7/26/2023 0 Comments Energy bits owner ageThat way, you reinforce the memory or connection. When you want to remember something you've just heard, read, or thought about, repeat it out loud or write it down. Remove clutter from your office or home to minimize distractions, so you can focus on new information that you want to remember. Designate a place at home for your glasses, purse, keys, and other items you use often. Take advantage of calendars and planners, maps, shopping lists, file folders, and address books to keep routine information accessible. If you don't need to use mental energy remembering where you laid your keys or the time of your granddaughter's birthday party, you'll be better able to concentrate on learning and remembering new and important things. If you believe you can improve and you translate that belief into practice, you have a better chance of keeping your mind sharp. People who believe that they are not in control of their memory function are less likely to work at maintaining or improving their memory skills and therefore are more likely to experience cognitive decline. ![]() Middle-aged and older learners do worse on memory tasks when they're exposed to negative stereotypes about aging and memory, and better when the messages are positive about memory preservation into old age. Myths about aging can contribute to a failing memory. ![]() Give sculpting or ceramics a try, noticing the feel and smell of the materials you're using. For example, try to guess the ingredients as you smell and taste a new restaurant dish. So, challenge all your senses as you venture into the unfamiliar. Brain imaging indicated that the piriform cortex, the main odor-processing region of the brain, became active when people saw objects originally paired with odors, even though the smells were no longer present and the subjects hadn't tried to remember them. They had excellent recall for all odor-paired pictures, and especially for those associated with pleasant smells. Later, they were shown a set of images, this time without odors, and asked to indicate which they'd seen before. They were not asked to remember what they saw. In one study, adults were shown a series of emotionally neutral images, each presented along with a smell. The more senses you use in learning something, the more of your brain will be involved in retaining the memory. Building and preserving brain connections is an ongoing process, so make lifelong learning a priority. At work, propose or volunteer for a project that involves a skill you don't usually use. Read join a book group play chess or bridge write your life story do crossword or jigsaw puzzles take a class pursue music or art design a new garden layout. Many people have jobs that keep them mentally active but pursuing a hobby or learning a new skill can function the same way. ![]() Challenging your brain with mental exercise is believed to activate processes that help maintain individual brain cells and stimulate communication among them. Experts think that advanced education may help keep memory strong by getting a person into the habit of being mentally active. Keep learningĪ higher level of education is associated with better mental functioning in old age. Thanks to decades of research, there are various strategies we can use to protect and sharpen our minds. Granted, these changes can be frustrating and may seem far from benign when we need to learn new skills or juggle myriad responsibilities. These changes can slow certain cognitive processes, making it a bit harder to learn new things quickly or screen out distractions that can interfere with memory and learning. Most of the fleeting memory problems that we experience with age reflect normal changes in the structure and function of the brain. The fact is, significant memory loss in older people isn't a normal part of aging-but is due to organic disorders, brain injury, or neurological illness, with Alzheimer's being among the most feared. Memory lapses can occur at any age, but we tend to get more upset by them as we get older because we fear they're a sign of dementia, or loss of intellectual function. You may even miss an appointment because it slipped your mind. Maybe you've gone into the kitchen and can't remember why or can't recall a familiar name during a conversation. Surprising ways to retain sharp memory using brain games that strengthen mental functioningĪs we grow older, we all start to notice some changes in our ability to remember things.
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