Lona anggraini
2312.098
Stressed, frazzled, and can't remember
where you put your keys? You may need to laugh more. That's the conclusion, at
least, of new
research out of Loma Linda University in
California, where scientists found laughter helps lower levels of the stress
hormone cortisol to improve memory and learning.
To
get these results, researchers showed one group of adults in their 60s and 70s
a 20-minute comedy; the other group saw a humorless TV spot. Afterward, the
scientists discovered that those who watched the comedy had significantly lower
levels of cortisol and, in turn, improved delayed recall by as much as 43
percent.
"Excess cortisol can damage the hippocampus –
the part of the brain that consolidates short term memory – and can
eventually impair learning and memory," says study author Dr.
Gurinder S. Bains, noting he and his colleagues believe the research would have
implications for younger people, too, although no research has been conducted
on other age groups yet. "Humor and laughter can be integrated into a
whole-person wellness plan that can translate into improvements in your quality
of life: mind, body, and spirit. "– Sarah
Toland
Background
Because of the rapidly
increasing elderly population, the need for psychogeriatric services will
increase in coming years. In particular, a faster aging of the population has
been observed in Asian countries compared with that in Western countries. The
World Health Organization has proposed that for a society to be called 'aging',
the proportion of elderly citizens (aged 65 years and older) must be 7%. Once
this proportion reaches 14%, a society becomes an 'aged society' [1]. It took 24 years for
Japan to move from an aging society (in 1970) to an aged society (in 1994); in
comparison, in most Western countries this process takes 60-120 years [1]. Korea is expected to
become an aged society by 2019, only 19 years after becoming an aging society
(2000).
Considerable progress
has been made in psychogeriatric services as a result of increased knowledge of
brain science, neuroscience, molecular genetics, brain imaging, and many other
new technologies [2]. The mechanisms
underlying the cognitive impairment in dementia patients are now understood
because of findings from brain science and neuropsychological investigations [3,4]. Electrophysiology
(e.g. electroencephalography topography, event-related potentials (ERP), and
magnetoencephalography (MEG), brain imaging (e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
(MRI), single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), positron emission
tomography (PET) and even newer technologies, such as near-infrared
spectroscopy (NIRS) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), are versatile
tools available to confirm psychogeriatric diagnoses [5]. Furthermore, genetic
information is routinely used to evaluate the risk, as well as the prognosis,
of a disease and a patient's response to drug treatment [6].
Treatment of behavioral
and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) remains one of the most unmet
needs in psychogeriatrics [7,8], with more effective
pharmacological [9,10] and
non-pharmacological interventions [11-13] needed.
Psychogeriatrics is, however, a clinical subspecialty in which treatment should
be directed towards the person as a whole. Consideration of the person and
holistic care are essential, including a bio-psycho-socio-ethical evaluation of
each patient, because the life of the elderly is so different [1]. Furthermore,
psychogeriatric services can be applied to patients in the pre-stages of
dementia, including those with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) [14,15] and subjective
cognitive impairment (SCI) [16]. Dementia patients,
including those with MCI and SCI, can benefit from psychogeriatric services,
and the specific application of laughter and humor therapy in the treatment of
these patients is discussed in the present article.
Dementia patients require individualized and life-long intervention
In 2005, it was reported
that there were 13.7 million dementia patients in the Asia Pacific region alone
and that this number is expected to increase to 64.6 million by the year 2050,
a 4.7-fold increase in just 45 years [1]. In addition to its
high prevalence, the considerable disruption to patients' daily lives, the
burden to caregivers, and the long duration of the disease make dementia,
especially Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most malignant disease of our time.
The symptoms of AD
differ between individual patients. At the onset of dementia in some patients,
certain personality traits that had been well controlled in the past become
accentuated, whereas in others there is a 'loss of personality', where the
uniqueness of the patient's personality is lost. Some patients show a more
rapid deterioration of cognitive function, whereas others show a slower rate of
cognitive decline. Some patients exhibit various types of BPSD, whereas others
exhibit few abnormal behaviors [7]. Furthermore, the
physical, personal, familial, economic, and social environments differ between
patients. Thus, each patient should be evaluated as an individual in terms of
his/her needs for intervention, taking into account previous social
functioning, family structure, and the patient's living environment in order to
deliver the most appropriate care. Interventions for dementia patients need to
be individualized further taking into consideration the different genetic and
environmental factors that are specific to each patient.
The premorbid mental
capacity differs between subjects and the symptoms exhibited by dementia
patients vary quite widely. Considering the difference in symptoms of dementia
patients, a more individualized treatment and management program should be
considered taking into account of the emotional and affective responses of each
patient individually. In this respect, the possibility of using laughter and
humor therapy as a complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for the
treatment of dementia patients is discussed below.
