How often have you seen someone and struggled to recall their name? Or how many times have you been watching a movie on television, seen an actor and thought, “What is her name?” That one recently tortured me for nearly a half hour before I could recall the name Hillary Swank. She’s only got two Oscars and I only minored in film, so why should I have her name on the tip of my tongue?
If you want to improve your memory (and who doesn’t?), here are some recommended life changes you can try:
1. Laugh More
Laughing reduces the level of cortisol in the body. Cortisol is a hormone that inhibits short-term memory. So laughter really is the best medicine.
2. Strengthen Social Relationships
Research shows that as people age, the more social activity they have in their lives, the less of a chance they will develop dementia or Alzheimer’s. So friends and family ties are very important.
3. Get Enough Sleep
If your brain is rested, it will work better. Simple enough, huh?
4. Read More
Recent studies have concluded that reading improves brain function and memory capabilities. More specifically, reading fiction allows the brain to increase connections and stimulates the imagination.
5. Write Things Down
Writing a note to remember later or refer back to is helpful for those whose memories are already failing, or as a preventive measure for those who hope to avoid memory loss in the future.
6. Pay Attention
Yes, as so many of our teachers told us, paying attention does indeed help us grasp concepts and information.
7. Drink Water
A study has recently shown a link between drinking water and improved cognitive ability and memory. So we would all be better served if we reached for the H2O more often.
8. Eat Fruits and Vegetables
Fresh fruits and veggies with high concentrations of antioxidants have been proven to increase brain function. Berries are especially beneficial in ?this regard.
9. Play Brain Games
Research has found that adults who engage in brain stimulating games have a significant improvement in cognition and memory. This stems from the act of playing the games and increasing the difficulty levels over time.
10. Learn Something New
When a person is learning a new skill or subject, the brain makes connections to things it already knows, ?which reinforces the old information and helps embed the new information into the memory. So by reading this article, you just helped improve your memory!
You’re welcome.
h/t BrainJet
