Illusions Are Good For Health

What would we be without our illusions? We create illusions of any kind and “poor” who has none. Illusions are desires that go hand in hand with the hope that they will take shape. In this regard, recent studies have shown that having illusions would have a decidedly positive impact on our health.

Regarding this specific topic, Alvaro Pascual-Leone, professor of the chair of Neurology at the Harvard School of Medicine, once obtained the results of his study, concluded the following: “Having a life plan, a goal in life that goes beyond oneself and that it gives great satisfaction deriving from the efforts to achieve it, is good for the brain and for health in general ”.

It seems that having expectations or a life plan increases cognitive reserves. A cognitive reserve – that is, the brain’s ability to cope with challenges at a level where our abilities are tested – is closely associated with adaptability to change, novelty and uncertainty.

But what kind of illusions are we talking about?

It is about aspirations or an important reason, what motivates us to move forward. For a person, the reason for getting out of bed in the morning may be their children or grandchildren; for another it may be the work she does or religion …

They are of different nature, personal or collective, and can change with the passage of time. What does not change is the satisfaction they awaken in us once realized, once we have made it thanks to our efforts; or, if we fail, there is the satisfaction of having tried and not having “thrown in the towel”.

Secrets to having a healthy brain

People who have a well-defined life plan and who demonstrate illusions would seem to boast clearer, healthier minds. In this sense, the illusion looks like that oil that lubricates our cognitive processes.

Furthermore, these people seem to have fewer cognitive problems in everyday life and seem to take better care of themselves. To have healthy neurons, we need to take care of seven aspects of our life:

• Health: Our brain affects the number of times we get sick and how we deal with the disease.

• Nutrition: A complete and balanced diet helps us slow down cognitive decline.

• Sleep: The quality of sleep is strongly associated, for example, with the consolidation of memories.

• Physical activity: in a combination of aerobic and anaerobic exercises. An hour and a half of physical activity improves brain function.

• Cognitive functions : the way we deal with our problems, the presence or absence of attention or memory deficits, prevent or slow down cognitive decline.

• Social relationships: the type of social circle, the amount of friends or the possible support received are factors that condition cognitive reserves.

• Life project: treasuring expectations or objectives, finding satisfaction in the latter, broadens our gaze and pushes us to set the future starting from the care of the present.

The magic of illusions

Illusion represents that essential dimension of the future. Perhaps not so much its contents as its container. With it we can keep our gaze fixed on life, open our eyes and dream, while knowing that most beings require effort to become reality.

Impregnating a project of illusion means giving it new life, energy, cleaning it up, fixing it up, vaccinating it against the enemy of monotony. In this way, efforts will be selected to achieve the intended purpose, and any shipwreck in the end is positive, it teaches a lesson to add to our life path.

Finally, we must emphasize that cheerfulness, as well as tenacity and patience, protect our enthusiasm from the erosion of a path covered with roses that are not without thorns. Yes, the same illusions that take care of our mental processes (memory, attention, intelligence…).