Using the internet can counteract the age-related physiological changes that cause the brain to slow down, according to a report from the University of California. It is already accepted that tasks such as crossword puzzles stimulate and exercise the brain and keep the effects of ageing at bay.
I have thought for a long time that computer use, not necessarily internet surfing, can have the same beneficial effects. It now seems that there is a glimmer of proof in the new report. According to the lead researcher, Professor Gary Small, the results indicating that emerging computerised technologies may have physiological effects and potential benefits for middle-aged and older adults.
It is all part of keeping an active mind and I find it sad that many older people are completely opposed to computer use and pour scorn on anyone who wants to send them an email. For older people, computer use and access to the internet provides a new opportunity to learn and make new friends. At a very basic level, the internet is a means of reducing purchase costs of many every-day items and major purchases.
Learning and using a foreign language is also good for the brain, as I know from my own experience, and retirement is an ideal opportunity to start a new language.