Discussion
Laughter as a CAM
Although modern medical
science has enabled correct diagnoses to be made and proper treatments to be
initiated for acute diseases caused by exogenous pathogenic factors, there are still
numerous chronic, incurable diseases caused by endogenous factors, such as
cancer, dementia, hypertension, diabetes, chronic pain etc., for which there is
no effective treatment, leaving patients with these conditions to suffer. To
facilitate the better management of these chronic diseases, recent attention
has focused on the use of CAM, together with Oriental and traditional medicines
[17]. CAM is defined by the
American Cancer Society as '...supportive methods used to complement
evidence-based treatment. Complementary therapies do not replace mainstream
treatment and are not promoted to cure disease. Rather, they control symptoms
and improve well-being and quality of life'[18]. In contrast, alternative
therapies, or alternative medicine, involve non-mainstream treatments that are
sometimes used by patients instead of orthodox treatments. Examples of CAM
include music therapy, drama therapy, aromatherapy, animal-assisted therapy,
gardening, horse riding, exercise, bathing, herbal medications, acupuncture,
moxibustion, shiatsu, and yoga among others [19]. However, these
therapies have not been well defined. Some are simply based on legend or
belief, whereas others are traditionally applied but without any scientific
basis.
It is widely accepted
that a patient's emotional state will affect the course of the disease. Human
emotional behavior can be either negative or positive. Negative emotional
behavior is accompanied by disgust, fear, or alarm, which induces a prompt,
narrowed response to the stimulus responsible for the life crisis. The
'fight-or-flight' response is the general outcome of negative emotions, in
which the sympathetic autonomic nervous system is dominant. Conversely, in safe
and relaxing situations, positive emotional behavior is associated with joy,
play, and humor, with predominant functioning of the parasympathetic system,
which induces responses of extended open behaviors that are helpful in learning
new behavioral patterns. Laughter associated with a pleasant feeling is often
observed under positive emotional conditions.
Laughter has a unique
position in CAM. The benefits of laughter have been recognized historically. As
stated by Bertrand Russell, 'Laughter is the most inexpensive and most
effective wonder drug. Laughter is a universal medicine'. Laughter has been
regarded as beneficial for human health for a long time, with some of the
benefits attributed to laughter including improved immunological [20] and endocrinological [21] responses and
increased pain tolerance [22]. Laughter therapy,
humor therapy, laughter meditation, and laughter clubs all have unique
implications as group programs and as self-management techniques. For
practitioners to implement credible programs and effectively teach
self-management techniques, further empirical research on the physical,
psychosocial, and placebo effects of laughter and humor needs to be conducted.
Physiology of laughter and smiling
Speech and laughter are
unique to humans. Although there is considerable information regarding the
neuronal representation of speech, little is known about the neural mechanisms
of laughter. As described by Charles Darwin, laughter, which is a ubiquitous
and unique maneuver of humans that results in a totally defenseless posture
involving movement of such a wide area of musculature, should have some
beneficial meaning in terms of the evolution of this species [23]. Laughter should mean
a lot to our lives.
Newborn babies smile
within the first 5 weeks after birth and laugh within the first 4 months. Some
smiles are voluntary and smiling can be differentiated into 16 different
expressions [24], but there is only one
expression of laughter. When we smile, the mouth angles are lifted and the
orbits of the eye become thin and surrounded by wrinkles as a result of the
simultaneous contraction of the muscularis zygomaticus major and orbicularis
oculi. In addition to these muscles, when a person is laughing a wider area of
the musculature, including facial, pharyngeal, and respiratory muscles, is
simultaneously contracted [24].
Laughter and smiling are
usually produced as a message of good will to others. In primates, facial
expressions showing bared teeth mean friendliness and primates use these
expressions to transmit their sociability and the fact that they have no
hostile feelings. Because some forms of smiling are voluntary and easily faked,
laughter, which requires a more synergetic contraction of the wider musculature,
is believed to have evolved in humans to express a secure, safe message to
others.
Neural circuits of laughter and smiling
Laughter is the
physiological opposite of crying and is usually an expression of happiness
involving typical facial movements and contractions of the respiratory muscles
[25]. Neural correlates for
laughter may include the anterior cingulate gyrus, which provides emotional
consciousness to an individual's experience and is partially under the control
of the frontal cortex [26]. The caudal
hypothalamus is also involved, acting as the center coordinating emotional
changes, including laughter, whereas the temporal amygdala may provide
emotional coloring to perceptions and aid in understanding humor [26,27]. Finally, the ventral
pontomedullary center for laughter coordinates facial expressions, expirations,
and emotional vocalization.
The expression of
laughter depends on two partially independent neuronal pathways. One is the
'involuntary' system involving the amygdala, thalamic, hypothalamic and
subthalamic areas, and the dorsal brain stem [27]; the other is
'voluntary' and originates in the premotor opercular areas, leading through the
motor cortex and the pyramidal tract to the ventral brain stem.
The neural circuit underlying
laughter may have three main brain components: (i) cognitive areas, such as
sections of the frontal lobe that help a person understand the situation; (ii)
a movement area (probably the supplemental motor area) that triggers muscle
movements to induce a smile or laughter; and (iii) an emotional component that
actuates the perception of happiness after an amusing experience, possibly
facilitated by the nucleus accumbens [28].
Neural circuits of humor
Humor can be broadly
defined as 'something that is, or is designed to be, comical or amusing'. More
specific definitions vary, but humorous communication certainly causes
increased feelings of happiness and laughter in those who respond to it,
whether due to witty comments or amusing behavior.
