Page 85 - Mind Games The Aging Brain and How to Keep it Healthy

Teach Your Brain Agility • 69

order to operate more efficiently. Even if something you
want to do seems silly to others, do it. Wouldn’t you rather
learn what you need to know?

EMOTIONAL EFFECTS

Mental abilities decrease more in people who experience
negative emotions, such as depression, anxiety, bitterness,
and anger, than in those who are happy or content with their
lives. Robert Sapolsky, author of Stress, the Aging Brain and
the Mechanisms of Neuron Death, theorizes that stress-related
release of adrenal hormone bathes the neurons and eventu-
ally can damage the brain. 6
Some of emotion’s effects on the brain are merely dis-
tracting. Here are a few examples of those effects:
• Depression affects your motivation to remember, your
ability to concentrate, and your perception of circum-
stances. It also can cause overreaction to slight lapses in
memory.
• Moving to a new home can cause feelings of loneliness,
grief, and an inability to concentrate.
• Retirement sometimes creates feelings of a lack of pur-
pose, sadness, and a sense of loss.
• Often as we age, anxiety, loneliness, depression, and
feelings of a lack of purpose increase.

These negative emotions cause us to disengage from life.
Older adults should indeed become more concerned with
the quality of life in their golden years. But they should not
remove themselves from activities. Better that they recenter
on what is important. Once we begin to withdraw from con-
tact with others (perhaps because of ill health, a change in fi-
nances, moving to another location, or loss of a spouse), it is
difficult to force ourselves to resume social interactions. Peo-
ple who regularly and actively engage in social interactions
have better overall health and well-being than those who do
not. And inactivity combined with little or no social contact