Exercise Your Memory
January 18, 2008 by madfromstatingtheobvious
From the November 2007, National Geographic, page 154, from an excerpt on Alzheimer’s, an article on how to boost your memory:
Memory Boosters
Keep this in mind: Already some five million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease, a figure set to triple by 2050 as theU.S. population ages. The result is a huge push to aid the aging brain. Many studies seem to link both mental and physical exercise to a well-oiled memory and less severe age-related decline. But proving cause and effect is hard. People with better brainpower may simply be more active, and some scientists warn that the evidence is slim-to-none in favor of individuals being able to control mental destiny. Still, some actions may be worth the effort:
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Stress signals New ressearch supports the long-held belief that distress and anxiety are bad for the brain. A recent report links chronic stress with a mild form of cognitive impairment that can be a precursor to Alzheimer’s disease.
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Mind games Brainteasers have not been proven to fend off dementia. Yet scientists say puzzle away - anything that takes you out of your normal range of thinking (or lightens your mood) can’t hurt. Reading, writing, and arithmetic are options for puzzle haters.
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Give it a rest “Poor sleep before or after learning makes it hard to encode new memories,” says Harvard neurophysiologist Robert Stickgold. Data suggest a good night’s sleep improves motor memory up to 30 percent after a lesson (e.g., piano). Leaving six hours between pursuits helps keep one skill from crowding out another.
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Help your heart Your brain will likely benefit, too, from a healthy diet (antioxidant-rich foods like blueberries may protect brain cells, aiding memory), regular exercise, and possibly light use of alcohol (a new study indicates a daily glass might slow dementia).
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Cheat Keep lists, jot reminders, repeat names aloud. And rely on others. “I just ask my wife,” says Johns Hopkins neurologist Barry Gordon. “She remembers 99 percent of everything. She’s a perfect memory aid.”