Freud's psychodynamic
viewpoint described humor as the strongest form of the defense mechanism that
allows an individual to face problems and avoid negative emotion [29]. Humor is believed to
be effective in distancing oneself, framing problems with perspective, and
proactively managing distress [30-32].
Although physiological
research on the effects of humor on the body is only just developing, there may
be quantifiable health care benefits of humor. Research involving additional
measurements of a sense of humor, including self-reported instruments, peer
ratings, and comedy monologues, suggests that humor moderates the impact of
stressful life events on mood disturbances, such as depression and anxiety,
salivary immunoglobulin, and positive affect [33-35]. Similar moderating
effects of humor have been identified for depression, insomnia, loneliness, and
self-esteem, although not for anxiety [36-39].
Good humor makes people
laugh just like pain makes people cry, but humor requires complex neural
circuits. Humor is perceived at the beginning as surprise or disharmony, then
the paradox is solved, and, finally, the punch line is understood in
association with a pleasant feeling. The appreciation of humor requires a wide
area of neural circuits covering attention, working memory, flexible thinking,
extraction of word meaning, and positive mood. Patients with lesions in the
right frontal lobe have difficulty appreciating humor because of impaired
integration of cognition and emotion. Different brain areas are activated by
jokes/puns and comics [40]. Humor is present in
any social situation, and the nature of what is perceived as amusing varies
widely among individuals, societies, and cultures. Everyone enjoys laughing,
but a misjudged humorous comment can cause offense, so although laughter is
almost always positive, humor itself can provoke mixed emotional responses.
Classification of laughter and smiling
Laughter and smiling can
be classified into one of three categories based on evolutional staging as
follows: (A) that evoked by a release of tension; (B) that associated with
pleasant feelings; and (C) that used for social communication.
Relationship between laughter/smiling and the progression of dementia
Laughter or smiling
caused by a release of tension is the most basic biological form, and occurs
spontaneously in an individual who experiences release from a strenuous
tension. The purpose of laughter in this context has been hypothesized to be
the release of inner energy accumulated in response to the stress [23]. Laughter to relax is
important for the maintenance of mental health. Long-lasting mental tension is
accompanied by a hyperaroused state of the sympathetic nervous system, which
can be released by laughing [24]. From the viewpoint of
mental health, laughter evoked in response to the release of tension is the
most important.
The second category,
laughter that is provoked or accompanied by pleasant feelings, can be further
subdivided into laughter caused by: (B1) fulfillment of instinctive needs; (B2)
fulfillment of expectations; (B3) a feeling of superiority; and (B4)
recognition of mix-ups. As early as 5 weeks after birth, babies smile after
feeding. This is the first laughter observed in human life, elicited by a
fulfillment of instinctive needs. Similar laughter is observed in adults after
a good meal or a good sleep. When our expectations are realized, especially
after hard work and/or endeavor, we usually laugh in association with pleasant
feelings, which can be amplified by colleagues sharing in our achievement, with
the most explosive form of laughter then being observed. Laughter caused by a
feeling of superiority is a type of scornful laughter or a cold smile that has
been proposed by some researchers to be the prototype of laughter [23]. Laughter associated
with disharmony and/or mismatch is caused by simple mistakes or funny
happenings that cause no harm. This sort of laughter can be elicited only when
the disharmony is sudden, unexpected, and the results of the misunderstanding
are harmless.
The third category of
laughter is that used as a communication tool. Facial expressions are important
components of laughter and we use these expressions to transmit our intention
to be friends with others. Laughing and smiling used to communicate with others
can be further subdivided into laughter and smiling for cooperation, defense,
aggression, and devaluation. A typical example of cooperative smiling is that
used as a greeting. We usually say hello and shake hands while smiling. A
defensive smile can be observed when someone is trying to conceal their inner
feelings, whereas aggressive laughter can also be called scornful laughter.
Everyone dislikes being laughed at and, consequently, aggressive laughter is
extremely powerful. Smiling to devalue something is often used in daily life;
for example, when the train door shuts in our face, we often give a wry smile
to cancel out the impact of the event.
Laughter in dementia patients
Laughter is usually
provoked or accompanied by positive emotions. In clinical settings, it is
always desirable for patients, their families, and staff to share relaxed and
happy feelings, because patients are often under continuous strain and enormous
pressure as a result of their illness. The more serious the illness, the more
overwhelming the strain to the patients and their families. Dementia patients
are usually under considerable strain, at least at the beginning of their
illness. Patients' families are placed under even more stress because of the
burden of care [41]. A positive emotion,
together with laughter, may enable dementia patients to cope with their illness
better, improve immune function, increase pain tolerance, and decrease the
stress response. When a positive attitude is shared by patients and staff, it
can have a positive effect on the emotional-affective and cognitive functioning
of the patients.
Because the social life
of dementia patients is impaired by their illness, they can easily feel
isolated. Thus, a feeling that unites them, or provides some sort of bond, with
their family and the community can be very beneficial. Dementia patients are
often encouraged to participate in daily activities with other people and the
positive emotions that are shared by the patients and the care staff help the
patients maintain social contact.
