Two Things Your Brain Would Like You to Know

Geezer has long been a believer in the power of the unconscious mind. In fact, he will argue that many of his finest decisions were made after "sleeping on" on the dilemma at hand. At this point, sadly, Geezer’s loved ones are apt to point out that those decisions must be compared to decisions made when Geezer was fully alert, and yes, it may be true that the bar has not been set impossibly high.
Whatev. This piece in the New York Times reports on research conducted at the University of Amsterdam, which suggests that sleeping on difficult decisions allows people to take the wealth of under-the-radar information,combine it with deliberately studied facts and impressions and then make astute judgments that they would not otherwise form. Researchers found that people who spent more time thinking about decisions to buying cars, apartments and computers were more satisfied with their purchases.
The other, and OK,  perhaps unrelated, thing your brain would like you to know is that a review of much scientific data found that physical activity and reducing your risk of heart disease — by cutting cholesterol and blood pressure levels, for example, or losing weight — are among the best ways to maintain a healthy brain. The study, reported in the Washington Post and funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), found that increased mental activity throughout life appears to preserve brainpower. The Post reports that one recent study that followed more than 1,700 seniors for six years found those who exercised the most — at least three times a week– were least likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease. Read more about exercise and your brain in the Washington Post, and about the power of sleeping on decisions in the New York Times.