Matters of the Mind

It's rare that a week goes by without hearing about a new study that claims [something] prevents against aging and/or dementia.

At this point, I think we all can agree that certain habits have undeniably positive correlations with longevity and mental health.

Sleep is one of them.
It looks like coffee* is close to earning universal approval.   
Next on the list are brain exercises, which are encouraged to keep your mind young.

My grandmother was big on Sudoku, and – bless her – once called Will Shortz, Puzzle Creator, to ask him personally for advice on how to solve the toughest puzzles.

The other day, however, I saw a middle-aged woman sitting in Grand Central Station doing a word search titled "Keep Your Brain from Going Soft!" While I appreciated the fact that she was doing something on a piece of paper (unlike the 250 people around me all on their cell phones), it got me thinking that a word search might not be the most stimulating activity. It requires no mental math or critical analysis. There is no memory recall needed (there's a word bank at the bottom!), so I really don't think it gives the brain any sort of a workout. Her time would probably be better spent reading a book or doing a crossword puzzle that would require her to think more than her current activity.

But, hey, you never know. Research is always changing, and maybe a study will come out soon declaring that word searches are the best way to keep your wits about you, thus proving me wrong. Who am I to say? I'm not a neurologist...yet ;)

*I print out all of the ones related to coffee to use in my arsenal in case I am accused of being far too addicted to it.