said. “The evidence becomes more and more compelling that we can do something about it. The challenge is to get people to do it.”
Small’s program, which runs about $500 for the six-hour version and about $250 for a three-hour “Boot Camp Lite,” first assesses campers’ memory, stress and fitness levels. Then it teaches them basic memory techniques and introduces a “healthy brain diet” including fish, antioxidant-rich colorful vegetables and fruits, and wine in moderation.
Because stress impedes memory, the program demonstrates relaxation exercises to improve mental focus. It also provides a daily lifestyle plan, including physical conditioning, to maintain brain health.
TIPS FOR REMEMBERING NAMES AND FACES
•When meeting someone, focus on what you’re going to learn about that person, not on what you are going to say.
•When you hear the person’s name, try to repeat it or ask about its spelling.
•Ask for a business card or write the name down immediately after leaving the person. The more senses you engage — hearing, saying and seeing the name — the more likely you will be to remember.
•Learn at least four things about the person, such as what the person does for a living and where the person lives.
•As you say goodbye, repeat the person’s name.
•Pretend you have to introduce this person to a friend and swiftly review the information you’ve gathered.
•Make remembering a game. The more you stress over it, the less you’ll remember.
Beyond forgetfulness
There are “telltale signs” when it comes to memory problems, said Stephen Salloway, director of the Memory & Aging Program at Rhode Island’s Butler Hospital and professor of clinical neurosciences at Brown University’s Alpert Medical School. Among them:
•Failing to remember a word or name, and it doesn’t come to you at some later point.
•Forgetting not just the detail of an event but the event itself.
•Losing the ability to multitask, such as driving a car while listening to the radio or carrying on a conversation.
•Some memory problems may be traced to medication or depression, which can be treated.
Extracted from Kansas City .com - link to the full article is at the top. But what I have selected just about sums it up.
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havehad a cell phone and what a long tail our cat's got. Regards to Tisha, I'm sure she's got her job cut out despite the fact that she walks faster.But you've both got the message. Congrats.
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