How To Keep Your Mind And Memory Sharp
Do you keep on forgetting things or cannot remember names of familiar faces? If this is happening to you, maybe you’re having serious memory lapses. Memory lapses can happen at any age.
Memory loss can be caused by brain injury, neurological or organic problems, and maybe because of the fact that you’re getting old.
As you age, you expect your bones, muscles and entire body system to slowly get weak. You might lessen your physical activity because of some muscular strains or joint pains that will affect your daily movements. Along with your body, it is not surprising that your brain is also starting to experience “senior moments”.
The thought of your mind deteriorating is scary. So as early as possible, it is important to preserve your mental abilities and reduce the risk of getting severe forgetfulness — dementia.
Here are routines and exercises you can do to keep your memory sharp.
Brain Memory Exercises
Never stop learning! The habit of being mentally active helps keep memory strong. Some examples of these mental exercises are pursuing a hobby, using all your senses in learning something new and unfamiliar, doing simple mental math or doing your computation on pens and papers, and not with a calculator.
Simple things like reading maps, doing shopping lists, organizing things, event dates, and address books can keep your mind sharp.
Reading engaging novels or any books of your interest helps preserve your focus. Sit and read for three hours without distraction. It’s a very satisfying and enriching activity.
Daily journaling by hand is a good way to increase awareness and maintain mental sharpness. Hand writing involves making strokes to create letters, activates part of your brain that involves memory and language rather than just pressing keyboard keys. This will reinforce your connection with familiar names, places, and things.
Tease your brain with crossword puzzles, Sudoku, jigsaw puzzles and the like. These games have not been well-established to help in cognitive deterioration but the more you got yourself into different mental activities, the better.
Play your favorite musical instrument because music stimulates learning, memory, and coordination skills of the brain.
Take Care Of Your Body
Best kinds of food for your memory are dark green, leafy vegetables – kale, collard greens, spinach and broccoli; avocado, sunflower seeds, peanuts and peanut butter, red wine, berries, whole grains, coconut oil, dark chocolates, egg yolks and rosemary.
You have to exercise regularly. Mind and body are interconnected, so what benefits the body will benefit the brain. At least 30 minutes of physical activity is enough to help maintain blood flow to the brain.
A good night sleep is very essential to the maintenance of mental health. This is not just a time out from your busy schedule but an opportunity for the brain to repair and restore its cells.
Drink lots of water to feel more alert. Staying hydrated can help maintain energy levels and keep your mind work at an optimum level. Fruit and vegetable juices help prevent Alzheimer’s disease.
Take some time to chill and meditate to relax your mind and body. Meditation clears the mind from unnecessary and persistent negative thoughts.
Control cholesterol levels and manage tension. These two contribute to stroke and heart disease which can increase the possibility to develop dementia.
Quit smoking and if you drink, do so only in moderation.