Cognitive decline or memory loss is commonly faced by older people. This can be very hard on both the person and his or her family. Keep reading for advice on making the most of your memory.
Try playing fun, brain-challenging games to boost your memory. Mental exercises are similar to muscular exercises. Giving your brain exercise really helps it become much stronger, improving memory retention, focus, and concentration. Good memory games are crossword puzzles, brain teasers or puzzles, and word searches.
Paying attention will help your memory. Sometimes you may think that you are listening, while your mind is wandering and letting important information slip through. It is important to clear your thoughts and concentrate on what is going on around you. Keep your focus soley on your subject.
Sticky Notes
One the best and easiest ways to remember things is to use sticky notes. Do not consider notes a crutch. Post your notes in all the places that you use frequently, such as by the phone or to the side of your computer screen. These sticky notes can help you avoid forgetting things that are important.
Staying socially active can help keep your memory stay sharp. Interacting with others not only keeps your spirits up, it also keeps you alert. Your brain cells will not get stimulated when you are feeling lonely or depressed. Engaging in spirited social outings with your friends and family can help you to maintain an acute mind.
If you have to remember something, associate this idea with a word, a song or an image. If you use a funny way to remember something you may be able to remember it easier down the line.
One especially scary aspect of aging is loss of memory. A great way to prevent it, particularly in demented patients, is using prescriptions.
One way to significantly improve your memory is to teach others. For example, if you are forgetting a story about when you taught your grandson to swim, talk about it to more people. Telling other people about events helps strengthen your memory of the event, so that you’re less likely to forget it.
Even after you are out of school, you should continue to exercise your brain by learning new things. When you don’t try to learn new things, you aren’t exercising the area of your brain which controls memory. If that portion of your brain has not been exercised regularly, it will be difficult to remember things.
If you have received information from another individual, and it is difficult for you to recall it, attempt to restructure it in words that you create and are familiar to you. It is difficult to retain ideas and words when the concepts are foreign or complicated.
Fish Oil
Adding fish oil to your diet really helps enhance your cognitive abilities. There is evidence to suggest that the omega-3 fatty acids that are naturally abundant in fish oil can boost memory. Because you can have too much of a good thing, you should consult your doctor about the proper dosage.
One way to study more effectively is to create an outline. When you organize this material into related sections, it will be easier to remember it. You don’t necessarily need to create a lengthy outline, as long as you focus on the key concept of grouping items.
Mnemonic Devices
Mnemonic devices can be a powerful strategy to use when you want to remember something important. This method has you pair the thing you’re trying to recall with something you’re already familiar with. Mnemonic devices often involve rhymes, songs or jokes. They are a fun way to improve your memory, and they often take the frustration out of studying.
Think about making a memory tree. For larger subjects, be sure to concentrate initially on the gist. The bits of detailed knowledge are like limbs extending from the tree trunk. Finally, put leaves on the branches, the smaller details. Visualizing information in this way can help your mind stay organized, and make it easier to recall details.
Try to learn more than what is essential. If you have excess knowledge on something, you may remember it better. For example, when learning what a new word means, read a long description of the word.
By getting physical exercise, you are greatly increasing your mental capacity. Taking care of yourself allows your various systems to function at their peak; this is especially true of your mind. It is important that your brain get enough oxygen, and exercise is the best means of assuring this. Adequate oxygen flow will reduce the risk of deterioration of brain functions. Exercise helps activate brain chemicals that protect your brain cells.
When we think of aging loved ones, we often think of memory loss. This natural process can create feelings of helplessness and sadness. Sometimes this loss can be offset or even stopped completely. Hopefully, this article has provided you with some very useful information on the ways you can work on increasing memory capacity and staving off this potentially devastating loss.