20 Easy Ways to Boost Your Memory
By Paula Spencer Scott, Caring.com senior editor
Worried about fading brain power? If you're older than 27, you have good
reason. That's the age when cognitive skills start to decline, according to
University of Virginia research. But while some changes in thinking and memory
are inevitable as we age, the good news is that lifestyle seems to be able to blunt
those effects -- and keep many minds working sharply well into old age.
That's reassuring, given headlines from the Alzheimer's Association's annual report showing that every 68 seconds, someone in the U.S. develops Alzheimer's (the most common form of dementia).
Debilitating memory loss doesn't happen to everyone, though. Learn what you can do to preserve yours.
Memory
Booster #1. Take the stairs
Exercise benefits your head as much as the rest of your body, a growing
number of studies indicate. Overall cardiorespiratory fitness also lowers the
risk of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular problems -- all known risk
factors for Alzheimer's disease. Theories on why that's so range from improved
blood flow to the brain to less brain shrinkage.Experts recommend making regular aerobic workouts part of your routine. Failing that, it appears that even small efforts add up. So avoid elevators. Park at the far end of the parking lot. Start by walking around your block in the evenings, and add a few minutes more each day.
Memory
Booster #2: Change your wallpaper
When doing routine things, the brain runs on autopilot. Novelty, on the
other hand, literally fires up the brain as new data creates and works new
neural pathways.So shake up what you see and do every day: If your computer screen background is "invisible" to you, run a program that mixes it up every day or every hour. Take a different route home from work. Brush your teeth with your nondominant hand. Buy, borrow, or download a book that makes you think about new ideas.
Memory
Booster #3. Steal some zzz's by daylight
It's while you're sleeping that your brain sorts, consolidates, and stores
memories accumulated during the day -- that's why eight hours at night is so
valuable. But a mere six-minute nap is as valuable as a full night's sleep to
short-term recall, according to German research. And a 90-minute nap has been
shown to speed up the process that helps the brain consolidate long-term
memories.
Memory
Booster #4. Take a mental "photograph"
Memories aren't just stored in one spot in the brain; bits of data are
processed and stored in different areas. To help make the memory of an incident
last, take a "snapshot" of it while you're in the moment, using all
your senses. Look around and think about what you see. Notice colors and
textures. What do you smell? If you're eating or drinking (or kissing), what's
the taste?This "mental camera" trick can help you hang onto a happy memory longer. But it can also help you remember where you parked your car.
Memory Booster #5. Eat less
After only 12 weeks, healthy volunteers (average age 60) who reduced their
daily calories by 30 percent scored 20 percent better on memory tests,
University of Munster (Germany) researchers have reported. The possible reason:
decreased levels of insulin, created when the body processes food, and of the
inflammation-associated molecule C-reactive protein. Both factors are linked to
improved memory function.The people in the study were cautioned not to consume fewer than 1,200 calories a day. If cutting back on your diet by nearly a third seems too daunting, focus on eating less fat, meat, and dairy products. Columbia University Medical Center researchers reported that in a long-term study of more than 1,300 participants, those with the highest adherence to a Mediterranean diet -- rich in vegetables, legumes, fish, and monounsaturated oils (like olive oil) but low in fat, beef, and dairy -- had the lowest risk of developing mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease.
Memory
Booster #6. Try a "brain-training" game -- or join a "brain
gym"
The science is promising, if not conclusive, as to whether so-called
brain-fitness software can actually improve memory. A study in the April 2009
*Journal of the American Geriatric Society* shows that people over 65 who used
a computerized cognitive training program for an hour a day, over a period of
eight weeks, improved memory and attention more than a control group.
Memory
Booster #7. Spend some time online
Neuroscientist Gary Small, director of the UCLA Memory & Aging Center
and author of *iBrain*, says searching the Web is a bit like using a
brain-training course. His researchers used MRI to measure brain activity in
Web users ages 55 to 76; the net-savvy users showed twice as much brain
activity, especially regarding decision making.
Memory
Booster #8. Stop and sip a cuppa
Green and black teas have a protective effect on memory, possibly by
influencing enzymes in the brain. The caffeine sparks concentration, too. And
people who drink moderate amounts of coffee at midlife -- as many as three to
five cups -- have lower odds of developing dementia in late life, Finnish and
French researchers say.Another benefit: Taking a coffee or tea break in your day (or three times a day) is a good opportunity for destressing.
Memory
Booster #9. See a doctor if you feel depressed
Maybe it's "just a mood." But untreated depression is common and
can impair memory. Talk therapy and/or antidepressant medication can resolve
the problem. Two red flags worth mentioning to a physician: a loss of interest
in things that once gave you pleasure and a persistent sense of hopelessness.People at higher risk for depression include caregivers of older people and those who have a family history of depression.
