Staying mentally engaged as we age is as important as physical movement and, as we know, is related with exercise helping brain health. A few months ago, I attended a lecture given by Dr. Rob Winningham, Dept Chair of Psychology at Western Oregon University and head of the Gerontology program there. Dr. Winningham has studied the kinds of activities that keep our minds sharp.
Basically, he says, we need to practice skills that address the limitations that seem to come with age: ability to pay attention, concentrate and form new memories. These are the brain enhancing activities that will carry over into daily life. Activities that require us to use working memory, not just what’s stored in longer-term memory (like crossword puzzles do), fit that category. Working memory is involved when we need to complete multiple steps in processing information and refer back to information we’ve developed or used before and stored in short-term memory (as in Sudoku).
It seems to me that Awareness Through Movement® classes fit the bill. Students pay attention and apply verbal instructions about movements, often patterns that are unfamiliar or unusual, and that may involve many parts of the body. At the same time, we notice sensation, effort and sense of ease. We also compare later movements with the initial “test” or beginning movement. Students in my classes know that I encourage them to recall and play with aspects of that week’s lesson. I often suggest ways the lesson applies to daily life to further confirm the learning. So maybe, in addition to the physical benefits, Feldenkrais® lessons may also be cognitively enhancing. Perhaps this is another aspect of neuroplasticity, the newer understanding of how the brain works to improve function in a variety of areas.
But back to Dr. Winningham: his website includes some interesting posts with links to apps for cognitive enhancement and his post about crosswords and Sudoku provides links to thousands of Sudoku puzzles. He and his students have developed smaller Sudoku puzzles for those new to this game. Check out Dr. Winningham's website.