Tag: Short Term Memory

By Experiencing New Things in your Life your Brain will

By Experiencing New Things in your Life your Brain will be Healthier

Most people feel very comfortable with their daily routine. They know what will be taking place for the most part because it is so similar day after day. While it can feel comfortable to live like that your brain may be on auto pilot for much of it. If you want your brain to be healthier then you need to start experiencing new things. It can be as simple as taking a different route to get to work in the morning than you have for the past 7 years.

If you always read romance novels, pick up a good mystery and see how well you like it. You just might find that you have found a passion for something like this that you didnt even know existed before. Turn your favorite radio station to a channel that plays another type of music for a week. In that span of time you may have a new found appreciation for it. You may have learned the lyrics to some top hits as well that are in heavy rotation on that radio station channel.

A chemical called dopamine is produced in the brain. This is a natural substance that helps with moods. The more dopamine you produce the happier you will be. Research has shown that when the brain is exposed to new images and new experiences that it will begin to make more dopamine. As a result the ability to retain information about such events both in the short term memory and the long term memory are improved upon.

You can offer yourself some new challenges as well. For example instead of renting the newest movie on the top ten list rent a documentary on a subject you arent familiar with. There will likely be a great deal of learning by the time you are done viewing it. You may have some questions as well that trigger your desire to find out more information about the subject.

New social experiences are a good idea too if you want a healthier brain. For example if you usually go to casual restaurants get dressed up and go out to one that is fancy. If you usually drive in the city take a cab or ride the bus. Allow your mind and your eyes to take in everything around you including the people and the scenery. Since you wont have to keep your eyes on the road the brain is going to be more receptive to things you likely overlooked on that same commute before.

As we experience new things our brain is learning and it is processing. This awakens a part of it that may have been dormant for a long time based on your same old routine. You will also find that you look forward to each new day when you have some adventure to look towards. You can experience new things on a small scale at first to get yourself comfortable with it. Then you can move on to larger ones like traveling to a foreign country or learning a new language.

The fact that your brain can continue to change and to build new neurological paths is very interesting. Dont waste the ability you have though to allow it to experience more than it has. Life is really too short to spend it doing the same things day after day. You will find you are happier overall when you add some adventures to your life.

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A Quick Look At Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a debilitating disorder that is characterized by a condition of extreme exhaustion and fatigue that lasts for extended periods of time usually six months or more. Doctors have yet to uncover what exactly causes this disorder but it is widely believed that a number of factors trigger its onset. These factors include stress, viral infections, hormone levels and lack of adequate sleep.

Poor diet and lack of exercise are also considered as factors that strongly contribute to the development of chronic fatigue syndrome. Because there is no known exact cause of CFS, doctors find it difficult to diagnose if a patient is indeed suffering from CFS or if the symptoms are actually of another ailment.

The NIAMS (National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases) says that in order for a patient to be diagnosed with CFS, he must be suffering from severe chronic fatigue for six months or beyond and at the same time, should have four or more of the following symptoms: impaired short term memory, prolonged feeling of extreme exhaustion, muscle pains, swelling and tenderness of multiple joints and the lymph nodes, recurring sore throat, severe headache and un-refreshing sleep.

Since the exact cause of chronic fatigue syndrome is yet to be determined, there is no known cure for it at present. Treatments for CFS are meant to relieve the symptoms and improve the patient’s bodily functions. Doctors recommend a combination of medications and non-drug therapies. Dietary restrictions and nutritional supplements are also used to help suppress the symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome. In addition to therapy, lifestyle changes are also highly recommended.

Although it might seem contradictory, regular exercise is also a good way to help treat chronic fatigue syndrome. However, doctors should carefully supervise any physical activity that the patient does to avoid aggravating the symptoms. Mild exercise for 10-15 minutes followed by 30 minutes of rigorous physical activities such as tennis, swimming, brisk walking and others. Such activities help make the heart stronger and healthier to promote better circulation.

Aside from these, individuals afflicted with chronic fatigue syndrome can also do stretching and other relaxation exercises to help manage stress. A doctor should approve any exercise routine to avoid injury or worsening of the CFS symptoms.

Many doctors also recommend herbal remedies because they are natural and effective. There are a number of herbal medicines that CFS victims can take. Echinacea root is known for its ability to boost the immune system. Since viral infection is one of the factors that trigger chronic fatigue syndrome, using Echinacea strengthens the immune system to fight of viruses and eliminate their harmful effects.

Ginseng root, long used in the orient as a herb to restore vitality and energy, can be taken in capsule or tablet form to help keep the body active and strong. Licorice is primarily known for its ability to purge toxins from the body and can help keep the immune system resistant to attacks by viruses.

Aside from herbal medications, just living a healthy life and having a balanced, healthy diet can help the individual overcome the symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome. Fruits and vegetables provide the body with the important vitamins and minerals to keep the immune system strong.

An Overview Of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome or CFS is the name given to a debilitating disorder characterized by conditions of extreme and lasting fatigue. Chronic fatigue syndrome is also commonly referred to as myalgic encephalomyelitis or ME. The name chronic fatigue can be somewhat confusing since chronic or persistent fatigue is also a symptom of several conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. Fatigue is the feeling of exhaustion that results from exertion, lack of sleep and illnesses. However, ordinary fatigue is not extreme or persistent, and the patient generally gets better after getting some rest.

