Train Your Brain in Less Time and Gain Longer Benefits
You do not need to devote weeks and months to mental training to reap long-term benefits, suggests a new study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. In fact, as few as 10 sessions of hour-long brain exercises can improve cognitive function, and the effect can last for up to 10 years.
The study participants, average age 73, showed improvements in reasoning ability and speed-of-processing compared with a control group. They also reported less difficulty performing everyday tasks, like shopping, cooking, and managing their finances.
The mind is like a muscle, and it loses strength if you do not use it. But unlike regular muscles, you do not need long days at the gym to make it stronger. “Mental training does not have to be tedious. You can integrate these techniques into your daily life without much effort,” says John Geirland PhD, clinical instructor (voluntary) in UCLA’s Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences. He suggests weaving in bouts of quick mental exercises whenever possible during the day. “Relating mental exercises to your environment can help to re-enforce it, so it becomes more of a habit. This way you can begin to improve your memory and manage your life with less stress.” Try these two exercises:
Look, Snap, Connect. Formulated by UCLA’s Gary Small, MD, this method involves making mental snapshots of what you want to remember, and combining, exaggerating, or distorting them in a meaningful way. “If you parked your car in space 3B, picture three enormous bees hovering over your car. If it is an odd or emotion-inducing image, you are more likely to remember it,” says Dr. Geirland.
Categorization. Organize different tasks, activities, or objects into smaller, more manageable groups to make them easier to remember. Example: Reorganize your grocery list into groups of smaller items, like meats, fruits, vegetables, and canned goods.
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