SEATTLE, WA -- A good memory can help you ace a test, work the New York Times crossword puzzle, and figure out a complex computer program. But can your lifestyle affect your ability to remember? Here are 5 ways to keep your memory sharp.
They are the drivers behind your thoughts, decisions and actions. But too often, they disappear.
What can you do to improve your memory? The first brain booster: avoid stress.
Charan Ranganath is an Associate Professor at the University of California at Davis. "It reduces memory performance. It reduces your ability to pay attention to things."
Number two: get enough sleep. While you rest, your brain's two memory systems, the hippocampus and the neo-cortex, talk to each other.
Eric Chudler, a Research Associate Professor in the Department of Bioengineering at the University of Washington, says, "Sleep is very, very important to consolidate information that we learned the day before."
Another booster: be social. Ranganath says, "Social stimulation, for one thing, will get you more alert and aroused."
One report showed talking to another person for just 10 minutes led to significant improvement on memory tests. Researchers say pets count as companions, too!
Also: try neurobics. James McGaugh, a Neurobiologist at the University of California in Irvine says, "The truth is the brain is like a muscle because the more you use the brain, the more effective it is."
The idea is to challenge it in unexpected ways. Try brushing your teeth with the opposite hand, closing your eyes to find your keys in your purse or reorganizing your desk.
The last booster on our list: dance. McGaugh says, "Anything that you can do to engage the brain is going to make the brain work a little better."
Researchers who followed nearly 500 people for 21 years found that ballroom dancing was the most protective physical activity. It reduced dementia risk by 76%.
Chudler says, "The adage that you can't teach an old dog new tricks really isn't true."
The researchers we spoke to said nutrition is also important for a good memory, but there's no scientific proof that supplements like Ginkgo-Biloba or other popular vitamin blends work. They also say crossword puzzles and games like Sudoku can't hurt because anything that challenges your brain and keeps it active is useful.
For more information, contact:
Eric H. Chudler, Ph.D.
University of Washington
Seattle, Wa
Chudler@u.washington.edu
