Senior Health: Sudoku, Scrabble and Chess

Mental Stimulation, like exercise, becomes increasingly more important as one ages. And, the good news is, that in our well wired and curious culture there are wonderful ways to stimulate one's mind.

It is fascinating that, not unlike adolescents, seniors often cave in to the "there is nothing to do" syndrome. But, there is. Now whether there is desire, motivation, and willingness to discover the many options, is quite another thing.

Sudoku, Scrabble, Chess, a virtual box full of games and thought stimulating exercises are literally available at one's finger tips. And, the good news? You can play them in the privacy of your home, with no one present but you and your computer.

So, don't let "rainy days and Mondays" get you down. Get in there, wander around, seek and search and eventually find that retinue which will follow you in discovering and sharing common interests . Your assignment, if you choose to accept it, is to investigate, explore, uncover, penetrate the wide variety of possibilities. I leave to you the initiative and the specific areas of interest which may catch your eye.

You and your new friends will thank me. Trust me!

How to Start Your Day Laughing!

Among my very best friends are those who send humorous, really, genuinely humorous, emails. One came which started my morning. It was a thank you for all the emails that had been sent to warn of lurking dangers and inexplicable disasters. It truly is funny. I love to laugh like that. In the quiet of my study, it is easy to guffaw without offending anyone.

Particularly is such exercise good for the endorphins. Norman Cousins, author of "Anatomy of an Illness," was among the first real seers who helped us see the value of humor. He refused to be held captive by the confines of illness or even hospital care. He ordered up loads of videos and watched the shenanigans of Laurel and Hardy, Chaplin, Buster Keaton, et al. The result: he recovered faster than anticipated. The medicine that did it: laughter!

One needn't be ill to take advantage of the therapeutic qualities of humor and laughter. As in my experience this morning, it just started my day right, gave me a chance to realize I was taking the day's challenges too seriously. Lighten up and Laugh is good counsel.

Here are some ways to provoke laughter and improve your humor quotient:

>Stay in touch with friends who help you laugh.

>Look for humor everywhere.

>Avoid too much cable news and shouting heads.

>Look for the subtle humor in everything. Be careful, not everyone will be ready for your insights.

>Check the timing in the way you tell stories. Don't give away the punch line too soon.

>Exercise your brain by finding ways to remember really good jokes and stories that are appropriate for all kinds of occasions.

>Laughter is infectious. Help make it epidemic.

>Be careful not to repeat the same story to the same people. That is not humor, it is boredom.

>Allow others in on the action. You aren't the only one with a good story.

>Tell your stories to a variety of persons, discover your own style to help the story be funny.

>Find humor in everyday situations, personal foibles and experiences. It will humble you.

Now, tell me, don't you feel better already?