Several psychosocial
interventions are applied to dementia patients in clinical settings [44]. Examples include
cognitive rehabilitation, reminiscence therapy, art therapy, drama therapy, and
aerobic exercise [45]. In these activities,
a positive attitude of patients is essential and it is always true that a
greater effect can be expected when patients participate willingly with a
positive outlook. In the case of cognitive rehabilitation, active participation
is the condition under which good outcomes can be expected. If the patients are
reluctant to participate in the activities, it is unlikely that the program
will have any beneficial effects.
Dementia patients become
anxious and irritated because they are unable to glean sufficient information
from their surroundings due to their impaired cognitive functioning [46]. They are easily
trapped in a state in which they feel unsafe, alarmed, and insecure, which, in
turn, reduces their ability to process information from their surroundings.
With even less secure information, they become more alarmed, leading to
negative emotional behavior.
Dementia patients often
show various types of BPSD during the course of their illness. Aggression,
refusal to cooperate, negativity, and apathy are common, all of which
contribute to the further isolation of these patients. In this sense, it is
important to keep patients with BPSD within the community.
Because BPSD can often
be the most formidable barrier to the care of dementia patients, it is highly
recommended that the occurrence of BPSD is prevented. To reduce the occurrence
of BPSD in dementia patients, patients should be kept in a stable and safe
environment, efforts should be made to ensure good communication with the
patients, and patients should be kept feeling relaxed and safe. By doing so,
the patients are more likely to laugh and smile.
It is true that laughter
and smiling decrease over time in most dementia patients, but it is important
to note that not all forms of laughter and smiling are equally reduced. The
ability to laugh for social communication is readily lost by dementia patients
at the onset of their illness, concomitant with the loss of a social life and
their ability to process information, but laughter in response to the release
of tension is preserved until the advanced stages of the disease. When dementia
patients are released from either physical or mental strain, they always smile.
Laughter caused by feelings of disharmony is not usually preserved in dementia
patients because of impaired cognitive functioning and because these patients
are no longer able to understand the meaning of complicated situations, which
means they often cannot understand the punch lines of jokes or appreciate
humor.
As discussed above,
laughter associated with pleasant feelings can be further subdivided into four
types, fulfillment of instinctive needs, fulfillment of expectations, a feeling
of superiority, and recognition of mix-ups. Most laughter associated with
pleasant feelings is preserved in dementia patients, with observations
indicating that these patients laugh and smile when they are exposed to
pleasant stimuli. They smile when they are well fed and when they have had a
good sleep. They also smile and laugh when they have attained self-set goals.
Laughter associated with feelings of superiority is clearly preserved in most
dementia patients; they become happy and pleasant when their superiority is
recognized. Conversely, when these patients feel humiliated, they become angry
and insulted.
Thus, the basic form of
laughter is preserved in dementia patients, but the social form of laughter is
sometimes lost in the advanced stages of the disease. It is important to ensure
that dementia patients are kept in a safe and relaxed environment (and not in
alarmed and tensioned), which will make it more likely that these patients will
be able to laugh and smile.
Humor in dementia patients
Humor has positive
physiological and psychological effects in a variety of situations. The
psychiatric literature purports humor as an effective tool in psychiatric
illness and psychotherapy. Benefits of humor in business, management,
education, and clinical settings are widely recognized because the right
perspective facilitates problem solving both interpersonally and in a group
setting. Furthermore, humor puts people at ease, promoting the expression and
exchange of ideas. Not only can humor benefit patients, but the use of humor can
facilitate the effective management of staff and others in the health care
setting.
Humor is delicate and
sensitive by nature. Humor can be properly appreciated when it is expressed in
the right time, right place, and on the right occasion. Confidence, or trust,
between the sender and receiver is an important aspect of humor. Establishing
this trust is a prerequisite for the introduction of appropriately timed humor.
No humor can be appreciated by patients when there is no trust between the
patient and care staff. If one side is defensive or angry, he/she may find that
the use of humor by the other party is offensive or insulting. Patients may
also become upset about jokes made at their expense, fearing humiliation and
stigmatization. The appropriateness of humor depends on the culture, education,
and cognitive function of the receiver. Therefore, the use of humor must be
timed wisely and it must be used carefully.
Dementia patients may be
more sensitive to jokes or humor than healthy people because patients in the
early stages of the disease know that they have difficulties understanding
complicated things. Dementia patients with cognitive impairment have difficulty
appreciating the disharmony in information sent as humor. Humor should be
presented to dementia patients after close evaluation. There are no definitive
rules, but humor should generally be introduced slowly; if there is no response
or the response is negative, it may be a good idea to abandon all attempts to
introduce humor, at least during that clinical encounter [50]. Humor can be used as
a defense mechanism in an adverse setting and has obvious value for dementia
patients if it is properly addressed and accepted. But the impaired cognitive
function of dementia patients must be kept in mind so that humor is presented
at the right time, in the right place, and on the right occasion. Everyone enjoys
laughing, but a misjudged humorous comment can cause offense, so although
laughter is almost always positive, humor itself can provoke mixed emotional
responses.
