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Cognitive decline can be slowed down with lifestyle changes

smithsonianmag.com

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Re: Cognitive decline can be slowed down with lifestyle changes

#21

Post by sunshowers »

MaxPock wrote: post #14

I had a successful exit two years ago ,thinking retirement would be bliss,traveling here, exploring hobbies there. But it all became routine and surprisingly boring, faster than I expected. Over time, I started forgetting things, which really unsettled me. I became increasingly lazy and unmotivated. Earlier this year,I began volunteering as a systems administrator and network engineer for an NGO and I couldn’t be hap…

Yeah it's real. I spent a few months recovering from PTSD and burnout a few years ago, and noticed myself starting to slip in various ways. As soon as I could, I picked up a coding project as part of my recovery plan — it was really helpful.

Even if I retire, I hope to be able to do some cognitively-challenging thing for as long as I can.

Re: Cognitive decline can be slowed down with lifestyle changes

#22

Post by mvieira38 »

doppelgunner wrote: post #6

Great, so my brain isn't a doomed potato after all. Just need to sleep, exercise, eat well, socialize, reduce stress, stop doomscrolling, learn a language, play chess, meditate, avoid sugar, limit screen time, and reverse the entropy of the universe. Easy.

If you stop using your phone for anything other than communicating (yes, not just the loose "stop doomscrolling" advice) a lot of these will come naturally. It will lead you to using a real alarm clock and not using your phone after going to bed, which will make your sleep schedule that much more consistent, and also improve quality of sleep. These will probably give you more motivation, which you'll need because the time you used to waste on the phone now needs to be occupied by a real hobby, and here comes language learning, chess, music, etc.

(not saying you specifically are a phone addict)

Re: Cognitive decline can be slowed down with lifestyle changes

#23

Post by cultofmetatron »

doppelgunner wrote: post #6

Great, so my brain isn't a doomed potato after all. Just need to sleep, exercise, eat well, socialize, reduce stress, stop doomscrolling, learn a language, play chess, meditate, avoid sugar, limit screen time, and reverse the entropy of the universe. Easy.

>Just need to sleep, exercise, eat well, socialize, reduce stress, stop doomscrolling, learn a language, play chess, meditate, avoid sugar, limit screen time

these are mainly issues in america, canada and parts of europe. I'm currnetly down in colombia. I walked 30 min just to get to a cafe. am activly learning spanish with locals which also checks of socializing. I drink black coffee and you won't have much time for screens if you meet someone to keep you focused on them.

> and reverse the entropy of the universe.

if only...

Re: Cognitive decline can be slowed down with lifestyle changes

#24

Post by deberon »

pkaler wrote: post #10
luckydata wrote: post #2

How many times do we need to hear "exercise and healthy eating" prolong life and improve cognitive function?

I'm actually working on an app for myself to remind me of that. For example, there is a full glass of water sitting on my desk from 9am. It's noon. I haven't taken a sip. Until now. Constant reminders do work.

Oh shit I missed my water break. Thanks for the reminder friend.

Re: Cognitive decline can be slowed down with lifestyle changes

#25

Post by SketchySeaBeast »

mvieira38 wrote: post #22
doppelgunner wrote: post #6

Great, so my brain isn't a doomed potato after all. Just need to sleep, exercise, eat well, socialize, reduce stress, stop doomscrolling, learn a language, play chess, meditate, avoid sugar, limit screen time, and reverse the entropy of the universe. Easy.

If you stop using your phone for anything other than communicating (yes, not just the loose "stop doomscrolling" advice) a lot of these will come naturally. It will lead you to using a real alarm clock and not using your phone after going to bed, which will make your sleep schedule that much more consistent, and also improve quality of sleep. These will probably give you more motivation, which you'll need because the…

> These will probably give you more motivation, which you'll need because the time you used to waste on the phone now needs to be occupied by a real hobby, and here comes language learning, chess, music, etc.

Man, that "probably" is doing a ton of heavy lifting.

Re: Cognitive decline can be slowed down with lifestyle changes

#26

Post by bloodyplonker22 »

MaxPock wrote: post #14

I had a successful exit two years ago ,thinking retirement would be bliss,traveling here, exploring hobbies there. But it all became routine and surprisingly boring, faster than I expected. Over time, I started forgetting things, which really unsettled me. I became increasingly lazy and unmotivated. Earlier this year,I began volunteering as a systems administrator and network engineer for an NGO and I couldn’t be hap…

I don't mean to be negative, but things become boring fast when you have no hobbies and interests outside of work. You were likely programmed to do work -- so much that it became your only hobby.

Re: Cognitive decline can be slowed down with lifestyle changes

#27

Post by jobs_throwaway »

mvieira38 wrote: post #22
doppelgunner wrote: post #6

Great, so my brain isn't a doomed potato after all. Just need to sleep, exercise, eat well, socialize, reduce stress, stop doomscrolling, learn a language, play chess, meditate, avoid sugar, limit screen time, and reverse the entropy of the universe. Easy.

If you stop using your phone for anything other than communicating (yes, not just the loose "stop doomscrolling" advice) a lot of these will come naturally. It will lead you to using a real alarm clock and not using your phone after going to bed, which will make your sleep schedule that much more consistent, and also improve quality of sleep. These will probably give you more motivation, which you'll need because the…

But how to do that?

Re: Cognitive decline can be slowed down with lifestyle changes

#28

Post by moravak1984 »

nemomarx wrote: post #13
doppelgunner wrote: post #6

Great, so my brain isn't a doomed potato after all. Just need to sleep, exercise, eat well, socialize, reduce stress, stop doomscrolling, learn a language, play chess, meditate, avoid sugar, limit screen time, and reverse the entropy of the universe. Easy.

pick one intervention and work on just that one to start. less anxious decision paralysis I say sleep is the best one to open with

Yep. Good sleep makes many other decisions easy. Anecdata, but while I normally have a healthy Mediterranean diet (after many years of binge eating), if I don't sleep properly, hell unleashes.

If I eat well and I am well rested, I feel energized and positive, so I can go for exercise and then, why not, a meditative walk. If not, I die on my couch binge eating and watching nonsense.

Do whatever it takes to get your sleep done.

Re: Cognitive decline can be slowed down with lifestyle changes

#29

Post by apsurd »

doppelgunner wrote: post #6

Great, so my brain isn't a doomed potato after all. Just need to sleep, exercise, eat well, socialize, reduce stress, stop doomscrolling, learn a language, play chess, meditate, avoid sugar, limit screen time, and reverse the entropy of the universe. Easy.

The point of life is to struggle. I don't even mean that to be deep. And I don't wish misery on anyone.

I'm saying entropy is a mess. That's what it is.

Re: Cognitive decline can be slowed down with lifestyle changes

#30

Post by ipsum2 »

mvieira38 wrote: post #22
doppelgunner wrote: post #6

Great, so my brain isn't a doomed potato after all. Just need to sleep, exercise, eat well, socialize, reduce stress, stop doomscrolling, learn a language, play chess, meditate, avoid sugar, limit screen time, and reverse the entropy of the universe. Easy.

If you stop using your phone for anything other than communicating (yes, not just the loose "stop doomscrolling" advice) a lot of these will come naturally. It will lead you to using a real alarm clock and not using your phone after going to bed, which will make your sleep schedule that much more consistent, and also improve quality of sleep. These will probably give you more motivation, which you'll need because the…

Are you commenting this using a phone?
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