WAIT, WAIT…DON’T TELL ME!—NOVEL WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR MEMORY
We all have “senior moments” of forgetfulness—what an object is called, where we left our cell phone, where we put our keys. That’s because, along with everything else, our memories age. However, a healthy lifestyle will greatly support your mind and encourage your brain to grow new neurons, a process known as neurogenesis.
Here are some thoughts from the July 2017 Harvard Health letter, 4 tricks to rev up your memory:
“In terms of brain function, everyone has a decline over time in all areas, with the exception of vocabulary,” says Dr. Joel Salinas, a neurologist specializing in behavioral neurology and neuropsychiatry at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital.
How Memory Works
Memory involves three processes: encoding, recording, and retrieval. The brain receives and encodes (takes in) new information; the brain then records (stores) the information; finally, the brain retrieves information when you need it.
Many brain regions are involved in this process. For example, the cerebral cortex — the large outer layer of the brain — acquires new information as input from our senses. The amygdala tags information as being worthy of storage. Nearby, the hippocampus stores memories. And the frontal lobes help us consciously retrieve information.
Many people notice a difference in memory starting in their 50s. That’s when age-related chemical and structural changes can begin in brain regions involved with memory processing, such as the hippocampus or the frontal lobes. These changes may slow processing speed, making it hard to recall familiar names or words.
The article suggests these strategies (which we’ve heard before) to help improve memory: 1) Repeat what you hear out loud, 2) Make a note, 3) Make associations between old and new information, 4) Divide information into chunks.
I also consulted another article written by Jillian Kubala, MS, RD on March 26, 2018 in Healthline: 14 Natural Ways to Improve Your Memory. I’ve grouped the suggestions into what you probably already know and then into what I believe are some more novel ways to improve memory (in bold):
- Exercise More
- Maintain a Healthy Weight
- Get Enough Sleep
- Drink Less Alcohol
- Choose Anti-Inflammatory Foods
- Eat Less Added Sugar
- Cut Down on Refined Carbs
- Eat More Fish & Try a Fish Oil Supplement
- Get Your Vitamin D Levels Tested. Vitamin-D deficiency is very common and has been associated with age-related cognitive decline and dementia.
- Train Your Brain. Games that challenge your brain may help you strengthen your memory and may even reduce the risk of dementia. [Also. You could begin learning a foreign language or take up a musical instrument.]
11. Make Time for Meditation
Meditation isn’t just good for your body — it’s also good for your brain. Research suggests meditation may increase gray matter in the brain and improve spatial working memory.
12. Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness is a mental state in which you focus on your present situation, maintaining awareness of your surroundings and feelings. Mindfulness is used in meditation, but the two aren’t one and the same. Meditation is a more formal practice, whereas mindfulness is a mental habit you can use in any situation.
- Consider Curcumin
Curcumin is a compound found in high concentrations in turmeric root. It’s one of a category of compounds called polyphenols. It is a potent antioxidant and exerts powerful anti-inflammatory effects in the body. Multiple animal studies have found that curcumin reduces oxidative damage and inflammation in the brain and also lowers the quantity of amyloid plaques. These accumulate on neurons and cause cell and tissue death, leading to memory loss. In fact, amyloid plaque buildup may play a role in the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. [Recent research at UCLA has shown similar effects in humans. The body poorly absorbs Curcumin in its natural state. But the UCLA researchers used a formulation named Theracumin, which is well absorbed. A one-month supply costs about $53 and is available online.]
- Add Some Cocoa to Your Diet
Cocoa provides a powerful dose of antioxidants called flavonoids. Research suggests flavonoids are particularly beneficial to the brain. Make sure to choose dark chocolate with 70% cacao or higher so you get a concentrated dose of antioxidants.
And here’s one more suggestion—which we haven’t already discussed—from Dr. Joseph Mercola in the April 2014 article 7 Techniques to Help Improve Your Memory:
Stop Multitasking — “Used for decades to describe the parallel processing abilities of computers, multitasking is now shorthand for the human attempt to do simultaneously as many things as possible, as quickly as possible. Ultimately, multitasking may actually slow you down, make you prone to errors as well as make you forgetful.
Research shows you actually need about eight seconds to commit a piece of information to your memory, so if you’re talking on your phone and carrying in groceries when you put down your car keys, you’re unlikely to remember where you left them.
The opposite of multitasking would be mindfulness, which helps you achieve undistracted focus. If you find yourself trying to complete five tasks at once, stop yourself and focus your attention back to the task at hand.”
There you go! Try adding a few of these tips to your daily routine to boost your memory and you might not be saying “Wait, wait, don’t tell me!” quite so often.