Latest news with #Aberystwyth
The Sun
7 days ago
- Health
- The Sun
The 3 simple at-home tests to check how well YOUR brain is really ageing
WHILE it's impossible to predict your exact lifespan, experts have developed simple tests over the years to gauge how well (or how badly) a person is ageing. The sit-to-stand test has gained popularity in recent years, with the aim to measure how many times a person can rise from a seated position to a standing position and back within 30 seconds. 3 The test can be a predictor of frailty and mortality - lower scores may indicate a higher risk of falls and reduced mobility. But if you want to really understand how well you're ageing, it's important to look beyond physical health. Mental sharpness, emotional resilience and social connection matter just as much, says Marco Arkesteijn, a lecturer in sport and exercise biomechanics at Aberystwyth University. Writing for The Conversation, he advises a better way to test how well you're ageing is to assess your cognitive fitness, which includes skills like attention, memory and flexibility. Three tests he recommends are the Trail Making Test, the Stroop Task, and Dual-task Challenge. He says: "These kinds of tasks test how well your brain handles competing demands – a key ability that becomes even more important as we age. "This skill is known as cognitive flexibility, and it helps you adapt to changing situations, switch between tasks and manage distractions." Trail Making Test 3 The Trail Making Test (TMT) is a neuropsychological test used to assess visual attention, task switching, and executive function. It involves connecting dots in a specific order. A subject is given a sheet containing the dots (numbers and letters) and a pencil. 10 second one leg stand test For part A, the subject is instructed to connect the numbers in numerical order as quickly as possible. For part B, the subject is instructed to connect the alternating numbers and letters in the correct sequence. The time taken to complete each part is recorded. Part A measures psychomotor speed and visual search. Part B measures executive function, including set-shifting and inhibition. Time difference between part A and part B can indicate difficulties with task switching and executive function. As well as being a test for ageing you can do at home, the TMT is used in various clinical settings, including evaluating brain injury, identifying early signs of dementia, and tracking progress after brain injuries and other neurological conditions. Stroop Task The Stroop task is a psychological experiment designed to measure cognitive interference, specifically the interference between reading a word and naming the colour it's written in. Participants are presented with colour words, and the task is to name the colour of the ink the word is printed in, even when the word itself contradicts that colour. The word "RED" might be printed in blue ink, creating a conflict between the word's meaning and the ink colour. Signs of difficulty with the Stroop task include slower reaction times, increased errors, and finding it hard to override the automatic tendency to read the word rather than identify the colour. In clinical settings, the Stroop task can be used to assess attention deficits and cognitive flexibility, such as evaluating individuals with ADHD or other neurological conditions. Dual-task Challenge 3 A Dual-task Challenge involves simultaneously performing two tasks, often a motor task and a cognitive task, to assess the impact of one task on the performance of the other. This approach is used to study how attention and cognitive resources are allocated and how multitasking can affect performance, particularly in areas like gait and balance. Common dual-task scenarios include walking while talking, counting while performing a physical exercise, or paying attention to a conversation while walking. Struggling with dual-task challenges can manifest in various ways. You might experience decreased performance in either or both tasks, increased reaction times, or changes in physical movement like reduced walking speed or balance issues. Specifically, you could notice difficulties with tasks requiring cognitive flexibility, executive function, memory, attention, and processing speed. In some cases, people may also report increased falls or a fear of falling due to the challenges of dual-tasking, especially when combined with occupational demands. Dual-task training is used in rehabilitation, particularly for individuals with neurological conditions or injuries, to improve balance and gait, and it's also used in research to understand how cognitive abilities influence physical performance. But the most important thing to do when doing these tests is to complete them a few times at the start, then retest yourself once a month. That way you can track improvements or deterioration. Arkesteijn says: "Cognitive changes may be slower to notice than physical ones, so regular checks can help reveal progress over time." But he adds: "There's no single test or score that can capture how well you're ageing. Think of it more like a jigsaw puzzle. "Physical health, mental agility, emotional balance, social connection - they all matter, and they all interact. "And of course, even if you perform well now, some changes inthe future may be beyond your control. "No test can fully predict what lies ahead."
