Posted on 06/28/2025 9:01:04 PM PDT by ConservativeMind
A straightforward nightly activity may act as a memory-boosting tool, a new study has revealed.
Writing down just five events from the day significantly improved memory performance in individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and healthy older adults the following day.
This intervention, which involves recalling and documenting daily experiences, offers a cost-free and easily implementable approach to enhancing memory function.
The RESTED-AD Study (Remote Evaluation of Sleep To Enhance Understanding in Early Dementia) investigated the effects of autobiographical recall on memory performance utilizing 26 participants in two groups—with and without early-stage Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia or mild cognitive impairment.
They engaged in a word recognition task on two separate occasions. In one instance, participants were asked to write down five autobiographical events before bedtime. The following morning, when asked to recognize the previously shown words, the results indicated improved memory performance in both groups when the bedtime recall exercise was included.
Dr. Jonathan Blackman explained: "On the nights when participants wrote down events from the day, both the people with AD and healthy older adults did better in the memory task with the AD group benefiting even more.
"We do not believe that this has been demonstrated before in human studies and it holds promise as a drug-free intervention to enhance memory performance in healthy older adults and those with Mild Cognitive Impairment or dementia due to Alzheimer's disease."
While the study did not find a direct link between the bedtime recall exercise and sleep-related brain activity, there are other possible explanations. For example, the recall exercise may have stimulated areas of the brain involved in memory just before bedtime leading to improved memory performance in other tasks.
This approach stands out due to its simplicity and accessibility.
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
I use it. Got 2 other books I’m working on at same time with that app. I like how it formats automatically. And the search and replace feature really helps a lot. Neat program.
The only thing though it goes offline kinda frequently although it is usually fairly brief. I wish it could be used offline too. And had more export Choices for formats. But it’s still a great app.
Do you write your book in Reedsy? I didn’t know that was possible. I only use it for finding editors, cover designers, etc. I write my book in Word.
I’m not associated with this but check out Fred Flix on youtube. He takes a month and year and plays the hit songs along with the headlines, movies and sports. That channel brings smiles and remember whens in the comments.
Where do you draw the line on too big or too small?
* * *
Dunno. But here’s some ideas I have for myself:
1. Something the Trump Team accomplished for America today.
2. Something I can appreciate my wife for today.
3. Something I personally accomplished today.
4. Something I read today that I like.
5. Something I wrote today.
6. Something I did for my health today.
7. Something stupid I did today.
Bkmk
Is it possible he suffered a small stroke and has anomic aphasia? Perhaps a MRI might be in order, to check it out.
An elderly couple had dinner at another couple’s house, and after eating, the wives left the table and went into the kitchen.
The two gentlemen were talking, and one said, ‘Last night we went out to a new restaurant and it was really great. . . I would recommend it very highly.’
The other man said, ‘What is the name of the restaurant?’ The first man thought and thought and finally said, ‘What is the name of that flower you give to someone you love? You know... The one that’s red and has thorns.’ ‘Do you mean a rose?’ ‘Yes, that’s the one,’ replied the man.
He then turned towards the kitchen and yelled, ‘Rose, what’s the name of that restaurant we went to last night?’
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Review
“I have also read that playing music from their youth helps ease thr anxiety of ad patients”
I believe it was a relative who told me this (not sure; it’s been a while). When a parent had dementia, maybe Alzheimer’s, singing or playing hymns from his youth calmed the person. He would sing along perfectly, recalling every word.
OK, but...I’m retired. I’ll have to actually DO 5 things 😏
“I keep an Algebra book in the car, so I can study while getting the oil changed.”
Hubby is a Physicist and buys 3” thick books of Calculus problems to do for fun (!?), to make him think.
That’s a great list!
There can’t possibly be anything in #7, right?
Yeah I had heard that happens- they act almost normal and it calms down their angst to.o
Thanks I’ll check that out. Sounds fun.
Sounds strangely like the secular version of an examination of conscience.
Sorry for the delay. Yes I do- do all my editing there too except for things like finding and eliminating adverbs and adjectives- for that I use autocrit free version. I tried the paid of autocrit, but it didn’t offer anything more that I couldn’t do already. I also use gramerly too. But the majority I do in reedsy. I basically just search out the “to be” verbs and eliminate them using the find function. Lately though I have been using Quarkly.ai to edit. It has a gesture that shows where the writing is weak, and suggests how to fix it. Plus it does basic grammar edits. I just copy and paste the text from there into reedsy when done.
Lol-
A wo,an wakes up at 2 am, wakes her hubby and says “I’m hungry for a cheeseburger”
Man says “hmm, me too. I’ll run down to the store and get us a few”
He comes back and hands her a vanilla ice cream cone
She says “Harold, I said pistachio, not vanilla”
What if you can’t remember what you did today?
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