Talking to friends makes you smarter!

Talking to friends makes you smarter!

Or how socialization improves brain function

If you are the type of person whose activity schedule is constantly full (for example, walks with friends on Wednesday, online course on Tuesday, dinner with family on Sunday), you do not like to be alone and only one night in front of the TV without company brings you to absolute depression, then, go ahead! Obviously, your brain needs to be constantly engaged, and that is not a bad thing at all.

Research conducted in various groups of society in the UK shows that socialization provides our brain with the same “training” and health benefits as exercise for the body. Interestingly, a study by the American Journal of Public Health, conducted among 2,249 women, found that older women who have a large social circle dramatically reduced the risk of dementia and prevented cognitive impairment. The magic lies in the human relationship, whether live or online. The conversations and relationships we have are the key to stimulating and activating our brains. Simple conversation with a friend or sharing a cup of tea and sweet talk with someone creates a sense of cohesion that is recognized by the brain.

For many people, conversations or educational activities are extremely valuable and necessary because they help them see from another perspective, while igniting their whole being and activating the brain to think, to “peek” from all sides of the topic and to be a participant in the discussion. All of this actually means that we activate the cognitive part of the brain, and like any other muscle in the body, the more we train it, the better it will serve us.

Maybe you are an introvert, or you probably know someone who is one. You are not excited by the idea of being surrounded by people, you don’t talk on the phone, you prefer to stay home rather than walk outside, then you need more exercise to train your brain. In order not to allow its function to fade and perform its role for as long as possible, we will give you some tips on how to gradually get out of your comfort zone and improve your health, memory and will on your own.

Call a person on the phone

Believe us, for some of our readers, the title is fun – “One person? I promised three friends to call them today”, and this is probably an appointment from yesterday, when they had a phone call again.

Everyone who has even been labeled a “talkative” person – keep talking, this is a great natural remedy for your brain. However, for others, for whom conversations are certainly not a pleasure and rather happen by force, set a goal.

Start small. Try calling one person a week, then gradually increase the frequency of those calls or add another person to your schedule so that you have two calls a week. Do this until you reach a stage where you have one conversation each day. Remember that you don’t have to spend hours on the phone, just ask “How are you?”, “How was your day?”, share about your day, even complain about something. It seems difficult to you but try it and you will see for yourself that after a month of training, your brain will start to want it.

Read a book

We have already told you that puzzles, and crossword puzzles are excellent exercise for your brain. However, they are not fascinating for all people, so they cannot be a universal solution. A good old book is also a great way to keep your mind and brain active. Reading stimulates the brain to remember, recall memories, associations and visualize. There is no doubt that it is a lot of relaxing fun.

Take a walk

Set a specific time of day in which you will walk. A daily walk will strengthen and improve your memory. As you walk, think about inhaling and exhaling, assimilate what surrounds you, and change your route from time to time – this puts your brain to a new test. Studies conducted at a clinic in Mayo show that the exercise we do with our brain help reduce the memory loss that we suffer from, especially after 60.

Remember that fresh air, a healthy approach to nutrition, combined with the right supplements and vitamins (B6, folic acid, ginkgo biloba) can also benefit brain health.

In our country, the socialization of the elderly and the need for it still remains in the background. However, Blocks Adult Care and Blocks Memory Care are taking the first steps and attempts to implement proven practices around the world. Residents in the Blocks houses have their time for socialization and various games, entertainment and conversations are organized according to their interests and needs in order to improve brain function. The walks we mentioned above are a must on campus that is located at the foot of Vitosha Mountain for anyone who is able to participate in it physically.

Denise Park, a psychologist and director of the Productive Aging Laboratory at the University of Texas, Dallas said: “I think the worst thing we’ll ever know is standing alone in an empty room and watching TV”. That is why, together with him team, he started a study within 4 years, including 400 people over 60 years of age.

Park hypothesized that social interaction, like mental exercise and learning can limit the time an aging brain spends in. state of memories, past moments or dreams. The theory is that older people have greater difficulty switching between this “time-bound” state and focused attention to important details. Therefore, the longer the aging brain is mentally stimulated and socially engaged, the less “switching” is needed and the easier it is to perform the daily tasks necessary for an independent, fulfilling life.