CNA
24-05-2025
- Health
- CNA
Commentary: The DIY guide to checking how well you're ageing
ABERYSTWYTH, Wales: A few years ago, a social media trend challenged people to see if they could stand up from the floor without using their hands. Now, it's all about how long you can balance on one leg while brushing your teeth. These quirky 'tests' promise to tell us how well we're ageing – but do they really? When we talk about 'ageing well', we're usually referring to both physical and psychological well-being. That includes feeling good (hedonic well-being) and finding meaning and purpose (eudaimonic well-being). Engaging in activities and monitoring ourselves plays a role in both. But ageing isn't just about how strong your grip is or how fast you can walk. It's a complex mix of physical, cognitive, emotional and social changes – and no single test captures the whole picture. Physically, one simple measure that gets a lot of attention is walking speed. According to one famous study, people who walk faster than 1.32m per second were less likely to die in the next three years – jokingly framed as 'too fast for the Grim Reaper to catch'. On the flip side, a slower walking speed – below 0.8m per second – can be a sign of sarcopenia, a condition involving reduced muscle mass, muscle strength and physical function. These are all important indicators of age-related decline. But while these markers are useful, they're not easy to measure at home. Most research relies on specialist equipment and your local GP probably doesn't have a grip-strength dynamometer sitting in a drawer. But they could time how long it takes you to stand up and sit down five times from a chair. HOW TO DIY So, what can you realistically do to track your own ageing? To truly understand how you're ageing, it helps to think beyond physical health. Mental sharpness, emotional resilience and social connection matter just as much. One helpful idea is to assess your cognitive fitness, which includes skills like attention, memory and flexibility. Here are some cognitive tests you can try at home: Trail making test: Connect numbers and letters in sequence (1, A, 2, B, etc) and time how long it takes. This measures your ability to switch between tasks. Stroop task: Challenges your ability to ignore competing information. Try saying the colour of a word, not the word itself – like saying 'red' when you see the word 'blue' printed in red ink. It's harder than it sounds! Dual-task challenge: Walk at your normal speed while counting backwards from 100 in threes. If your walking speed changes significantly, it could indicate cognitive strain. These kinds of tasks test how well your brain handles competing demands – a key ability that becomes even more important as we age. This skill is known as cognitive flexibility and it helps you adapt to changing situations, switch between tasks and manage distractions. Trying out these tests is great, but how do you know if you're improving? After all, when you have spent time trying to improve your walking speed, or Stroop ability – or even rubbing your head, patting your belly while saying the Finnish alphabet out loud – it's important to know if you are seeing benefits. Some measures, like single-leg stance, can vary wildly from day to day – or even hour to hour. You might get better just from repeating it, which doesn't necessarily mean you're ageing better, just that you've practised. Others, like grip strength, change very slowly even with regular strength training. And some improvements are task-specific: getting better at the trail making test doesn't necessarily make you sharper at doing Wordle. That's why it helps to complete the test a few times at the start, then retest yourself once a month or so – again, doing it a couple of times – to track any improvements. Cognitive changes may be slower to notice than physical ones, so regular checks can help reveal progress over time. MORE OF A PUZZLE THAN A TEST There's no single test or score that can capture how well you're ageing. Think of it more like a jigsaw puzzle. Physical health, mental agility, emotional balance, social connection – they all matter and they all interact. And, of course, even if you perform well now, some changes in the future may be beyond your control. No test can fully predict what lies ahead. At the end of the day, maybe the best sign of ageing well isn't how fast you walk or how long you can stand on one leg – it's how you feel about your life. Are you feeling engaged, content, connected? Tools like the Scale of Positive and Negative Experience can help you take stock of your emotional well-being. This short, 12-question survey asks about your everyday feelings – from joy and calm to sadness and frustration – offering insight into both the pleasurable (hedonic) and meaningful (eudaimonic) sides of well-being. Ageing well isn't about beating a stopwatch or acing a memory test. It's about knowing yourself – your body, your mind and your values – and making small, meaningful changes that help you feel more you. So, go ahead, stand on one leg if you like. But don't forget to check in with your brain, body, emotions and your sense of purpose too.
