5 expert-backed ways to boost your memory
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Nearly everyone has walked into a room and immediately forgotten why. But if the thought of forgetting bigger things stresses you out, you’re not alone.?
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“Memory is the big-ticket item. This is something that affects us all,” says Dr. Gary Small, professor and chair of psychiatry at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine.
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“A lot of what happens to our minds as we age is under our control, to some extent,” Small tells Fortune. Small suggests some ways to exercise the brain.
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1. Play games and puzzles
Play games or do puzzles that “train and not strain” your brain.
“You want to find the kind of puzzle or game that is challenging and engaging and fun, but not too difficult,” he says.
If done with balance, games—digital or not—can have a great impact on brain stimulation and memory.
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2. Be socially connected
Studies show that strong social ties are crucial to a happier life and can also lead to improved brain health.
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Small says taking a daily walk with a friend to chat and catch up can actually be a “triple threat against Alzheimer’s disease.”
“You get the cardiovascular workout; you’ll have the empathetic conversation, which is interesting and engaging; plus it will give your neural circuits a good workout,” he says.
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3. Look, snap, connect
Small says you can improve memory with this easy-to-remember technique: Look, snap, connect.
Look: Focus your attention.
Snap: Create a mental snapshot of what you want to recall later, which leverages the brain’s natural ability to recall things visually.?
Connect: Link those mental snapshots to a meaning. “If you make something meaningful, it will be memorable,” Small says.
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4. Physical exercise works out the brain too
When you do aerobic exercise, your heart pumps oxygen and nutrients to your brain cells. Human bodies produce proteins that enhance neural connections in the brain, which work to support sensory, motor, and cognitive skills that regulate behavior.?
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5. Eat a well-balanced diet
Small says it is important to consider consuming foods that will make your brain happy.
Limiting processed foods and refined sugars helps lower the risk of developing diabetes, which increases the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Read the full story by Jordyn Bradley here.
?? Aging Well Tip of the Week
This vitamin deficiency can cause forgetfulness and mimic symptoms of dementia—but it’s reversible. These are the signs to look for:
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