Some people can memorize facts, figures, and stories with little effort, but for others, memory can be tricky and elusive. But, regardless of how accurate your memory is, most people will lose memory function as they age. Keeping your brain agile and investing the time and effort into preserving memory function is essential.
To keep your brain healthy and ensure memory retention throughout your lifetime, there are some ideas you can implement in your daily life that don’t take much extra time. Here are some tips to improve your memory.
Some Overall Health Habits to Maintain Memory
Harvard Medical School details there are many choices individuals can make to reduce the chance of more extreme memory loss. While some changes may be inevitable due to age, they stress the importance of living a healthy lifestyle and doing things such as:
- Participating in regular exercise, as even just going on walks or attending fitness classes may improve your brain function.
- Eating a healthy diet that doesn’t include too many red meats or sweets.
- Working with a doctor to ensure you have a healthy balance of vitamins.
- Getting enough sleep. While it can be challenging to get enough sleep every night as life can be busy, sleep deprivation impacts your memory and many other brain functions.
Along with these essential healthy habits, you can do a few other things during your regular life to keep your memory sharp.
Ways To Focus Your Memory
Healthline mentions a few steps you can take to improve your memory naturally. Here are five good behaviors to add into your daily life:
- Learn to meditate, as doing so could increase gray matter in your brain and lead to better cognitive function.
- Try word games or memory games on your phone that help you focus. These apps are easy to download and a fun thing to do in your spare time, while also helping your brain.
- Reduce stress levels. If you’re constantly anxious, you’ll likely become more forgetful, and being stressed too often can have harmful impacts. Mayo Clinic also notes that stress leads to reduced memory function. One way to reduce stress is to work with a mental health professional to see about using medications or therapy.
- Socialize with others. Having a solid support system and social life is good for your health in many ways, including your memory.
- Take up a new instrument. Anything you do that challenges your brain to pick up a new skill will be good for your memory in the long run. Learning an instrument is an excellent idea as music is linked to memory in many ways. Music of all kinds can lead to improved mood and improved memory. But, if you don’t want to learn an instrument, even just singing in your car is a good option.
While these aren’t the only ways to keep your memory strong and agile, they are a good landing pad from which to jump.
What Should You Do If You’re Worried About Memory Loss?
Regardless of your age, if you’ve noticed frequent or significant changes to your memory, it’s best to reach out to a healthcare professional.
While some memory changes could be due to stress or other more fixable problems, it’s still vital to work with a physician who can diagnose the problem and ensure you are okay. If there is a long-term condition or concern, catching it earlier on will give you more opportunities to implement habits and interventions.
