Brain Health Blog

Hopefully you are already a happy and joyful person. Life can certainly place challenges to happiness and sometimes we consider advanced age to be anything but happy. However, a new study based on a telephone survey of 340,000 people nationwide between age 18 and 85 found that we tend to get happier as we get older!

The survey asked about global well being by asking each person to rate overall life satisfaction between one and ten. Results published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that people were quite satisfied with themselves by the time they were 85 especially when compared to when they were 18. The tendency to rate happiness lower in the 20s and 30s began to reverse in the 50s.

Emotions of stress, anger, and worry decline beginning in the 20s and more significantly in the 50s onward. Sadness rises to a peak at 50 then declines to 73 and rises again slightly to 85. Enjoyment and happiness both decrease gradually until our 50s then rise steadily for the next 25 years and decline again, but not as much as the low point in our early 50s.

The study did not try to understand what makes people happy, but there is a relationship between getting older and happiness. Not bad!

With summer drawing near most of us will interact much more with water. Whether it be a river, lake, ocean or even a pool we will dawn our swim trunks and enjoy the fun of getting wet in the water. The water can provide recreation and also exercise depending on how we spend out time there. Both are important.

It is important to use the summer as a time to get outside more and to soak in the important Vitamin D from sunshine. Time spent swimming and recreating in the pool with family is great socialization and terrific stress reduction.

We can also begin a super exercise program by swimming daily or several times a week. The aerobic benefit of swimming is tremendous and the brain will appreciate the abundance of oxygen supplied by such exercise. Your muscles will also be stimulated and strengthened.

Some will fish, boat, tube, jet ski, and water ski as forms of play that are great fun in the summer months. If you make it to the beach enjoy the rhythms of the waves and the relaxed state that will envelope you. Enjoy the beautiful scenes of trees and sounds of birds that nature provides.

The water has always been a big part of our lives and evolution. Make sure you spend sufficient time in a safe and fun manner in and around the water this summer.

With warm weather and the summer season upon us it is a good time to consider all the benefits this sunny season provides for brain health:

1.    Increased exposure to the sun comes with Vitamin D which is good for the body     and brain.

2.    We can increase our mobility by getting outside to walk, play, swim, and run.

3.    Socialization can increase as more people commune to the outdoors.

4.    Exercise routines can become more routine and more diverse.

5.    We can enjoy nature and slow our world down thereby decreasing stress.

6.    We can increase our water consumption and reduce calories.

7.    Our moods can get a bit happier with blue sky.

8.    We may sleep better with increased physical activity.

9.    We can garden and do chores in the yard.

10.    We may be able to spend more time with the family.

So have fun this summer and enjoy all the brain benefits.


Sleep has been known to be an important component to brain function and memory for some time. A recent study on sleep and learning conducted by Dr. Walker, University of California Berkeley provides further support.

The study involved 39 healthy young persons who were placed into a nap or no nap group. At noon, all subjects completed a memory task intended to engage the hippocampus, a region deep in the medial temporal lobe responsible for learning new fact based information. Both groups performed equally on this test.

At 2pm, the nap group took a 90 minute nap while the no-nap group did not. At 6pm of that day, subjects completed a new memory task. Those who remained awake throughout the day performed worse on the task while those who napped did markedly better and actually improved in their capacity to learn.

Some scientists suggest the human animal is designed to sleep in bouts rather than one long period of time which supports taking naps. About 30% of Americans nap during the mid-day. The study’s results support the idea that sleep clears the brain’s short-term memory storage and creates the ability for new information to be learned. Napping may serve as a type of “rebooting” process, particularly when nappers enter stage two of their natural sleep cycle.

Results are preliminary and further research will be done to support these findings. However, scientists continue to help understand the sleep and its critical role in memory and brain health.

Sweet dreams!

You may have heard about the ability to “see one’s future” or maybe to “see yourself achieving a goal or success.” For some this may seem purely science fiction. However, it is important to not fall victim to the common tendency of many to underestimate the power of the human brain. You might be surprised to learn that many of the coincidences or “déjà vu” phenomena that occur in your life are brain based and directed.

Visualization is the term often used to describe our attempt to use mental imagery to guide behavior and outcome. This is used by many of our best known athletes and others who are the best at what they do. Very often it is the mental side of action that differentiates good from great.

Specific steps to practice visualization include the following:

1.    Identify a specific goal you have for your life, one that you have some control     over shaping. Specify what a successful outcome is for attaining your goal. Place     that goal into your brain and specify when it should occur. Identify those things     and people you need to have to reach the goal.

2.    Identify impediments to the goal including those that may exist outside of you and     those inside of you. The latter involve your own tendencies that may have limited     your success in the past. It might be lack of confidence, poor persistence,     problems dealing with setbacks, etc.

3.    Once steps 1 and 2 are completed, position yourself into a quiet area where you     can engage in deep breathing relaxation and meditation. On a daily basis you need     to turn inward and learn to set your body and brain into a relaxed state of     existence. You will need to practice these two-to-three times daily to learn how to     relax. You should feel completely at ease and focused on your existence.

4.    Once you are mentally relaxed and focused inward without any external     distraction, you can begin to see yourself completing the goal you identified. You     can visualize success, see the people and things that will help you to achieve     success, and feel the success. Your brain needs to establish the reality of the     success and map out the road to the desired outcome. The singular focus is on     success.

5.    Now you are ready to simply live your life and to realize your surroundings more     consciously. Life will provide the path for your goal and your brain understands     what to do because of your visualization training.  You may need to stop what you     are doing and re-engage in the visualization process above. If you remain true to     these steps you will find greater sense of accomplishment and goal attainment in     your life. It takes time. Visualization is a lifestyle change.