Memory
Booster #10. Take the "multi" out of your tasking
Especially when they're trying to learn something new, people remember less
well later if they were multitasking while learning, UCLA researchers have
shown. If, for example, you're studying while listening to the radio, your
memory recall may be dependent on the music to help you later retrieve the
information during the test -- except, of course, that you can't usually
replicate the same circumstances (like music during a test).Try to learn something new -- reading a contract or directions, copying a skill -- when you can give it your full concentration. Cut out distractions like the TV in the background or pausing every few seconds when you hear the "ding" of your e-mail or text-message inbox.
Memory
Booster #11. Keep your blood sugar under control
If you're diabetes-free, work to maintain a normal weight and follow a balanced
diet to reduce your odds of developing the disease. If you're a type 2 diabetic
already, follow medical advice for managing blood sugar levels.Research shows that brain functioning subtly slows as diabetics' blood sugar rises and the blood vessels that supply the brain are damaged. This process begins well before memory problems become obvious, or even before there's a diabetes diagnosis.
Memory
Booster #18. Waggle your eyes back and forth
To help you remember something important, scan your eyes from side to side
for 30 seconds. This little exercise helps unite the two hemispheres of the
brain, say researchers at Manchester Metropolitan University in England. When
the two hemispheres communicate well, you're better able to retrieve certain
types of memories.
Memory
Booster #13. Eat your green vegetables
There's no such thing as an "anti-Alzheimer's diet." But people
who are deficient in folate and vitamin B12 have an increased risk of
developing dementia. (The research is iffy, in comparison, on the benefits of
taking so-called memory enhancers: vitamin C supplements, ginkgo biloba, and
vitamin E.)Great vegetable sources of folate include romaine lettuce, spinach, asparagus, turnip greens, mustard greens, parsley, collards, broccoli, cauliflower, and beets. For you vegetable haters, the nutrient is also abundant in lentils, calf's liver, pinto beans, and black beans.
Memory
Booster #14. Don't ignore sleep apnea
People with sleep apnea -- a condition involving blocked airways that
causes people to briefly stop breathing during sleep -- show declines in brain
tissue that stores memory, researchers at UCLA have reported.More than 12 million Americans have obstructive sleep apnea. If your doctor has suggested you have the condition, be vigilant about trying treatment, which can include wearing oral appliances and "masks," losing weight, and surgery.
Memory
Booster #15. Learn something new that's a real departure for you
If you're a sudoku fan, you might think a good way to stretch your mind
would be to take up a different Japanese numbers game, like kenken or kakuro.
But an even better strategy for a nimble brain is to pursue a new kind of
activity using skills far different from those you're accustomed to using.If you ordinarily like numbers, try learning a language. If you're an ace gardener, try painting flowers instead.
Memory Booster #16. Quit smoking
The relationship between smoking and Alzheimer's disease is hazy. But
smokers do develop the disease years earlier than nonsmokers.In case you were looking for another good reason to quit.
Memory
Booster #17. Eat some chocolate!
Every year some study extols the virtue of dark chocolate, and the effects
of this wonder-food (or, at least, wonderful food) on memory have not gone
ignored by researchers. In 2007, a *Journal of Neuroscience *study reported on
the memory-boosting effects in rats of a plant compound called epicatechin,
possibly because it fueled blood vessel growth.In addition to cocoa, epicatechin is found in blueberries, grapes, and tea.
Memory Booster
#18. Put everything in its place
While novelty is like growth hormone to the brain, your memory needs a
certain amount of familiarity to keep your life functioning smoothly. Place
your keys and glasses in the same place all the time. Write notes to yourself
as reminders (the very act of writing will help your recall). If you want to
remember your umbrella tomorrow morning, place it right at the door, so you
won't miss it.
Memory Booster #19. Don't retire
Good news for those who can no longer afford to quit: Provided you like
your work, you're helping your brain by sticking with it as long as you can. A
satisfying work life offers social stimulation and decision-making
opportunities -- and exercises problem-solving skills.Next best: Volunteering, such as at a school or museum, where your training involves learning new material and the task involves interacting with others.
Memory Booster #20. Throw a
party
Being around other people lowers one's risk of developing dementia. The
catch: They should be people you enjoy who make you feel engaged and
stimulated. People who are physically isolated (not around people) or
emotionally isolated (around people but feeling lonely nevertheless) are at
higher risk for depression.Just go easy on the alcohol at those parties. Studies on its effect on memory are mixed. Long-term, excessive drinking is clearly linked with dementia. Binge drinking also impairs short-term memory. On the other hand, for people who drink moderately (one drink a day), alcohol may have a protective effect. One study found that in people with mild cognitive impairment (mild memory loss that doesn't necessarily advance to dementia), those who drink less than one drink a day progressed to dementia at a rate 85 percent slower than teetotalers who didn't drink at all.
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