Memory Maximizers November 2021
Find a Good Listener to Keep Thinking and Memory Strong
Frequent social interaction is a well-established defense against cognitive decline, but new research suggests that your social circle should include at least one really good listener. In a study published in JAMA Network Open, researchers found that having someone who is available all or most of the time to listen to you when you need to talk is associated with greater cognitive resilience—your brain’s ability to function better than would normally be expected for a person your age. Cognitive resilience is considered a buffer against brain aging and disease. And while a vibrant social network helps keep your brain engaged and stimulated, the study zeroed in on the role of a good and consistent listener. Using interviews to get a sense of a person’s social network and MRI to measure brain volume, researchers found that people who had at least one person who served as a supportive listener had cognitive function that was higher relative to their total cerebral volume. As people age, cerebral volume tends to diminish, but the connection between cerebral volume and cognitive performance isn’t entirely understood. Typically, reduced cerebral volume coincides with reduced cognitive function, but social interaction, brain-stimulating activities, and other factors appear to offer some protection. If you have a great listener in your life, then you may be enjoying brain benefits without even realizing it. If you can’t identify such a person in your social network, think about whether someone you know could fill that role or whether reaching out to an old friend or a neighbor or even a family member you’ve lost touch with could be someone who would listen to you, and in turn, could talk with you and become the all-important listener for someone else.
Talking to Yourself Also Works to Bolster Memory
Though “talking to yourself” is often joked about as a sign of mental distress, the practice can actually be one of the most effective ways to move new information solidly into your memory. Self-talk, as it is known, helps memory in a few different ways. For example, it slows you down, and being more focused and intentional usually means you’re getting more out of an experience. But for self-talk to really help you memorize anything, you need to have a question-and-answer session with yourself. After reading a passage, for example, ask yourself, “What did I just read? How does this fit with what else I’m learning or what I’ve learned before?” And then answer those questions. Just as explaining material to someone else helps you understand it better, similar gains can be had when you’re explaining it to, well, yourself. When thinking about any subject, one of the key questions to ask yourself is, “Why?” If you’re reading a book on history, for instance, asking why certain events took place and then thinking about and answering that question will help the information sink in. And if you can’t answer the question, then more research is needed. One other aspect of self-talk that’s helpful is summarizing. Putting an event or experience into your own words as though you were speaking to a friend or an audience will promote stronger memories. While having a good listener who is a friend or relative is ideal for social interaction and cognitive stimulation, becoming your own best listener has its advantages, too. MMM
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