BBC News
21-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Universities in Wales facing 'massive' financial challenges
Universities in Wales face "massive" financial challenges but none are at risk of going bust in the next 12 months, the head of the body which funds and regulates them has chief executive Simon Pirotte said the eight institutions reached a total deficit of £77m for 2023-24, compared to a £21m surplus the previous planning for their future was "extremely difficult" in a "volatile and changing environment", he warned Senedd universities face higher costs that include staff pay increases, a rise in employer National Insurance contributions and energy prices whilst the number of higher paying international students has fallen, said Mr Pirotte. The £77m figure includes one-off restructuring costs. A rise in the tuition fee cap for home undergraduates to £9,535 for 2025-26, after being frozen at £9,000 between 2012 and 2024, was not enough to cover cost pressures, said Mr plans, including university-wide voluntary redundancies schemes, have been announced by Aberystwyth, Bangor, Cardiff, Cardiff Metropolitan, Swansea, and the University of South Wales. More limited plans have also been announced by University of Wales: Trinity Saint a document submitted to the Senedd's education committee, Medr says a "number of institutions have significant transformation activities to implement in order to secure their longer-term financial sustainability".However Mr Pirotte told the committee: "We do not believe that any institution in Wales is at risk of failure in the immediate short term."Medr, he said, was "working closely with institutions to understand their medium and long-term forecasts and plans"."I think the future is really challenging. That's why institutions are addressing the issue now because they have to," he difficult decisions universities were making were to "prevent that falling over of a university further down the line".Medr chief operating officer James Owen said an additional £28.5m the Welsh government announced for universities in February for the current year had been welcomed.
Powys County Times
21-05-2025
- Powys County Times
Aberystwyth named among happiest places to live in the UK
A "spectacular" coastal town near Powys has been named among the happiest places to live in the UK. From York to Penzance, and everywhere in between, The Guardian has come up with a list of the happiest places to live in the UK. Introducing the list, the news outlet said: "What makes a place somewhere good to live? Where might we be happiest if we had the choice of going anywhere? "It's an almost impossible question, as we do not all thrive on the same things, but there are some that are universally agreed to be conducive to cheeriness. Tips for first-time buyers "Our lengthy initial list was the basis for discussion, research and on-the-ground reporting. "Out of that came our pick of places that generally scored highest as happy places to live. "There may well be people who disagree with our choices. And I'm afraid we cannot guarantee a joyous life to everyone who lives in any of the places we have featured. "But one of them could be your happy place." The Guardian considered several factors when coming up with the list: The happiest places to live in the UK The top three happiest places to live in the UK, according to The Guardian, are: Berwick-upon-Tweed Evesham Caernarfon The best of the rest (by region) North Durham York Padiham South Devizes Lewes Newport (Isle of Wight) Exeter Penzance Chichester Cirencester Aylesbury Midlands Chesterfield Shrewsbury Worcester Scotland Perth Haddington Wales Aberystwyth London The Ridgeway (Enfield) Surbiton North Clapham Junction Bounds Green Bromley What makes Aberystwyth one of the UK's happiest places to live? Aberystwyth was recommended for its "spectacular" setting and location - "a long way from any main city". The Guardian explained: "Aber, as it is often known, sits on Cardigan Bay, and Ireland is the next place you would make landfall if you were to set off westwards. "The sunsets are spectacular and on balmy evenings attract a crowd to the sweeping promenade. "You can surf along this coast and play golf at some lovely links courses. "Inland sits miles of rugged, sheep-dotted countryside, the peaks and valleys of the Cambrian