Adopt healthy habits for a powerful memory

Getting more sleep, exercising, eating a healthy weight loss plan, and managing stress all contribute to a healthy brain and higher memory.

Mild changes in memory and pondering skills are common in old age. You may not remember a certain name or word, or you regularly forget where you set your keys or glasses. These small changes in cognition are a traditional a part of aging and typically nothing to fret about.

Yet they're powerful reminders that we'd like to do all the things we are able to to forestall cognitive decline and dementia. And a few of these strategies are the identical lifestyle habits that profit other features of health, including heart, blood vessel and gut health.

Get more sleep.

We need at the very least seven hours of sleep every night in order that the body can rest and the mind can perform its vital functions. During sleep, the brain's glymphatic system flushes out waste products produced by the brain, including toxins related to Alzheimer's disease (similar to the protein amyloid-beta).

“Sleep is also when your brain consolidates and stores information you've learned in long-term memory. If you don't get enough sleep, these functions can be impaired,” says Dr. Andrew Budson, cognitive and Says the chief of conduct. Neurologist on the VA Boston Healthcare System and co-author of the book Seven Steps to Managing Your Memory.

Eat healthy food.

A healthy weight loss plan will help prevent chronic inflammation (which might fuel Alzheimer's disease) and the variety of cognitive decline that results from silent “mini” strokes. These strokes block blood flow to the brain without causing any symptoms, slowly killing brain cells. “Over time, with accumulated damage in the brain, you can have dozens or hundreds of these small strokes,” Dr. Budson notes.

To protect yourself, generally avoid processed and sugary foods and animal fats (except fish): these are linked to poor heart health. Choose a Mediterranean-style weight loss plan as an alternative, which has been linked to lower risks of heart problems and cognitive decline. The weight loss plan includes fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, olive oil, and fish, in addition to moderate amounts of poultry and dairy.

Specific foods related to less cognitive decline include dark, leafy vegetables (bananas, spinach). fruits (strawberries, blueberries); and foods wealthy in omega-3 fatty acids (salmon, mackerel, walnuts).

exercise

Aerobic exercise — the sort that gets your heart and lungs pumping, like brisk walking — is taken into account a magic elixir for many features of health, including cognition.

Exercise stimulates the discharge of a strong molecule called brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which repairs brain cells, strengthens their connections, promotes the expansion of recent brain cells, and your hippocampus. increases the scale of memories). Exercise also increases blood flow to your brain and might protect the brain's system from flushing out toxins.

Dr. Budson recommends half-hour of aerobic exercise per day at the very least five days per week, unless approved by your doctor. And don't worry for those who've never been into exercise. “Starting a vigorous exercise program in midlife delays the onset of dementia by about 10 years. So whether you're 29 or 92, this is a great age to start exercising,” says Dr. Budson. ” says Dr Budson.

Try these techniques to make it easier to remember. Say the data out loud as you learn it, similar to an individual's name or a development within the news. Say it out loud again later that day and the following day as well. Break strings of numbers or letters into pieces. For example, as an alternative of 1214117563, think 12-14-11-75-63. Enter appointments into the calendar as soon as you arrange them, not later. Create acronyms to recollect lists of knowledge. For example: A grocery list of plums, apples, beans, chicken, almonds, and bread might be BABCAB. Create funny pictures to recollect your to-do list. For example, if you will have to go to the post office, buy some groceries, and take the garments off on the dry cleaner, imagine that you simply are all dressed without delay, pushing a grocery cart stuffed with mail. . Keep vital items like keys and glasses in the identical place day-after-day, so you mostly know where they're. Keep a pad and pen handy wherever it's essential jot down information: your kitchen, lounge, bedside, and even the glove box of your automotive.

Manage stress with mindfulness.

Stress makes it difficult to retrieve information stored within the brain. “When you're stressed, your brain prioritizes your ability to figure out what's going on and what you need to do,” explains Dr. Budson. “It prioritizes processes that allow you to retrieve your knowledge and memories faster.”

One method to manage stress is to practice mindfulness, a variety of meditation that helps you learn to regulate your attention by observing the sights, sounds, smells, and sensations you encounter.

Sensory observations, by the best way, make it easier to record and call up memories. “Put down your smartphone when you get home, for example, to focus on what you're doing, how you're feeling, and where you are,” suggests Dr. Budson. Take a moment.”

“Later, if you can't remember where you put your phone, think about the images and feelings you experienced the last time you had it. You'll remember that moment and You'll probably get your phone back.”

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