Remember that laundry you forgot to put into the dryer yesterday? Or that keycard to the office you misplaced for the umpteenth time just as you were ready to leave out the house 10 minutes late this morning to make an 8 o'clock meeting? If these situations sound all too familiar and coming more frequently, you're probably a card-carrying member of the Baby Boomer generation beating yourself up regularly for experiencing "senior moments."

Don't worry, I'm a card-carrying member of the "senior momentitis" club too. But I'm not stressing out about being somewhat forgetful as much as I used to be, particularly after reading about New York Times deputy science editor Barbara Strauch's latest book, The Secret Life of the Grown-Up Brain.

Strauch concurs with many other experts that the brains of Baby Boomers do decline as time passes, short-term memory -- particularly for names -- "gets a bit dicey along the way," and we may be more distracted and flummoxed about stuff than ever before, but that's not necessarily horrible. All in all, Strauch thinks it's pretty normal…

In fact, our older brains are quite capable of solving problems better than younger ones. The other piece of good news: The accepted belief that older brains lose as much 30 percent of their neurons isn't true. But it takes real work to keep your brain healthy, and completing daily crossword puzzles alone won't do the trick, which is why I urge you to read a lengthy piece I wrote last year about the memory food your aging brain needs to survive and thrive.

To get a fuller taste for what Strauch, the deputy science editor at the New York Times is talking about, listen to an interview with NPR Fresh Air host Terri Gross and read an excerpt from her book here.

New York Times: Well April 30, 2010

WowOWow April 19, 2010