The Busier the Better - Busyness Means Better Cognition
Ever wonder if there is any truth to the myth about the fountain
of youth? There has to be some truth to the story, right? Why else would there
be so many references to it across history? Others have taken a lot of time and
effort in trying to find it with no avail. I don’t know about you but who has
time to try to find it nowadays? We are all so busy! But we are in luck, a
recent study at the Center for Vital Longevity at the University of Texas in
Dallas showed that people who report greater levels of daily busyness tend to
have better cognition, especially with regard to memory for recently learned
information.
Modern life has pushed us to take on more work, more chores, and
have a social life – all while being sure to “keep up with the Jones”. Being
busy is the new norm, it’s a fact of life now. Given that busyness is not
necessarily a new way of life, researchers were surprised by how little data
was present for them to work with or analyze against. The researchers for this
study surveyed over 300 healthy people for their “brain study”. They recorded
the participants’ responses about their daily schedule and conducted a series
of neuropsychological tests to measure their cognitive performance.
The results show that at any age, and regardless of education, a
busier lifestyle is associated with superior processing speed of the brain,
working memory, reasoning and vocabulary. The brain is strong in association
between busyness and recalling memories of specific events in the past. However,
the results do not indicate that we should all run out and seek an even busier
lifestyle in the hopes that it will restore all of our youthful cognitive
functionality.
Nevertheless, it can be assumed that living a busy lifestyle may
help mental function. Therefore what can we do as we age to help ward off
memory loss, dementia and other aging brain ailments? Stay active, stay busy.
If you are over 50 and busier then your peers then you’re a step ahead of the
game! You are making your brain work and process a lot of information quickly. However,
busy doesn’t need to equal work burnout. Busyness can be associated with a
frequent social life, attending family activities, enjoying time outdoors and
finding an active hobby. Just remember to enjoy life!
At Elder Law of Omaha, we specialize in the legal needs of those
aged 50 and over. We handle everything from estate planning to trusts to
long-term care Medicaid planning. Call us today for a FREE consultation
regarding your future at 402.614.6400. We hope to visit with you soon.
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