Bodyfriend Presents Dementia Care Session at 'Dementia Forum X Korea'

"Massage Chair Programs Help Senior Stress Management"

Bodyfriend announced on the 1st that Min Aran, a psychiatrist and head of the Medical R&D Center, presented the latest research results on "Digital Stress Management Technology for Dementia Prevention" at the care session of "Dementia Forum X Korea." Photo by Bodyfriend

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] Bodyfriend announced on the 1st that Mina Ran, director and psychiatrist at the Medical R&D Center, presented the latest research results on "Digital Stress Management Technology for Dementia Prevention" at the care session of the Dementia Forum X (DFx) Korea.

Dementia Forum X (DFx) is an international forum launched in 2015 by SCI (Swedish Care International), a Swedish international dementia organization. It is considered one of the world's top three dementia forums alongside the International Alzheimer's Disease Association (ADI) Conference and the Alzheimer's Association (AA) International Conference.

In her forum presentation, Director Min emphasized, "When exposed to stress, the level of cortisol, a representative stress hormone secreted in the blood, increases. When subjected to repeated stress, a sustained high cortisol state causes neurotoxicity and oxidative stress in the hippocampus, the brain region responsible for memory and emotions. Therefore, managing seniors' stress below a certain level is very important for preventing dementia and cognitive decline."

She reported recent research findings that "relaxation massage lowers cortisol levels and improves short-term memory," and introduced, "The 'Breathing Relaxation' program embedded in our products continuously guides deep diaphragmatic breathing through voice instructions when concentration is difficult and stress is high. This stimulates the vagus nerve, activating the parasympathetic nervous system to promote whole-body relaxation and emotional regulation. The 'Relaxation Training' is based on progressive muscle relaxation, commonly used to control daily anxiety in patients with anxiety disorders."

The 'Meditation Massage Program,' developed in collaboration with the Korean Society of Meditation Medicine, includes body scan and focused meditation using physical stimuli. With spatial sound design, it is a healing massage program that helps easily and conveniently relieve stress and tension through rest when overwhelmed by excessive stress in daily life.

Finally, Director Min concluded her presentation by stating, "In the untact era where face-to-face interaction is difficult due to COVID-19, Bodyfriend massage chairs plan to propose an active senior life by connecting people through communication, providing emotional support, and cognitive function training."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.