Memory Tips: You can sharpen your memory at any age
by Kara Lennox, artist and founder of Memo-PauseTM
A poor memory is not an inevitable condition of
aging. Although we do lose neurons as we get older, brain experts say
it's more a matter of speed than capacity. As we age, we might not be
able to commit names to memory, or pull something out of our memories,
as fast as we once did. But we can still do it.
Here are some great tips for improving your memory function--great no
matter what your age!
1. Tell yourself daily that you have a good memory, and that you intend to remember important things. Having a positive attitude about memory is helpful--really. So no more complaining to people that you can't remember anything. If you work at it, you'll be surprised at how well your memory can serve you.
2. Focus. If you're in a situation where something is going on that you want to remember, focus and quietly tell yourself you will remember anything that's important. It takes eight seconds to process a piece of information and store it in your brain. So when you meet someone new, repeat their name silently in your mind several times while studying their face.
3. Relate new information to things you already know. Forgetting names is one of the most annoying memory lapses. So say you meet someone named Marjorie, and you have an aunt named Marjorie. And say your Aunt Marjorie likes to play checkers. Picture the new Marjorie playing checkers! The sillier and/or more emotion-laden you can make this mental picture, the better. Remember, give it eight seconds. This technique works really well. (When you have a moment, you can jot down names in your Memo-PauseTM, too.)
4. Exercise your mind on a regular basis. Challenge yourself with crossword puzzles, word games, memory games. Play Match
with your grandkids. Watch So You Want to Be A Millionaire, Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune. Play bridge. Studies have shown that regular bridge players are less likely to get Alzheimers.
5. Exercise. In addition to promoting circulation directly to the brain, which helps immediately with memory, regular exercise also staves off memory-debilitating diseases and increases healthy chemicals that protect brain cells, so your memory stays sharp.
6. Break your patterns, try new things. Something as simple as taking a new route to work can create new neural pathways in your brain. Try new foods, or perform routine tasks, like brushing your teeth or laundry, with your non-dominant hand.
7. Eat the right foods. New studies are popping up all the time that show how important various foods and vitamins are to our brains. Get plenty of vitamins B6, B12 and C, and eat foods rich in antioxidants and beta-carotine. Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for healthy brain functioning. Fish really is good brain food!) Also, really important: stay properly hydrated. And for goodness sake, please quit smoking. Talk about aging your brain!
8. Do what you can to relieve stress. Stress makes it hard to concentrate, and unrelieved, long-term stress can actually damage your hippocampus, a part of your brain essential for processing information that goes into your memory. Yoga and meditation are great tools for relieving stress. Staying organized by using your Memo-Pause™ helps you relax, too!
Here are a couple of web pages, all about memory
and how to improve it:
Improving Memory
Memory Improvement
Techniques
And a memory test you can take, plus tips on how to
improve memory:
Real Age Memory Test