It’s a given:

We tend to process information slower as we age. No surprise that we can’t remember a name, where our keys are, or our anniversary date. Everything from excess stress to diabetes, affects the blood vessels that feed our brain.

Don’t call it a disease:

It’s too simple and too easy to ignore the symptoms. Terms such as Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia have many running scared. Reality is, we are so often consumed with excess pressure and distraction, we label rather than resolve.

Realization:

Recognize that distractions, excess pressure and over-thinking overwhelm us with excess information.

First Steps:

• Learn to free up the “bytes” that you store in your brain for useful information. Filter out the distractions, over-thinking and ruminating.
• Focus on your task at hand, with 100% input…then address your next task.
• Give yourself a mental vacation: schedule breaks throughout your day to slow the overload. A little Mozart goes a long way!
• Your blood and brain need glucose to function, especially under stress. Bring a healthy snack and consume at 10am and 2pm, so that you are providing your brain and body with nutrient dense energy every 2-3 hours, to help overcome fatigue.
• Heavy meals require huge resources of energy for digestion. Portion control at those business lunches!

N.B.  A person may sustain or even improve information processing speed by paying close attention to vascular risk factors, engaging in regular aerobic exercise, eating well and continuing to challenge oneself intellectually. Keep focused, keep result-oriented and keep that brain of yours healthy and firing.                                                                                   –  Geoffrey A. Kerchner, assistant professor of neurology and neurological sciences at the Stanford University School of Medicine

Lead an extraordinary life,

Paul