What is Chronic Fatigue?

Chronic fatigue happens when this sensation of extreme exhaustion and lack of energy persists for over six months. The exact cause of chronic fatigue is not known but it is believed that several factors play a role in its symptoms, such as stress, hormone levels and infection. Lack of sleep, insomnia and other sleep disturbances can also result to chronic fatigue. Other factors that contribute to the development of chronic fatigue are poor diet, lack of exercise and certain medications.

What is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases or NIAMS for a patient to be diagnosed as suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome, he must be having severe chronic fatigue for six months or longer. At the same time, the patient should also have four or more of the following symptoms:

Impaired short-term memory and concentration

Prolonged general malaise after physical exertion of any kind

Muscle pain

Pain, swelling and redness in multiple joints

Severe headache

Tender lymph nodes

Recurring sore throat

Un-refreshing sleep

Diagnosing Chronic Fatigue

Diagnosing chronic fatigue syndrome can be quite tricky since there are no physical signs that identify it. There are also no diagnostic laboratory tests that confirm chronic fatigue syndrome. A diagnosis of CFS is given if the symptoms recur for six consecutive months or more and there are no apparent explanations for the fatigue such as disease. However, it should be noted that there are other conditions that overlap and sometimes coexist with CFS and have similar symptoms.

A study of patients suffering from CFS revealed that only 38% of the patients were diagnosed solely with the syndrome. The rest had a diagnosis of a number of diseases such as fibromyalgia and multiple chemical sensitivity or both. Doctors are still unsure whether these conditions are direct causes or have common causes with CFS; or whether that have no relationship whatsoever with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Treatment and Medication

There is still no known cure for CFS so treatments are aimed at relieving the symptoms and improving the body’s functions. To achieve this, doctors usually recommend a combination of medications and non-drug therapies. Lifestyle changes, dietary restrictions, nutritional supplements are also recommended as an addition to drug therapy. Patients who suffer from CFS are also urged to have regular exercise to help reduce the symptoms of chronic fatigue.
However, the doctor should carefully supervise physical activity as this can exacerbate the symptoms of chronic fatigue.

It is important that the patient discuss his/her symptoms with the doctor. It is also important that doctors know what other medications the patient is taking since some medications can exaggerate the symptoms of CFS. Recovery rates from chronic fatigue syndrome are varied.

In a 2005 review of published studies on CFS, it was revealed that improvement rates varied from 8% to 63% with 40% of the patients improving during follow-up.

How Does It Feel Like To Have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

How Does It Feel Like To Have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome has varying levels of severity. Some people only experience lack of peaceful sleep, intermittent headaches and overwhelming exhaustion while other people experience anywhere from 4 to 30 full-blown symptoms which occur simultaneously. While there are a lot of symptoms oftentimes associated with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, there are a few that are commonly reported by patients. Among them are the following:

Overwhelming fatigue People with this syndrome wake up like they just got hit by a truck and feel worn out all day. There are, however, periods which run from a few hours to several hours a day when they feel a bit better. What most of them try to do during these periods is to make up from the lost time they stayed rested in the bed. This backfires on them and they rebound to being exhausted. Whenever they try to do physical activities or exercises, they would get drained easily and would feel worse the next day.

Recurrent infections Among the major symptoms of CFS is infection which may manifest as sore throat, recurrent sinusitis, bladder infection, swollen glands and other respiratory infections. Some patients experience recurrent rash that may or may not go away with antibiotics. Digestive complaints such as bloating, diarrhea, constipation, cramps and gas are also very common which are caused basically by the build-up of yeast in the bowel, or by parasitic infection or by spastic colon.

Brain Fog While overwhelming fatigue is one of the most debilitating symptoms a patient of CFS can experience, the scariest, however, is brain fog. Not a few patients complain of this symptom which may affect their short term memory, their concentration, and their ability to substitute words with another. Some of them also experience brief disorientation which may last anywhere from half a minute to one minute.

Frequent Aches and Pains Muscle pain and multiple joint pains are very common among CFS patients. These are said to be products of lack of sufficient rest or disordered sleep, yeast infections, impaired thyroid glands and lack of nutrition in the body.

Increased thirst Patients of CFS drink two to three times more water than average individuals. This is caused by hormonal problems which lead to increased urine output.

Allergies Because of yeast overgrowth and other conditions occurring in the body of a fatigue patients, allergies and food sensitivities are very common. By removing the causes, of course, the allergies can be removed. However, these patients have histories of poor response towards allergy medications.

Weight gain With or without change in diet, fatigue patients experience 20 to 50 pounds weight gain. Apart from lack of activities, the packing up of pounds is also contributed by hormonal changes.

Depression and anxiety The development of these psychological problems push healthcare providers back to the classic chicken and egg question: does fatigue cause anxiety and depression or is it a product of these psychological conditions? As of yet, no one is certain. It is proposed, however, that some factors are instrumental in aggravating these conditions including poor nutrition and general sense of illness.

Reduced libido Because of hormonal deficiencies, pain and the general feeling of being sick, people affected by CFS have decreased libido. Fortunately, this improves through medication and therapy.

You probably have recognized yourself from reading the above list. If you think you are suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, it would be in your best interest to consult a healthcare provider who is knowledgeable in this disorder.