Mountains where the rivers Severn and Wye rise." The landscape is not just popular among locals and visitors, but film crews as well, with several movies and TV shows using Aberystwyth as a backdrop. But it's not just all about landscapes and tourism. The Guardian continued: "Aberystwyth is home to a university and major hospital, making it a diverse and vibrant place. "The university campus, perched on Penglais Hill above the town, teaches students from more than 100 countries, lending the town more of a global feel than might be expected. "Also on the hill is the National Library of Wales, one of the great libraries of the world. "Opened in 1907, it is at the centre of research into the culture and heritage of Wales and the other Celtic nations, and home to rare books, manuscripts, archives, film and video, newspapers, maps and works of art." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Aberystwyth University (@ There is also the Arts Centre in Aberystwyth which is described as "a hub for culture, creativity and entertainment" from gigs and theatre shows to exhibitions and screenings of independent films. Aberystwyth is also a "stronghold" when it comes to Cymraeg – the Welsh language. The Guardian said: "The language is spoken in the streets, the shops and all the public institutions. "There are lots of courses on offer to those who wish to learn and doing so is bound to increase understanding of the town, the region and the country." The coastal town also boasts "lovely" architecture as well as its own pier. "Elegant Victorian and Edwardian terraces look out on to beaches of dark sand and shingle," The Guardian explained. "There is a nice alternative feel to Aberystwyth. "For decades people with an interest in the environment and a desire to escape the rat race have found a new home here." If you're looking to relocate to Aberystwyth, a characterful three-bedroomed townhouse in the town centre, a short walk from the beach, will set you back around £225,000.
Telegraph
21-05-2025
- Telegraph
How Aberystwyth plans to revive the glory days of the British seaside
It was a hub of lead mining and shipbuilding. It boomed again thanks to genteel Victorians taking the seaside air, turning it into the ' Biarritz of Wales'. And, more recently, it provided the backdrop to a genre-defying Welsh noir. The idiosyncratic seaside resort of Aberystwyth, 'Aber' to the locals, pivots around its Norman castle and twin beaches – and maintains an isolated air thanks to its westerly position on Cardigan Bay. Proudly Welsh-speaking, it's now home to the National Library of Wales, the nation's largest arts centre, and bolstered by a lively student population during university term times. But there's also an air of faded grandeur, with some of the pastel-coloured Victorian and Edwardian resort hotels in desperate need of some love. The arrival of the railway in the 1860s transformed the town's fortunes, establishing a thriving coastal resort; the opening of the Royal Pier, the first in Wales, soon followed. The current version is somewhat shorter than its 1865 original after a series of heavy storms, but it retains a kiss-me-quick array of arcade games, attractions and bars. There are green shoots of regeneration, too. The first phase of the wave-crashed promenade's £10.8 million facelift is almost complete, although the introduction of promenade parking charges is a bugbear to locals. The renaissance of the Old College, the grand old Victorian building that first served as the first home of the University of Wales, should be completed by 2027, with a new cultural centre and a four-star hotel. Britain's only statue of Edward VIII, who abdicated, will be restored to its starring role upon reopening. The wider Ceredigion coastline, too, has plenty to offer, forming part of the 870-mile Wales Coast Path. Expect spectacular hiking, tales of smugglers and shipwrecks, and possible glimpses of bottlenose dolphins south towards Cardigan at Mwnt beach. What's it really like? Aber wears its quirks with pride, a tradition celebrated by the author Malcolm Pryce in his detective novel Aberystwyth Mon Amour. There's offbeat charm to the back streets, plus old-school seaside fun, but also stylish cafés and boutiques. It's these contrasts that struck me most of all. For every top-notch café such as the Cabin, or