The other
reactions--anger, depression, suppression, denial--took a little piece of me
with them. Each made me feel just a little less human. Laughter made me more
open to ideas, more inviting to others, and even a little stronger inside. It
proved to me that, even as my body was devastated and my spirit challenged, I
was still a vital human being. Scott Burton
Summary
Dementia patients should
be cared for taking into consideration their individual capacities, which
differ from patient to patient. Most laughter and smiling is preserved in
dementia patients until the end of the clinical course, even though laughter
and smiling as a means of communication is lost during the early stages of the
disease. Laughter and smiling associated with pleasant feelings, with the
exception of laughing in response to feelings of disharmony, and laughter
induced by the release of tension can be used in the treatment of dementia
patients. The use of humor, covering issues of the fulfillment of instinctive
needs and expectations, as well as feelings of superiority, can be a good and
effective complementary and alternative intervention in the treatment of
dementia patients.
A weekly dose of songs and laughs, combined with a daily regimen of jokes
and silliness, is replacing psychotropic drugs and anti-depressants given to
dementia patients in NSW.
It is usually a cliche to say laughter is the best medicine. But Barry
Cowling, operations manager of Summit Care nursing home in Randwick, said
humour therapy had reduced aggression and depression among 18 residents in the
secure dementia wing.
''We've had residents where we could reduce psychotropic drugs or have them
come off, and we could see benefits to staff with improvements in morale and
engagement,'' Mr Cowling said.
His nursing home participated in a three-year study that found weekly
visits by clowns, plus the training of staff members to provide humour therapy,
significantly reduced agitation among 180 residents in 17 nursing homes
compared with a control group.
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The effect was similar to that of the average dose of risperidone, a drug
used to reduce aggression and agitation among dementia patients, the Sydney
Multisite Intervention of LaughterBosses and ElderClowns (SMILE) study found.
It also avoided common side effects like stroke.
Results from the study show improvements in levels of depression among
residents correlate with the enthusiasm and dedication of nursing home staff
trained in humour therapy.
Even before the formal results of the study were known, the changes were so
obvious that Mr Cowling decided to make laughter therapy permanent.
''We had a woman who was totally non-verbal … who started to have
conversations with staff and with her family.''
These changes were not unusual, said Jean-Paul Bell, a clown and a stand-up
comedian who co-wrote the study and is now creative director of the Arts Health
Institute.
At a weekly session at Randwick, Mr Bell,
his offsider Joanna Weinberg, and a nursing home staff member trained in humour
therapy entertained a small group of residents. Ms Weinberg sang and played the
piano accordion, ranging from the Beatles' Ob-La-Di,
Ob-la-Da to theSound of
Music's Do-Re-Me. Bell mimed and joked.
Before each two-hour session, the entertainers hit Google looking for songs
and ideas connected to a resident's life and discuss the residents' week with
staff.
Mr Bell talks fondly of a former teacher, Joan, who rarely spoke. He asked
her to help with his homework. ''Have you washed your hands?'' she'd ask, the
teacher in her wary of sticky fingers.
Is it the humour or the interest in each individual that elicits a response
from residents with dementia?
''It's not specifically the humour that's the magic,'' said Lee-Fay Low, a
psychologist and senior research fellow with the Dementia Collaborative
Research. The most important skill was the ability to engage the person. ''All
the time they spend with them increases this ability,'' she said.
''Entertainers are professional engagers, that's what they are good at doing.
That's quite a different perspective and skill to those of nurses and others
who work in nursing homes,'' said Dr Low, who was a co-author of the SMILE
study.
The Arts Health Institute and another organisation, the Humour Foundation,
now run humour therapy in nearly 90 nursing homes across Australia.
Its use marks a continuing shift in the treatment of dementia as a
disability instead of a disease.
Visiting American psychologist Cameron Camp told ABC radio last week that
the diagnosis of dementia was often regarded as the end of learning. ''One of
the biggest challenges to good dementia care is … therapeutic nihilism,'' he
said.
His organisation is using the Montessori method to teach people with
dementia new skills, such as beer making.
Laughter therapy reduces the effect of
dementia
Dementia is
something which meddles with the functioning of the brain.It is a condition
where the mental activities continuously decreases.The ability
of the brain to process the thoughts and improving
the intelligence halts.Though, many prevention strategies has been
suggested by the researchers.Among all a good joyful belly
laugh is as effective as medicines given to dementia patients
to reduce their anxiety.
In dementia the brain reaches
to such a situation where it finds harder to think,remember and
looses its reasoning power too.Dementia do not have any proper effective treatment.Recently,an
Australian research has showed that a humorous environment can
greatly improve the lives of the people suffering from dementia.
The lead researcher of
the study commented that over the time period of 3 years, around 400 people
suffering from dementia were given regular sessions of laughter therapy.The
result showed a remarkable progress and 20 percent decrease
in their anxiety level too.
Depression and stress are the two main factors that ups the risk of dementia among
older people.A short time giggle is,a lot beneficial for the people suffering
from this disorder.Laughter acts an effective medication and is regarded as a
complementary and alternative
medicine for dementia patients.
As people
with dementia ages the capability of understanding crucial
and complex jokes becomes difficult for them.This kind of condition can make
them aggressive and defensive if they find someone joking around them.Therefore
it is important to maintain the positiveness among dementia suffering
people with comes gradually with humour.Humour increases the functioning of the
immune system and is beneficial for tolerating the pain and coping
with stressed situations.
