Everlasting Place
  • Home
  • One way
    • Proof
  • Sadie Sparrow
    • Sadie Sparrow Excerpt
    • Author Chat
    • Articles
    • Book Reviews
  • Memoir
    • Memoir Excerpts
    • Reviews, interviews & endorsements
  • Blogs
    • Eternal eyes: a blog about forever
    • Golden years: a blog about the elderly
  • Old folks
    • Planting tips for Christians
  • Messages from Chris Carrillo
  • Library
  • Bookstore
  • Contact

Can mental exercise prevent dementia?

7/28/2014

9 Comments

 
Picture
So what's the verdict: Do mental exercises like crossword puzzles help delay the damage old age can do to our brains?

Over the years, I've seen lots of reports claiming that they can do precisely that -- the implication being that all we really need to do to avoid heading down the path to mental deterioration is to keep our brains active. You know, instead of relaxing into the mental sloth associated with soap operas and napping, we should simply devote ourselves to puzzle-solving. 

But more recently, I've also seen some indications that taking our little gray cells through daily workouts really doesn't make any difference. And I have to admit that some of my elderly friends who are the most confused also maintain the most impressive libraries of highbrow books that they have presumably read over the course of their lifetimes.

Then there are the reports that straddle the fence on this issue -- including a 2011 study concluding that crossword puzzles do indeed delay the onset of dementia by 2.54 years. But eventually decline sets in at an even faster pace among the intellectually fit, so that, in the end, we all end up in the same place. 

Still, it seems like it's worth a try, doesn't it? At least crossword puzzles' side effects are practically non-existent, compared with those of the pharmaceuticals that supposedly keep us sharper longer. A 2013 review of the medical literature found that while these drugs may offer some short-term benefits, those benefits last on average just 18 months -- and in the meantime the drugs can cause both headaches and all kinds of nasty GI troubles. 

Personally, I think I'll forego the pharmaceuticals in favor of daily coconut oil and sign up for a lifetime subscription to Logic Lovers Logic Problems. 
9 Comments
Bill Smith link
9/17/2014 02:01:59 am

I knew it! Crossword puzzles keep the brain energized! Thanks for the encouraging article, and thanks for using one of my photos to illustrate it. It was fun completing a puzzle started by someone else, learning to use a photo-editing tool to fill in the letters, and sharing it on Flickr so you could end up using it and I would find and read your article. My Mom suffered from dementia in her final years, so I pay attention to my own brain activity as I approach the big transition to heaven.

Reply
Kitty Foth-Regner link
9/17/2014 02:31:19 am

Hi Bill,
I'm so glad you found this article -- and that you let me know. I picked up your image from Weebly's free photos album, not Flickr. As a writer who regularly sees her books being offered free on various highly suspect web sites, I'm very sensitive to copyright issues. Do you not have an agreement with Weebly??? Anyway, it was one of many photos I could have chosen, and I thought it was by far the best -- good job!

I'm sorry about your mom ... but love your approach to death as a big transition!
Kitty

Reply
Bill Smith link
10/14/2014 04:01:06 am

Kitty, no problem. I think that Weebly looks for repositories of available photos, and Flickr is pretty big. My photos are listed as Creative Commons by attribution, without any further restrictions, so they are available for use. I am happy to find where they are used, and to see how my little creative input is helping others in their work and lives.

Reply
Shan
12/28/2014 04:26:40 am

My 93 year old Grandma who is an ace at all word-type of puzzles and is still sharp as a tack would surely agree with you! She's taught me strategies for so many and I've gotta say I'm pretty into them now as well - just have to be careful not to let even things like word games become idols that eat away at our time and energy...at least those of us with very little free time!

Reply
Kitty Foth-Regner link
12/28/2014 09:36:01 am

Yeah, no kidding, Shan. It's way too easy to fall into those time-wasting traps!

Reply
Floyd link
11/21/2015 12:52:39 am

Mental exercise is good. To have a strong mind is needed everywhere. Not only for the particular condition, you need to have good mental setup.

Reply
Kitty Foth-Regner link
11/21/2015 06:22:46 am

I hope you're right, Floyd!

Reply
Mybodyexpert.com link
5/9/2016 11:50:34 pm

You know, instead of relaxing into the mental sloth associated with soap operas and napping, we should simply devote ourselves to puzzle-solving.

Reply
Big Connecticut link
3/9/2021 02:51:20 am

Thank you for ssharing this

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Kitty
    Foth-Regner

    I'm a follower of Jesus Christ, a freelance copywriter, a nursing-home volunteer, and the author of books both in-process and published -- including
    Heaven Without Her.

    Archives

    December 2022
    September 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

    Care to subscribe?

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

Proudly powered by Weebly
Photos used under Creative Commons from Anas Qtiesh, quinn.anya, skippyjon, gagilas, ulrichkarljoho, Schleeo, djpoblete09, 00alexx, NathanPeck, Riccardo Palazzani, MaartenEyskens, jfinnirwin, romana klee, bundesinnung_ha, theglobalpanorama, Street Photography Addict, StockMonkeys.com, Robert Agthe, Genista, Neillwphoto, frankieleon, RamónP, National Eye Institute, Pink Dispatcher, Tony Webster, quinn.anya, Peter23394, anna gutermuth, neovain, Keith Allison, lewisha1990, Phú Thịnh Co, byzantiumbooks, avlxyz, eastmidtown, 593D ESC, simpleinsomnia, mcohen.chromiste, Pictures by Ann, Stampendous, loop_oh, tedeytan, TipsForComputer.Com, ssilberman, pedrosimoes7, forayinto35mm, Never Edit, GlasgowAmateur, weiss_paarz_photos, Borya, The Graphic Details, robynejay, allenthepostman, quinn.anya, u.hopper, fallingwater123, Alyssa L. Miller, Vincent Albanese, homethods, ponyQ, Braiu, CNE CNA C6F, oakenroad, Tim Evanson, medisave, irinaraquel, Steve Ganz, Nieve44/Luz, roscoland2, One Way Stock, Film Star Vintage, ulrichkarljoho, anieto2k, meaduva, Homini:), campbelj45ca, Nicolas Alejandro Street Photography, Hades2k, Alyssa L. Miller, Carlos Ebert, @Tuncay, kms1167, Petful.com, m01229, jonrawlinson, Brian Smithson (Old Geordie), Blogging Dagger, fechi fajardo, SurfaceWarriors, Leah Abernathy, evans.photo, brianna.lehman, mikecogh, Ejuice, christine.gleason, Free Grunge Textures - www.freestock.ca, Derek Bridges, ulrichkarljoho, One Way Stock, Matt Cunnelly, nandadevieast, cathyse97, quinn.anya, faungg's photo, Lars Plougmann, C Jill Reed, johnthoward1961, mcohen.chromiste, hardeep.singh, physiognomist, ulrichkarljoho, 401(K) 2013, Very Quiet, BromfordGroup, garryknight, Official U.S. Navy Imagery, acasasola, mrbillt6, simpleinsomnia, johanSisno, GollyGforce, Jo Jakeman, Mire de rien, Chris Mower, lotopspin, Marlene Rybka Visualizing & Photography, RLHyde, jez.atkinson, orionpozo, quinn.anya, global.quiz, Public Places, alubavin, drs2biz, espensorvik, ♔ Georgie R, h.koppdelaney, Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com, Images_of_Money, ttarasiuk, TheArches