BRAIN FART

It'll Be Ok.

People do stupid stuff sometimes.

  I notice it depends on your age how we look at it.  When you’re young, folks chalk it up to “being young and dumb,” but when you’re Middle Age “You should know better.”  And then when you’re my age, people  just announce, “They’re having a Senior Moment.” 

Although there can be some underlying causes like anxiety, dehydration and mild cognitive impairment,  it is actually common for people to lose focus -- at any age.   Some studies indicate that our brains conserve energy when we’re doing something repetitive. And, these little breaks can happen right before the memory lapse.  And,  according to scientists at Harvard Medical School executive function peaks along with other brain functions in your early 20s and then gradually diminishes over time.  

It’s great to know that “declining focus” is normal, but Senior Moments can still be quite embarrassing.  One time…

During  the summer we invited some of our friends and neighbors to use our swimming pool whenever they wanted. Sometimes we were  there; sometimes we  weren’t. There was one  beautiful day recently that I decided  to skip a  pool day to get a lot of errands done. I grabbed my purse, my grocery list, a package to mail and clothes to drop off at Goodwill.  But when I looked out in the driveway, I saw someone had parked right behind my side of the garage.   Honestly, I was  a little put off.  I went out to the pool area to ask them to move their car, but no one was there.   So I ran inside to the front door to see if another salesman  was trying to convince  me to buy new windows and aluminum siding again.  No one was there either???

I couldn’t figure it out.  So I went out to the driveway to look at the car more closely.  Gradually,  I noticed the license plate.  OMG it was MY car.  I guess I never saw my car  from the front before.  Well, at least that’s MY story & I’m sticking to it.  Ha!

Dr. Joel Salinas, a neurologist from Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital, suggests a few strategies to improve concentration for any age:

1.     Practice meditation

2.     Turn off notifications

3.     Learn a new skill

4.     Reduce sugar & caffeine

Obviously, I need to sit & listen more,  get away from my computer & phone, learn some new dance moves and quit drinking so much Pepsi.   Well, we’ll see… 

                                                                 ~

“Almost all my middle-aged and elderly acquaintances, including me, feel about 25 — unless we haven’t had our coffee, in which case we feel 107.”  ~  Martha Beck

HAVE YOU EVER DONE SOMETHING “STUPID”?