14 February, 2020
Mental Exercise
Compare with physical exercise, not many people care about their mental exercise. You need physical exercise at the same time you need mental exercise. Many people care more about physical exercise but when we do physical exercise our heart will beat as fast as activating your brain as well. Many active elderly people are not only physical active but mentally they are also well alert. Just as you can train your muscles until you die, you can also train your brain until you die. To maintain our muscularity we have to continue to do exercise and how about our brain? Many people may say ‘I work very hard every day’ or ‘I am using my brain everyday’. Then, Can you remember the phone numbers of your 10 most closely related friends? Can you write a letter without check the spelling? Nowadays we all rely on 3c products (smartphone, computer and tablet), we can easily no longer remember what we need to remember. I am not saying that we do not use 3c products but I want to say is: please do not rely on them too much. So easy to search for things without hard work and very convenient. Easy come and easy go.
What is mental exercise?
Mental exercise takes place whenever one is awake, ranging from merely day dreaming to reading a book or learning a new language. Mental exercise or brain training refers to the structured use of cognitive exercises or techniques. Its aim is to improve specific brain functions. To be honest I cannot fully understand the above as well. My understanding is to train or stimulate our brain, learn or start something new and do not let your brain idle. It is not so difficult, similarly with physical exercise. How do you want to train your brain? Your memory? Brain rotation? Concentration? etc. At the same time our brain needs to be protected. Not only trauma protection, we also need to protect our brain from electromagnetic waves. We also need relaxation and enough sleep to nurture our brain.
How to train our brains?
Games, puzzles, painting, gambling, language, cooking, calculation, spelling, music, quiz, reading, singing… There are so many activities to help training your brain. But it must be active rather than passive. The brain is activated by interest, new experiences, stimulation, and training.
脳力トレーニング（略：脳トレ）
脳機能や、記憶力、創造性、学習能力など、各種の知的能力を向上させるための トレーニング法である。脳の老化を抑えるとも言われている
Brain Training
It is a training method to improve various intellectual abilities such as brain function, memory ability, creativity, and learning ability. It is also said to reduce brain aging.
I am accustomed to be right handed but I start to use my left hand to brush my teeth and consciously use my left foot to take the first step. It was uncomfortable when you start to do something new but day by day you will get used to it. Same like physical exercise, please keep it and continue.
Practice is Process Practice is Perfect Let your brain grow
Your brain has plenty of space for you to grow.
These two chapters are a proposal for you to maintain your physical exercise and your mental exercise. We all need to upgrade ourselves every day, but if we do nothing then we will be left behind.
The following are trainings recommended in Japan for dementia:
• Sleep more than 8 hours per day; • Learn new things to improve your memory; • Do different things to increase brain cell connections; • Maintain a good condition of the intestinal environment called the second brain; • Improve memory with stretching and cardio; • Enhance concentration with games and puzzles; • Great growth of the brain by walking; • Be careful not to overeat to protect your brain; • Drink more water; • Take a rest consciously; • Keep away from stressed opponents; • Breathe fresh air;
Enjoy your every single day! Keep smiling!
No one will protect you !!! Protect your body yourself !!! 自分の体は自分で守りましょう！ Let’s extend our healthy life and enjoy our fabulous life as much as possible!
より良い生活をあなたに
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mamie H. Ogata Principal of OEUF Limited Born in Hong Kong and educated in Tokyo. Returned to Hong Kong after eight years in Shanghai. Family’s background in medical, change her profession into Elderly Care after 20 years spent in architecture. An entrepreneur who introduces Japanese Elderly Care to Hong Kong from a different perspective. With partnerships in Japan and Taiwan.