The winter of 2010 has been particularly rough or impressive depending on your frame of reference. Having spent 10 years in Tucson, Arizona and now living in the eastern part of the United States, I am on the side of “rough.” For millions of people all across the planet, the winter of 2010 has caused school closings, car accidents, loss of power, plenty of exercise with shoveling, water damage, and eventual flooding. The chronic nature of the 2010 winter season has also caused our mood to sour.

Chronic stress can certainly cause changes in the brain. Research indicates this can occur in the form of structural and chemical change. Post-traumatic stress disorder is one type of psychological disorder caused by a life-threatening stressor though reduced efficiency and functionality can also be caused by an unrelenting stressor in our lives. One aspect of the chemical alteration in our brains is a change in our moods. This might mean a clinical disorder such as depression or seasonal affective disorder or a more mild change such as increased irritability, fatigue, frustration, and a sense of hopelessness. Mother Nature is in charge!

It is important to recognize your own situation and how you and your loved ones may be coping with such a difficult winter. For those of us who are not “winter people” this can be a difficult challenge. Some coping mechanisms to consider include:

1.    Remember spring is getting closer each day.
2.    Use the down time to engage in family activities.
3.    Get some work done organizing or cleaning the house.
4.    Try to recreate in the snow as a family.
5.    Shovel the snow as a family (if you are physically able shoveling is a good exercise, but remember to bend your knees     and proceed in small steps).
6.    Build a fire if you have a fireplace and enjoy the moment.
7.    Use relaxation and meditation daily to cope.
8.    Be conscious of how you are feeling.
9.    Talk to your doctor about light therapy if needed.
10.    Spring is getting closer each day.

Bundle up and we will get through this together.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the leading cause of progressive dementia in the United States accounting for 95% of all dementias. It is believed that approximately 5 million Americans suffer AD and that this number will nearly triple in the next 40 years. AD is also on the increase worldwide.

AD is a progressive dementia that affects functions of memory, language, spatial skill, personality and functional ability. The disease continues to erode these functions rendering the patient completely dependent. It is generally believed that patients with more advanced AD are not aware of their condition and do not have an awareness of the people or places around them.

New research on awareness in those with vegetative state suggests this may not be true. Communication may also be possible for those in vegetative state. One case of a 29 year-old patient in a vegetative state was able to answer yes no questions by visualizing specific scenes the doctors asked him to imagine. The brain yielded different activity when different scenes were viewed. This particular patient was in a vegetative state for five years.

This new study published in the online version of the New England Journal of Medicine supports previous cases of awareness in those with vegetative state and raises significant issues concerning understanding of brain function and ethical matters dealing with end of life decisions.

Another suspicion this raises for me is whether a patient with advanced Alzheimer’s disease maintains some awareness of his surroundings. Perhaps the patient’s smile or blink to a family member has more meaning than we previously believed. It is not unreasonable to believe that the complexity of the human brain will not permit complete disconnect from those persons or things that are most important to that brain. We may simply not yet have the ability to measure such activity.

The new study reported in the online New England Journal of Medicine will help to spur research into this and other questions. We are on the frontier of an entirely new understanding of the human brain and we will be very surprised by how we have underestimated its ability and power. I refer to this new exploration of human brain potential as “neural energies.”

A recent survey of children’s utilization of mass media technology, cell phone, computers and television indicates the amount of time allocated to these devices has increased to over 7 hours daily. This does not include time multitasking when children will use more than one device at a time.

Research on behavioral correlates of such behavior is not conclusive, but there are studies that suggest a relationship between obesity, behavioral issues, and even some problems with interpersonal skills and time spent engaged in such pursuits.

The major question is what effect will increased time spent using digital media activity have on the behavior and brains of children over time. Research does indicate a relationship between passive pursuits and dementia later in life. Research also indicates too much stimulation can retard brain development. These represent the critical questions to be explored and answered in the near future. More studies are being done and are needed to determine what the short term and long term effects are on children.

It is important to remain open minded yet critical about both the negative and positive effects of children using and relying on the cell phone and other devices to socialize, interact, and stimulate mentally. The evolution of such technology has already found the youth of the world and they are more reliant and comfortable with it than previous generations. This evolution cannot be stopped and it probably should not. It is important for society to integrate this new way of living in healthy ways.

We have seen tragedies play out on the evening news describing how different people, including some famous persons, have lost their lives from accidents on the ski slopes or sled riding. For most, the winter related accidents involve falls with head injuries and head injuries remain a major problem for the young and old.

Sitting with our skull is our 3 to 4 pound brain that enables our every thought, movement, and emotion. It is critically important that everyone consider the sage advice of wearing a helmet when skiing, sledding, tubing, and even ice or roller skating. The same is true of bike riding, motorbike or motorcycle riding, skateboarding, and anything that involves wheels. As it is winter for many of us I want to reinforce the need for helmets with the sports in the snow.

While it may not be cool or attractive to wear a helmet, it certainly is much better than suffering a head injury that can lead to cognitive, emotional, and motor deficits or even death. Take a few moments this winter and place a protective helmet on your brain!

I am often asked about the value of having and caring for pets on general health. Research supports a positive relationship between having a pet and general health with more specific value in reducing blood pressure. Pets can create a vital role for someone as the dog, cat or other pet needs to be fed, walked, cleaned etc. Sometimes, caring for a pet can be the major role in a person’s life, particularly if someone is living alone.

A pet can also provide unconditional love, friendship, companionship, and a sense of family. Many people consider their pets significant members of the family and it is quite normal to experience grief when a pet dies.

For those who do not and cannot own a pet there are opportunities in the community to spend time with animals and to even “pet sit” for a family who may be out of town. I am also aware of some places that simply ask for the animals to be walked every so often. These are good opportunities to interact with a pet and to enjoy some of the health benefit that comes with it.