grow older better

Tag: puzzles

  • Keeping The Brain Sharp As We Age

    puzzles and brainsDoing puzzles has been seen as an activity to keep our brains sharp – but a new study shows that puzzles might be enough.

    Listening to classical music and doing crosswords is not enough for the over 60s to stay sharp and they must learn new skills, a study found.

    Instead people should be doing a course to learn something new, such as digital photography or quilting, to improve their long term memories.

    As a crossword puzzle addict since I was a preteen, and a jigsaw addict since I don’t know when, I will never give them up as I feel they keep me sharp. But I do understand the research. Puzzles, at least for me, are not novel….I have gotten really good at guessing what words are the answers or what pieces go where…so they aren’t really taxing my brain – but I do feel they are useful for something.

    Yet I also keep learning new things – so maybe my brain is working hard from all that.  I take online courses, learn new technology,  and try new ways of doing old things like my photography.

    For the upcoming year, I am creating online courses and will let you know about those and about courses others have created….

    Here’s to our brains increasing in 2014!

     

    onward to 2014

  • Puzzles? Reading? Yes – they ARE good for you!

    crossword puzzleKeep reading and doing those puzzles as you get older.

    In fact, if you are younger, and don't do puzzles –  start now and keep doing them … it's good for your brain –

    According to a study:

    Doing puzzles and reading books have been linked with a decreased risk of Alzheimer's disease, and a new study may explain why — it reduces the accumulation of harmful proteins in the brain.

    I've always believed that games play the same role – they keep our brains active. And they provide, what I found, were some therapeutic results for people of many ages.

    pinball machineOf course I do have a bias.

    I am, and have been, a big game player.  I started out with pinball, moved on to amusement park arcades, video games and now computer games.

    Just ask my son who played his video games more – him or me?  :)

    I grew up with crossword puzzles and still do them. And the same with reading. Guess now I am glad I did so much of what others tended to call a "waste of time."

    Do you play games? Do puzzles?

    Have some favorites to share? Thanks……