Driftwood Designs, with its cool Cymru souvenirs, there's a Lip-Licking Fried Chicken. And for every dive-bombing seagull after your chips, there are people sitting on the beach, fed by street-food carts, soaking up another glorious Aber sunset. Independent outlets worth checking out include Ystwyth Books, a second-hand seller, or the Bottle & Barrel for a range of Welsh craft ales. And for fans of the television series Hinterland, the original Welsh noir, it's location-spotting heaven. The programme recast the region as the murder capital of Mid Wales and made much of its folkloric back story with ominous inland visits to Devil's Bridge, located at the end of the heritage Vale of Rheidol Railway, and the spookily submerged forest at Borth to the north. What's not to like? Sunbathing is a gritty experience. The beach is more shingle than sand thanks to offshore currents – the sand ends up at Harlech. A promenade stroll is great for sea air, albeit tempered with regular wafts of rotting seaweed. It was captured in 1404 by Welsh folk hero Owain Glyndwr, but destroyed on the instruction of Oliver Cromwell so that it could not be used against him during the Civil War in the 1640s. Do this… Visitors have been strolling along the 1½-mile promenade since the time of Queen Victoria, with the tradition of kicking the iron bar at the end of Marine Terrace for good luck. Constitution Hill, at the top of visitor hub North Beach, offers widescreen bay views and glimpses of the mountains of Snowdonia on a clear day. Take the Aberystwyth Electric Light Railway, the longest electric cliff railway in Britain, to the top and visit the Camera Obscura. For a culture fix, the National Library of Wales maintains the tradition of more books than people in Aber, including the oldest existing Welsh text, the 12th-century Black Book of Carmarthen. It hosts regular events and exhibitions. Eat this… Most people make a beeline for Ultracomida, the excellent deli-café on Pier Street, with its Aladdin's cave of Iberian, French and Welsh foodie treats. But hidden-gem alternatives include the Italian coffee house Agnelli's, a bustling, family-run place for Italian coffees, pastries (try a Sicilian lemon cannoli) and a small lunch menu. Medina is a great place for all-day dining, the north African-motif venue having transformed an old spit-and-sawdust pub. It turns into a popular restaurant by night and the owners also run an open-air kiosk for snacks on the promenade. But don't do this… The Ceredigion Museum, sharing a building with the tourist information centre and the Coliseum Coffee House downstairs, documents Aberystwyth's history against an elegant backdrop of a restored Edwardian theatre. But the museum closes this May for maintenance work, with the Grade II-listed building expected to reopen in 2026/27. It plans to host pop-up displays in the interim. From a local Sean Westlake is the chairman of the Wales Official Tourist Guides Association and based in Aberystwyth. He says: 'Aber has everything you need, from cultural events via shopping to coastal walks. Yet, within 15 minutes, you're lost among waterfalls and mountains, watching the red kites circling overhead. Most of all, Aber has the best sunsets in Wales.' From a tourist Carys Mitchell, 11, and Olivia Mitchell, eight, visiting from Hamilton, New Zealand, are having a day out with auntie Ffion and nanny Vera (Mitchell). They say: 'We're having a day at the seaside, loving the ice creams and arcade games on the pier. We like the different-coloured houses. It looks very different to the North Island back home.' Chris and Jayne Maxwell are visiting from Telford, Shropshire: 'Aberystwyth is our go-to seaside day trip from Shropshire. I've been coming for years on my motorbike, but it looks on the up these days with new investment. Aber took a battering in the 2015 storm but it's cleaner and smarter these days. It's perfect for a sunny day.' Get there Aberystwyth is the terminus for Transport for Wales services with connection to Shrewsbury in two hours and Birmingham New Street in three. By car, take the A44 via Welshpool, and follow the A487 into the town centre. Stay here Gwesty'r Marine Hotel & Spa (doubles from £135 B&B) is a classic seaside hotel a short walk from the train station. Book a sea-view room and the sounds of the waves will lull you to sleep.