As the saying goes “A
good time laugh is any time you can.”
“The information present here
is for general purpose please consult your doctor before taking any
medication/therapy”
Mengurangi
Resiko Pikun Dengan Tertawa
Semakin bertambahnya usia artinya kita semakin tua dan berbagai
perubahan terjadi. Salah satunya menurunnya daya ingat atau kepikunan akan
terjadi. Namun ternyata resiko kepikunan ini bisa diatasi secara mudah yaitu
dengan memperbanyak tertawa. Mungkin tidak pernah menyangka jika tertawa mampu
mengurangi resiko pikun seiring dengan bertambahnya usia. Banyak tertawa bisa
membantu mengurangi resiko PIKUN ini menjadi hal baru yang perlu diketahui
secara pasti.
Mungkin, beberapa diantara kita belum percaya jika dengan
tertawa resiko pikun bisa berkurang. Selain itu sering tertawa juga membuat
kita lebih awet muda karena kondisi kulit wajah juga dipengaruhi dengan kondisi
mood seseorang. Jika setiap hari marah – marah pasti cepat tua berbeda dengan
setiap hari tertawa akan tampak awet muda asalkan tidak tertawa sendiri.
Tertawa dipercaya mampu mengurangi resiko pikun pasalnya sebuah
penelitian membuktikan bahwa, tertawa itu mampu mengurangi stres didalam diri
seseorang. Tertawa mampu menurunkan produksi zat kimia yang disebut kortisol,
dimana efeknya akan menyebabkan penurunan atau hilangnya neuron hippocampal.
Ingatan manusia akan bekerja lebih baik ketika otaknya tidak
stres. Tertawa juga mampu membantu terlepasnya endorfin dan dopamin pada otak
yang menimbulkan rasa senang dan gembira. Hal tersebut akan menyebabkan
perubahan pada kinerja otak dan membuat sistem kekebalan tubuh bekerja lebih
baik.
Sehingga bagi anda yang sudah memasuki usia 40 tahun
banyak-banyaklah tertawa supaya tidak menjadi pelupa. Ketika daya ingat kita
menurun mungkin akan membuat kita merasa jengkel karena menaruh sesuatu saja
sudah lupa.
Selain itu banyak tertawa juga sangat baik untuk dilakukan oleh
seseorang yang rentan mengelami stres. Ternyata stres tidak hanya membuat
seseorang menjadi cepat tua namun ternyata juga membuat seseorang menjadi
pikun. Dengan demikian bagi anda yang sering stres dan tidak ingin pikun
terlalu parah diusia senja sebaiknya banyak – banyaklah tertawa dari saat
ini. Tidak sedikit hal yang bisa membuat kita tetap tertawa sehingga untuk
melakukan hal ini sangatlah mudah.
10 Cara Mencegah Otak dari Dimensia atau Kepikunan
Olahraga
otak sama pentingnya dengan olahraga tubuh. Dengan olahraga otak, akan
terbentuk saraf baru yang dapat melindungi terhadap gejala demensia atau
kepikunan. Berikut beberapa cara yang dapat dilakukan untuk olahraga otak:
1. Membiasakan aktif menjadi kidal dan juga kanan
Lakukan tugas dengan tangan non-dominan, jika biasanya dominan tangan kanan maka gunakan tangan kiri (kidal) dan sebaliknya.
Contohnya saat menggunakan mouse komputer, menyikat gigi dan mengikat sepatu dengan arah yang berlawanan. Menurut Franklin Institute, jenis latihan ini dapat memperkuat hubungan saraf yang ada dan bahkan membentuk saraf baru.
2. Membaca
Membaca dapat melenturkan otot-otot otak, baik bacaan ringan (seperti komik atau majalah) maupun bacaan untuk informasi. Dan menurut studi Dr. Nikolaos Scarmeas pada tahun 2001, membaca dapat membantu membangun ‘cadangan kognitif’ untuk menunda timbulnya demensia.
3. Bermain puzzle atau teka-teki silang
Teka-teki silang, puzzle, Sudoku dan jenis puzzle lainnya, dapat melatih otak khususnya otak kiri, menurut pusat pelatihan kognitif Learning Rx. Tambahkan strategi baru untuk mengefektifkan latihan otak, misalnya memecahkan teka-teki silang dengan tema yang tidak biasa.
4. Bermain permainan strategi
Permainan strategi seperti catur, monopoli atau game komputer lainnya, akan menggunakan otak kanan yang dapat membantu orang untuk lebih berpikir kreatif.
5. Ubah rutinitas
Menurut Lawrence Katz, profesor Neurobiologi di Duke University Medical Center, mengubah rutinitas dan cara-cara hidup baru dapat mengaktifkan koneksi otak yang sebelumnya tidak aktif. Latihan yang bisa dilakukan misalnya, mandi dengan mata tertutup atau mengatur ulang kantor atau meja.
