Keeping Mind & Memory Sharp

Keeping both mind and memory sharp is vital to a full life. Anyone who has misplaced glasses or forgotten the name of the boss’ husband knows the agony of a memory gone AWOL.

In more severe cases, a slump in our mental abilities can be a sign of dementia or other serious conditions.

As we age, all of us risk experiencing a gradual decline in cognitive abilities. However, many experts believe we can take steps to recharge the mental batteries and prevent or delay age-related “brain drain.”

Use the following techniques to keep your gray matter “in the pink.”  

Remembering Not to Forget

Memory problems are among the most common symptoms of age-related cognitive decline. The three types of memory are short-term memory (events that happened in the past few instants), recent memory (events that occurred in the past several hours) and remote memory (events that occurred long ago).

In your 20s, brain cells begin to die off and production of certain brain-boosting chemicals subsides. Over time, these changes impact your ability to remember, particularly in terms of recent memory.

To boost memory, try the following:

• Write things down. Committing a note or idea to paper helps fix it in your memory. Repeating the words aloud as you write may make you feel silly, but the payoff is even better memory retention. If your memory fails despite these measures, you’ll still have a written reminder of what you are trying not to forget.
• Visualize. Create a visual image by drawing a picture of what you are trying to remember. Or, simply create an image of the item in your mind’s eye. For example, imagine your favorite dress hanging over your car door. Doing so may help you to remember pick up your laundry from the cleaners when you walk out to your parked vehicle at the end of the workday.
• Organize. Keeping things organized in an orderly, logical fashion helps you recall important information. For example, place your wallet and keys in the same spot on the kitchen counter every day, and you’ll never have to search for them again. Taking medications at the same time every day will keep you from forgetting to treat yourself. A small calendar tucked into a pocket or purse can helps you remember appointments, phone numbers and other information.   

Stretching Your Brain

To keep the mind sharp, try the following brain-boosting activities:

• Read. Put your mind through a workout by curling up with a good novel or reading the paper every day over morning coffee. This also helps you to relax and makes you more worldly and interesting.
• Play games. Working on crossword puzzles or playing word games such as Scrabble can help you build a bigger vocabulary. Many games – including chess and various card games – are inherently social activities that keep the mind active through conversation and friendly debate.
• Learn. Whenever you learn something new, the brain creates new connections between nerve cells, enhancing overall brain function. Almost any type of learning will do – studying a foreign language, enrolling in a cooking course, learning to play poker, even volunteering at a soup kitchen.
• Exercise. Research suggests that physical exercise helps keep your brain in tip-top shape. Exercise increases blood flow to all areas of the body, including the brain. It may also delay damage to brain tissue that typically begins in your 40s. To get the full benefit, it is important to exercise for at least 30 minutes three times a week or more.

When to Call the Doctor

Our mind normally slows and memory grows dimmer with age. However, cognitive decline sometimes indicates more serious problems, such as developing dementia. 

Certain symptoms may indicate potential trouble, such as struggling to perform actions you’ve done many times before. Other signs of potentially serious cognitive problems include repeatedly forgetting things more often in the past, experiencing difficulty learning new things and repeating yourself over the course of a conversation.

If you experience any of these symptoms, you are urged to consult a physician.

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