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Essentials in
Press Kit
Save your life – barbershop!
Singing makes you feel good... and might be the key to physical and mental health.
Updated: 11/22/2006 8:56:27 AM
Contributed by Dave Miller
Pacific Coast Harmony
Lajolla Chapter
Have you ever wondered why Barbershoppers so often are acute, alive and active at well into their 80’s and beyond? Well according to author and professor Paul Nussbaum, we might just do many of the things that lead to good mental health! Look at his check list and see how your Barbershopping lifestyle measures up!
1. Maintain a purpose in your life
2. Form and maintain strong relationships with family, friends and social networks
3. Find your own brand of spirituality and spend time each day meditating or praying.(at least, recognize that the universe doesn’t revolve around you?)
4. Keep a healthy weight and make sure to include antioxidants in your diet.
5. Maintain financial security and generally reduce stress
6. Be social, have a good time and slow down
7. Participate in some kind of daily exercise, walking is especially beneficial
8. Participate in new and complex learning (like learning music and lyrics and performing your part?)
9. Get regular physical exams
10. Don’t smoke
He encourages people to engage in new and complex activities on a daily basis. Doing this likely helps the brain form new connections and recent research suggests that these new connections improve psychological performance. Nussbaum add that people need to push themselves to step outside of what they are already good at and learn and challenge themselves throughout their lives. He says you should strive towards mental health by treating your brain the same way you should treat your heart, that is make the lifestyle choices that will affect your brains performance over the long run.- Adapted from the Alzheimer’s website
Sounds like another good reason to invite someone to sing with your chapter? On a personal note, of all the Barbershoppers I have known that have passed away over the last 3 decades, not one of the guys that were actively singing suffered from Alzheimer’s before some other part of their health eventually failed them. A coincidence? Learn more at: http://www.alz.org/maintainyourbrain/overview.asp
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