7 Great Tips To Improve Memory

The discussion in my father’s 80th birthday party centered on how his friends misplaced house keys or forgot to get right groceries from the super market. It was still more interesting and revealing to know how one of them even forgot his wife’s name and has been calling her “Anmol” for the past 10 years.  This made me remember the 7 great tips to improve memory that a famous gerontologist in New York told me.

The 7 great tips to improve memory:

1) Just as physical activity helps to keep the body in shape, mentally stimulating activities like doing crosswords or Sudoku or playing games like Scrabble with one’s family members helps keep the brain in shape, keeping memory loss at bay. Make it a point to read a section of the newspaper that you normally skip. Some have benefitted by learning something new like a musical instrument or a language, while others have benefitted volunteering for a community organization.

2) Loneliness leads to depression, stress and memory loss; it would be best to increase ones social interaction by finding opportunities to spend quality time with friends, family and others. Make it a point to attend social events you are invited to and invite people over to dine or spend time with you.

3) You could remember and recollect things better when you get organized; elders would benefit if they keep their keys, wallet and other essentials in a specified place. It would also help to organize ones home and jot down tasks, appointments and events in a special notebook; repeat each entry loudly as you write it to refresh your memory and check out items that you have completed. Again it would help to limit distractions and focus on remembering the information that you are likely to recall later. Some have also been helped by connecting information that they have to recall with something familiar like a song or word.

4) Make it a priority to get enough quality sleep; most adults need 7 to 8 hours of sleep a day. This would help consolidate your memory helping you to recall it down the road.

5) Memory power is enforced when you include physical activity in your daily routine; it increases blood supply to the whole body including the brain and keeps the memory sharp. It is best to include 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise spread over a week; if you do not have time for a full workout it is advisable to squeeze in 10 minute walks throughout the day.

6) Consume a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains; opt for fish, lean meat and skinless poultry and avoid drinking too much water and alcohol to avoid memory loss and confusion.

7) The doctor’s treatment recommendations for chronic conditions like depression, kidney or thyroid problems should be strictly followed and reviewed from time to time for better memory.

Be sure to consult your doctor if you still suffer from memory loss; he would be able to diagnose and suggest treatment depending on what is contributing to the memory loss.

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