Brain Game/Human Connection

This month I would like to share two separate articles I came across, both focused on brain health, albeit different aspects of it. 

First, the Covid-19 pandemic provided an opportunity to study the impact of socialization on our brains. Humans are, by nature, a social species. According to a meta-analytic review presented in Nature magazine, “In humans, the single best predictor of physical health and well-being, as well as future longevity, is the number and quality of close friendships, with the more conventional suspects (such as diet, obesity, alcohol consumption and air quality) ranking a distant second.”

During the peak of the pandemic, 3.6 billion people were home due to government-imposed quarantines. Research into this showed a wide variety of results, revealing that isolation impacts everything from mood, longevity, cognitive clarity, and cardiovascular health. Read on here to learn more about this fascinating study about the impact of human connection on both our psychological and physical health. 

Second, a recent article published in Prevention studied how memory, one of the key tenets of executive functioning (referred to as working memory), can falter at both younger and older ages. The good news is that there are many things you can do to take control and improve your memory. Things like consistent exercise, learning new skills and new information, mindfulness practices, and high quality and consistent sleep, socialization, and puzzles can all help. Check out the article for more specifics! 

The bottom line this holiday season is to try to connect with family and friends, keep your body moving, try to catch some Zs, and practice mindfulness to keep your brain, mood, and physical health in optimal condition. Please reach out to work on customizing these approaches to live your healthiest, best life.