6. Belajar bahasa asing
Dengan belajar bahasa asing akan mengaktifkan bagian otak yang belum digunakan sejak Anda mulai berbicara. Sebuah studi tahun 2007 di York University di Toronto, menemukan bahwa penggunaan beberapa bahasa dapat meningkatkan suplai darah ke otak untuk menjaga kesehatan koneksi saraf.
7. Menikmati musik
Selain mendengarkan musik, belajar juga untuk memainkan instrumen musik. Para ahli juga merekomendasikan untuk mengaktifkan dua indera sekaligus, seperti mendengarkan musik dan mencium bunga.
8. Latihan fisik
Latihan fisik juga dapat meningkatkan kesehatan otak, karena dapat meningkatkan aliran darah ke otak. Menurut Stanford Center on Longevity dan The Max Planck Institute for Human Development, latihan fisik dapat meningkatkan perhatian, penalaran dan memori.
9. Hidup sosial
Otak dapat dilatih dengan menjalani kehidupan sosial Anda, misalnya dengan mengunjungi teman. Sebuah studi 2006 oleh Dr David Bennett dari Rush University Medical Center menemukan bahwa memiliki jaringan sosial dapat memberikan perlindungan terhadap gejala klinis penyakit Alzheimer.
10. Mencari hobi baru
Tantang otak untuk belajar keterampilan baru atau hal-hal yang belum pernah Anda lakukan sebelumnya. Jika Anda bukan seniman, cobalah untuk belajar melukis atau memahat. Jika Anda bisa bermain piano, belajarlah memainkan gitar. Temukan sesuatu yang baru dan menarik untuk dapat menjaga otak tetap aktif.
1. Membiasakan aktif menjadi kidal dan juga kanan
Lakukan tugas dengan tangan non-dominan, jika biasanya dominan tangan kanan maka gunakan tangan kiri (kidal) dan sebaliknya.
Contohnya saat menggunakan mouse komputer, menyikat gigi dan mengikat sepatu dengan arah yang berlawanan. Menurut Franklin Institute, jenis latihan ini dapat memperkuat hubungan saraf yang ada dan bahkan membentuk saraf baru.
2. Membaca
Membaca dapat melenturkan otot-otot otak, baik bacaan ringan (seperti komik atau majalah) maupun bacaan untuk informasi. Dan menurut studi Dr. Nikolaos Scarmeas pada tahun 2001, membaca dapat membantu membangun ‘cadangan kognitif’ untuk menunda timbulnya demensia.
3. Bermain puzzle atau teka-teki silang
Teka-teki silang, puzzle, Sudoku dan jenis puzzle lainnya, dapat melatih otak khususnya otak kiri, menurut pusat pelatihan kognitif Learning Rx. Tambahkan strategi baru untuk mengefektifkan latihan otak, misalnya memecahkan teka-teki silang dengan tema yang tidak biasa.
4. Bermain permainan strategi
Permainan strategi seperti catur, monopoli atau game komputer lainnya, akan menggunakan otak kanan yang dapat membantu orang untuk lebih berpikir kreatif.
5. Ubah rutinitas
Menurut Lawrence Katz, profesor Neurobiologi di Duke University Medical Center, mengubah rutinitas dan cara-cara hidup baru dapat mengaktifkan koneksi otak yang sebelumnya tidak aktif. Latihan yang bisa dilakukan misalnya, mandi dengan mata tertutup atau mengatur ulang kantor atau meja.
6. Belajar bahasa asing
Dengan belajar bahasa asing akan mengaktifkan bagian otak yang belum digunakan sejak Anda mulai berbicara. Sebuah studi tahun 2007 di York University di Toronto, menemukan bahwa penggunaan beberapa bahasa dapat meningkatkan suplai darah ke otak untuk menjaga kesehatan koneksi saraf.
7. Menikmati musik
Selain mendengarkan musik, belajar juga untuk memainkan instrumen musik. Para ahli juga merekomendasikan untuk mengaktifkan dua indera sekaligus, seperti mendengarkan musik dan mencium bunga.
8. Latihan fisik
Latihan fisik juga dapat meningkatkan kesehatan otak, karena dapat meningkatkan aliran darah ke otak. Menurut Stanford Center on Longevity dan The Max Planck Institute for Human Development, latihan fisik dapat meningkatkan perhatian, penalaran dan memori.
9. Hidup sosial
Otak dapat dilatih dengan menjalani kehidupan sosial Anda, misalnya dengan mengunjungi teman. Sebuah studi 2006 oleh Dr David Bennett dari Rush University Medical Center menemukan bahwa memiliki jaringan sosial dapat memberikan perlindungan terhadap gejala klinis penyakit Alzheimer.
10. Mencari hobi baru
Tantang otak untuk belajar keterampilan baru atau hal-hal yang belum pernah Anda lakukan sebelumnya. Jika Anda bukan seniman, cobalah untuk belajar melukis atau memahat. Jika Anda bisa bermain piano, belajarlah memainkan gitar. Temukan sesuatu yang baru dan menarik untuk dapat menjaga otak tetap aktif.
