It’s quite obvious that one of the best ways to keep our brain active and learning new things is through social interaction. Talking, describing, discussing, reciting, explaining, telling stories, giving examples, etc., all require brain activation, chemical production, and the use of various cognitive abilities to include the encoding and recalling of information.
Our brain is somewhat like the muscles in our body. If we continue using them they will stay strong and healthy and perform their proper functions, as needed. But if we fail to use it, it can become weak and less capable of meeting our needs. In short, the less we use these, the more likely we are to lose these as we age.
And social interaction and conversation is perhaps the best thing we have to keep this marvelous organ or instrument strong, vibrant, flexible and functional.
If you are married or have a partner, take advantage of the opportunity to invite them to discuss things with you. Share what you like about them. Ask their opinions. Invite them to share experiences and things they have learned from their experiences and then share with them some of the things you have learned in life.
If you have differences or disagreements, as all couples do, consider Stephen Covey’s advice to “Seek first to understand and then to be understood.”
But such differences can light up your brain, and provide a good opportunity to learn from each other. If you can stay mutually respectful and perhaps incorporate a bit of “active listening,” or paraphrasing what each other is saying, agreeing on what you can and agreeing to disagree for now on the other issues, these differences can give rise to some of your most mentally stimulating conversations.
If you can’t disagree without it becoming contentious or offensive, you may want to see a good marriage counselor, trained in conflict management or couples communication. That too should give you some healthy social interaction!
An added Benefit of Social Interaction
Social contact can also help to effect the release of oxytocin, and important antioxidant that can help us to relax, focus and feel better. It may even help our immune system!
It's no wonder that studies have shown that hermits or others who live alone, are at much higher risk for “losing their marbles” sooner, i.e. cognitive decline.
But what if you are not married or live on your own? And don’t have many if any friends? What can you do to cultivate this valuable resource to facilitate your mental and physical health?
As my mother used to say: “To have a friend you need to be a friend.”
The advice in this situation then is to: Reach out to others. Join a club, go to church, go shopping, get involved in your church or community, take a class, attend events. And when you have an opportunity to talk with someone else, muster the courage and
DO SO, with this simple 4 step approach.
These two actions may require you to reach out of your comfort zone a bit, to befriend another person, but it can be well worth the effort. If you don’t know what to say, do as Dale Carnegie suggested and…
Then as they talk…
So for example, let’s say you have no friends, but heard of a meeting on brain health. So you go there, and sit down by someone who appears to be alone. Then you ask them a question like, how did you learn about this? Or have you ever heard this speaker before?
Or what is your interest in this topic? And they say, something like, “Well I find my memory is not what it used to be.” And you think. Ya me too. So you say, “Yes I know what you mean, I used to have a great memory as well, but now it seems to be slipping away from me.” And instantly you have created some rapport! Because now you have something in common! And voila you have the beginnings of a friendship.
Then as you are talking, if you mention something that they are interested in, that you have read about or seen on a Youtube video or the internet, you can offer to find and send them a picture of what you read, or a reference or a link, after you return home. Now you have a legitimate reason to ask for their number, and tap it into your key pad for a follow-up and future reference. Or if they mention something you would like to see or read, you can ask if they wouldn’t mind sending that to you. Then give them your number or ask for theirs, punch it in and call them just to make sure you got it right, and they have your number. If you don’t hear from them for a day or two, you can send them a quick text noting how you enjoyed talking with them and you were wondering if they were able to find that article, link or info they said they would try to send to you.
And if someone doesn’t respond as you’d like, no problem, just move on until you find someone more receptive.
Once you have a few friends, invite them to share info with you, and offer to share info they may be interested in with them. Particularly the information you have learned most recently from your reading, internet surfing, TV and other sources. (That’s why you need a physical or electronic note pad, to note these things down. So you can share them with others.) You likely already have stored in your brain some valuable information that could be very helpful to someone you know. Don’t be afraid to share.
Perhaps you can go back to school as noted above or join a “gaming” group, or some other group based on a hobby you enjoy. Volunteer at a local school to read to the children, or help out in the library. Or take the time to visit other shut-ins at an independent or assisted living facility. Let management know you would like to befriend someone there who doesn’t get out much, and ask if they have classes or events you can attend to meet others. Perhaps you could teach a class there, or share one of your hobbies. And once you meet someone, and get to know them a bit better, get their phone number and give them yours, then you can give them a call periodically to see how they are doing.
If you have a car invite your friends to accompany you to some event. To have a friend, be a friend, and nurture the friendships you have, with phone calls, text messages, and sharing information you learn via emails and other sources.
In fact, not to be self-serving, but it might be a good idea for you to share a link to this website with all your extended family and friends : ) Invite them to read through this, take the Personal Assessment, and get back with you on what they thought about the site, it’s insights or ideas noted here. Share your favorite parts. And then you can share links to other sites you find with related info.
And if you find some really outstanding articles or Youtube videos, or some new practical discovery related to brain health, you can send that to us at [email protected]. In the near future, once this site is up and running, we hope to be able to create our own online sharing group for people interested in brain health. In fact, if you or a family member has Alzheimer’s, there is already a group like that formed that you can apply to be a part of. Simply go to www.apoe4.info/
