Did You Forget?
Have you ever walked into a room in your own home and wondered what on earth you came in for? I have! It’s embarrassing to admit. But, honestly, after the age of 50, my brain started to get a little less sharp. I also started to forget people’s names almost as soon as they’d introduced themselves – ugh! And as a researcher and writer, I’d try to force a piece of complicated data into my brain, hoping it would stick… but alas, the next day it had disappeared into the ether. This is why I had to figure out how to improve my memory!
So, I took it upon myself to get serious about improving my memory. If your memory isn’t as razor sharp as it used to be, don’t worry! There are simple lifestyle changes that can significantly improve your memory. This has been my experience over the past 5 years. Since I put these “How To Improve Your Memory – 7 Simple Tips into practice over the last 5 years, my memory has dramatically improved. Same with my husband.
How To Improve Your Memory – 7 Simple Tips
Exercise
This is so simple. Don’t overthink it. Recent research conducted by the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at the University of California, Los Angeles found that those who walked over 4,000 steps a day could significantly boost their attention, cognitive skills and memory. And this is just 4,000 steps. Most fitness trackers recommend 10,000 steps daily, and so do I. So, at the very least aim for one mile (or equivalent) a day. And if you can pack in extra exercise in the form of walking, hiking, swimming, rebounding, gentle weight-training etc, even better! I generally tell my clients to aim for about 40 minutes a day of moderate to intense exercise.
Sleep
I cannot overestimate the importance of getting 8 hours sleep a night. The National Sleep Foundation recommends that those in the age range of 26 – 64 should get 7-9 hours of sleep per night. Poor sleep quality in seniors can cause memories to stay stuck in the part of the brain called the hippocampus, instead of being transferred to the prefrontal cortex. The latter is where memories are stored. Deep sleep is crucial for storing memories.
If you have trouble sleeping, there may be a myriad of causes, including: an overload of stress, hormonal imbalance (hello menopause!), adrenal burnout etc. I recommend digging a little deeper to find the cause. You may need to have a hormone panel done to see if there are any hormonal imbalances that need to be addressed. This panel should also address cortisol levels, and thusly indicate whether you have adrenal fatigue.
I recommend that you turn off all “blue” lights at least an hour before you go to bed. “Blue light” is the name used when referring to the light waves that come from a screen, an alarm clock, electronics, and energy-saving light-bulbs. Blue light affects your pineal gland, which in turn affects your body’s ability to produce melatonin (the sleep hormone).
Connect Face-To-Face
Most of us live in a virtual world nowadays. We connect with people. through our screens. Although this is very useful, it doesn’t take the place of a face-to-face connection with those we love. When we really connect with family and friends, stress levels significantly decrease. We are tribal by nature. When we connect physically (instead of virtually), we are more likely to belly laugh, to cry, to engage, and to hug. All of the above feel good. It’s calming and therapeutic to constantly connect with those who we feel our soul mates. And one of the sadnesses of modern-day society is loneliness. I saw this when my daughter was in middle school. All the girls connected through their phones from their lonely little bedrooms. It occurred to me that this had taken the place of what used to be, “sitting on the stoop”. Yep, it starts early now. So, as adults, it’s important to carve out time for human connection. Especially as we get older. Why not reach out to someone you care about today, and plan to meet up?
Brain Supplements!
Did you know that there is a supplement that you can take that will help to improve your memory! It has helped me enormously. Taking a supplement like Natrol Cognium can help you stay mentally strong. It features a unique silk protein ingredient that is clinically shown to improve memory in healthy adults and is also safe and stimulant free. The active ingredient in Natrol Cognium is the #1 most clinically studied ingredient for memory among leading brain health supplements. In multiple human clinical trials, participants showed statistically significant improvement in memory and recall. Natrol Cognium has scientific support showing it works to help you stay sharp even though the effects may vary per person. When used as directed, you’ll see results in 3-4 weeks and experience your own “Cognium Moment.” My Cognium Moments happen when I feel my best and am most confident because Natrol Cognium helped me. It makes me feel like “I’ve got this” and things start to comes easily to me again.
Natrol Cognium is available nationwide at select drug and vitamin retailers. Be sure to grab a $4 off coupon here for your next bottle of Cognium so you can experience your own Cognium Moments.
Meditation
I can honestly say that the thing that’s helped me more than I can even adequately write about here, is mediation. Studies now show us that meditation can help dramatically with age-related memory decline. I am a big fan of daily meditation. I practice both mindfulness meditation and Transcendental Meditation. It has made such a difference is my life that I try to teach meditation to all of my readers and clients. And it’s why I give you a daily guided meditation on my 21-Day At-Home Wellness Retreats. Click here to find out when the next retreat is coming up.
Learn Something New!
There’s a reason why seniors who do crossword puzzles and Sudoko to keep their brains sharp. Our brain needs to continue to create new brain cells, and this is exactly what these kinds of games help us to do. My dad is 94, and despite being stone deaf, his mind is pretty sharp. He still does multiple crossword puzzles daily. And until the age of 90, he was taking online University courses in everything from astronomy to Egyptian culture. Go figure!
Antioxidants
As a board-certified nutritionist, I am a huge proponent of a whole food plant-based diet. I run 31-Day Plant-Powered Challenges throughout the year because I know that everyone will feel so much better when they quadruple the amount of plants they usually eat. Eating a variety of fruits and veggies will give us a broad-spectrum of the antioxidants we need for overall health, and specifically for brain health. Make sure you try to eat the colors of the rainbow. If you are interested in getting on the “First To Know” list for my next plant-powered challenge, click here.
Grab a $4 off coupon here for your next bottle of Cognium.
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This post is sponsored by NATROL, but the content and opinions expressed here are my own. These statements I’ve made about Natrol have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any diseases.