Kepikunan Dini memang menjadi momok yang menakutkan
bagi banyak orang, dan mungkin termasuk anda. Seiring dengan bertambahnya usia,
metabolisme manusia akan semakin melambat dan tidak menutup kemungkinan daya
pikir dan ingat akan menurun. Namun saat ini banyak orang yang berusia belum
terlalu tua juga sudah mengalami kepikunan, sehingga tentu akan sangat
merepotkan dirinya atau orang-orang disekitarnya.
Bagi anda yang tidak menginginkan hal ini terjadi, silahkan lakukan beberapa kegiatan sederhana yang dapat dilakukan untuk menstimulasi otak agar terhindar dari kepikunan dini:
Pola Hidup Sehat
Berdasarkan penelitian yang dilakukan oleh ilmuwan dari Departemen Psikiatri FKUI/RSUPN Ciptomangunkusumo menyimpulkan, bahwa latihan fisik (aerobik atau berjalan kaki) yang teratur dan dapat mengurangi penumpukan lemak yang mengganggu aliran darah ke otak. Hal ini akan berfungsi untuk terpenuhinya kebutuhan nutrisi dan oksigen untuk otak. Hal ini akan lebih maksimal apabila dibantu dengan mengkonsumsi sayur-sayuran, buah-buahan, kombinasi olah raga dan diet.
Teratur Menyikat Gigi
Menyikat gigi teratur setiap hari berkaitan erat dengan fungsi otak kita manusia. Hal ini dibuktikan berdasarkan penelitian yang dilakukan oleh gabungan dokter gigi dan psikiater di Inggris, terhadap pasien dengan usia 10 – 59 tahun dan menunjukkan bahwa radang gusi dan gigi menjadi salah satu penyebab kemampuan kognitif semakin parah. Untuk itu bagi anda yang tidak ingin mengalami kepikunan dini, sebaiknya menggosok gigi setelah makan.
Olah Raga Otak
Ternyata olahraga tidak hanya berupa fisik saja, namun olahraga otak bisa juga dilakukan untuk mencegah kepikunan dini. Adapun olahraga otak yang bisa anda lakukan adalah dengan melakukan kegiatan menyenangkan yang dapat dilakukan sambil berfikir, seperti bermain Sudoku, teka teki silang, dan permainan lainnya yang dapat mengasah kemampuan otak agar selalu aktif.
Bersenang-Senang
Tertawa ternyata dapat menstimulasi bagian dari otak manusia yang mengeluarkan ‘perasaan bahagia’ melalui hormon dopamin. Tertawa juga dapat mengurangi stress dan tekanan mental. Untuk itu, selalu sempatkan diri dengan bersenang-senang saat sibuk agar kita lebih bahagia.
Ringkasan:
Bagi anda yang tidak menginginkan hal ini terjadi, silahkan lakukan beberapa kegiatan sederhana yang dapat dilakukan untuk menstimulasi otak agar terhindar dari kepikunan dini:
Pola Hidup Sehat
Berdasarkan penelitian yang dilakukan oleh ilmuwan dari Departemen Psikiatri FKUI/RSUPN Ciptomangunkusumo menyimpulkan, bahwa latihan fisik (aerobik atau berjalan kaki) yang teratur dan dapat mengurangi penumpukan lemak yang mengganggu aliran darah ke otak. Hal ini akan berfungsi untuk terpenuhinya kebutuhan nutrisi dan oksigen untuk otak. Hal ini akan lebih maksimal apabila dibantu dengan mengkonsumsi sayur-sayuran, buah-buahan, kombinasi olah raga dan diet.
Teratur Menyikat Gigi
Menyikat gigi teratur setiap hari berkaitan erat dengan fungsi otak kita manusia. Hal ini dibuktikan berdasarkan penelitian yang dilakukan oleh gabungan dokter gigi dan psikiater di Inggris, terhadap pasien dengan usia 10 – 59 tahun dan menunjukkan bahwa radang gusi dan gigi menjadi salah satu penyebab kemampuan kognitif semakin parah. Untuk itu bagi anda yang tidak ingin mengalami kepikunan dini, sebaiknya menggosok gigi setelah makan.
Olah Raga Otak
Ternyata olahraga tidak hanya berupa fisik saja, namun olahraga otak bisa juga dilakukan untuk mencegah kepikunan dini. Adapun olahraga otak yang bisa anda lakukan adalah dengan melakukan kegiatan menyenangkan yang dapat dilakukan sambil berfikir, seperti bermain Sudoku, teka teki silang, dan permainan lainnya yang dapat mengasah kemampuan otak agar selalu aktif.
Bersenang-Senang
Tertawa ternyata dapat menstimulasi bagian dari otak manusia yang mengeluarkan ‘perasaan bahagia’ melalui hormon dopamin. Tertawa juga dapat mengurangi stress dan tekanan mental. Untuk itu, selalu sempatkan diri dengan bersenang-senang saat sibuk agar kita lebih bahagia.
Ringkasan:
§ Kepikunan terjadi
karena melambatnya system metabolisme manusia sehingga menurunkan daya ingat,
§ Kepikunan Dini bisa
dicegah dengan Pola Hidup Sehat, Teratur Menyikat Gigi, Olah Raga Otak dan
bersenang-senang,
§ Olahraga otak dengan
bermain Sudoku, teka teki silang bisa meningkatkan daya ingat seseorang.
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