Exercise Your Mind

Just as physical activity keeps your body strong, mental activity keeps your mind sharp and agile. Continue to learn and challenge yourself, and your brain will continue to grow, literally. An active brain produces new connections between nerve cells. This helps the brain store and retrieve information.

• Learn to play an instrument.
• Play Scrabble or do a crossword puzzle.
• Interact with people.
• Switch careers or start a new one.
• Try a new hobby.
• Learn a foreign language.
• Volunteer.
• Stay informed about what’s going on in the world.

Sleep

• Adequate rest is necessary for learning and retaining information.

Stay Active

Exercising daily for 30 minutes can help improve blood flow to the brain. Exercising with a friend or a pet may help to motivate you.

• Aerobic activity 5 times a week (brisk walking, biking, swimming).
• Strength training 2-3 times a week (weightlifting, elastic resistance bands).
• Stretching every day.

Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy

Eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. These foods contain antioxidants which protect and nourish brain cells. Drink enough water (about 8 glasses per day). Lack of water leads to dehydration which can make concentration difficult.

• Take a sip at every drinking fountain you see.
• Fill a water bottle at work and keep it close at hand.
• Have a glass of water at lunch instead of a coffee or soft drink.

Develop a System of Reminders and Cues

• Write it down.
• Establish a routine. Store easy to lose items in the same place.
• Complete tasks in the same order.
• Set up cues - Put your keys on the ironing board so you are more likely to remember to turn the iron off before leaving.
• Repetition - To help remember someone’s name, try working it into the conversation several times.

Cholesterol Lowering Drugs

The Canadian Study of Health and Aging reports that in people under 80 years of age, use of statins and other cholesterol lowering agents is associated with a 71% lower risk of Alzheimer’s.

Take Time To Remember Things

Normal aging changes the brain, making our minds slightly less efficient in processing new information. But wisdom and experience can compensate for these changes. Slow down and pay full attention to the task at hand.

Gingko

• It improves blood flow.
• Latest study shows no improvement in healthy people in the short term (<6 months).
• However, previous studies did show improvement in people with existing memory impairment and Alzheimer’s.
• Although not safe for everyone, it appears to be the best choice of “alternative medicines” for memory enhancement.

Vitamins

• Proper nutrition is always important.
• Studies show seniors taking multivitamins tend to do better in memory and thinking tasks.
• Additional studies indicate that fruit and vegetable intake may play a role in reversing nerve cell dysfunction. Fruits and vegetables are sources of antioxidants (vitamins A,C, and E and selenium).

Stress Hormone-Cortisol

Cortisol levels seem to affect memory. Low levels of social support are associated with an increase in cortisol in the elderly. It is thought that providing companionship to socially isolated people may improve memory.

Check Your Levels

Know your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar. Make sure your thyroid is functioning normally. Older adults who keep their blood pressure and cholesterol in check (and who don’t smoke) reduce their risk of stroke. Stroke is a preventable cause of memory impairment.

Use memory techniques

• Associations
• Acronyms - ex. SCUBA (Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus)
• Sentences/Acrostics - ex. My Dear Aunt Sally (Mathematical order of operations: Multiply and Divide before you Add and Subtract)
• Rhymes and songs - ex. ABC Song
• Method of loci
• Chunking
• Write things down - ex. keep a journal, record important information

Talk To Your Doctor or Pharmacist

Many factors unrelated to aging or genetics can contribute to memory problems. These include the use of certain medications, poor vision or hearing, vitamin deficiencies, fatigue, depression, stress, and illnesses unrelated to Alzheimer’s. If you or your family are worried about memory, get a medical evaluation. Schedule a medication review with your local pharmacist to rule our drug related causes of memory impairment.