Simple Steps to Keeping Your Mind Sharp
Everyone may experience occasional “memory loss” but constant occurrences can be alarming.
Memory lapses can occur at any age, like unable to recall a familiar name during a conversation or can’t remember what you should be getting in the closet. Getting old is not really a significant factor in memory loss; for some it may be due to organic disorders, neurological problems, or brain injury. The brain is surprisingly adept when it comes to improving memory and making it intact even as we grow older. It’s up to us to do everything we can in keeping ourselves mentally sharp and preserve it in the long run. Studies have shown that there are many ways you can help in preventing cognitive decline and reducing the risk of developing dementia. Take note of these strategies to ensure your mind will be in tip-top shape even as you grow older:
Stay mentally active
Playing a variety of mind games can help in stimulating your brain power. In a study at University of Alabama, a group of nearly 3,000 men and women participated in 10 65-70 minute sessions of brain exercises. Results have been staggering. They sharpened their mental abilities making their performance same to those younger than them by 10 years. With regular brain workout, you’ll be able to process and remember information. Brain exercises challenge you to use and develop new brain pathways keeping your mind sharp and active. Activities such as ping-pong, knitting, juggling and playing instruments are great mind activity since it challenges your creativity, hand-eye coordination, and spatial-temporal reasoning. Crossword puzzles, sudoku, mahjong, and computer games are also engaging exercises for the brain.
Socialize regularly
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...rain cells as well as stimulating the production for developing more brain cells. Physical exercise increases oxygen in the brain and reduces the risk of developing disorders diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, which can eventually lead to memory loss. Aim at least 2-3 hours a week of moderate exercises, such as brisk walking and biking.
Manage stress
Stress can hasten brain loss involving memory, learning, and executive functions. It prompts the release of hormones that can damage brain cells and weaken memory. We may not totally remove all stressors in our daily life but learning how to manage it can help a lot. Meditation is one of the best way to combat stress. It promotes the growth of several brain regions associated with attention and executive functions. Other stress relievers include aerobic exercise, listening to mellow music, and writing a journal.
My primary goal to manage stress is to achieve balance. According to Deborah Davis Ph.D., author of The Adult Learner’s Companion (Davis, 2012,2007) , “Physical and emotional balance can be a key to reducing stress. When your body and mind are in sync and balanced, you feel and look better, you think clearer, and you are more productive”. She also states that “a balanced mind is focused, directed, organized, and calm”. I have gotten a lot better at finding balance, yet I still wrangle from time to time with feelings of anxiety, despa...
Learning is one of the things that help us survive. Darwin taught us that learning is the survival mechanism that we use to survive in our ever-changing environments. Our brains are designed to learn. They are plastic, meaning they can adapt, change and grow. In our brains there are neurotransmitters, and neurotrophins. They both have a role in turning different circuits on off, and getting different signals to different parts of our bodies. Some neurotrophins are called factory, and one of those is BDNF, or brain-derived neurotrophic factor. This chemical has been called, fertilizer for neurons. Exercise has been shown to increase BDNF leve...
...es too. Having a healthy diet is a small and easy tool to help with memory Mneomics. Getting your omega -3s are great. All those fatty acids are actually really good for your brain. You can find omega -3s in seafood. If you don’t like seafood you can get it from walnuts, flaxseed oil, kidney and pinto beans, broccoli, and pumpkin seeds. Drinking wine or grape juice can help reduce the risk of getting Alzheimer disease. They say for women drinking one glass a day and for men drinking two glasses a day will help that. Doing all these small things will help keep your memory. Those are all little tricks and tools of memory Mneomics.
Research has also shown that extreme stress has a deleterious effect on the frontal lobe and is associated with the production of false memories.
It is normal to be more forgetful as individuals age, although there is a difference between experiencing the typical memory loss that most elderly adults experience and experiencing signs and symptoms of dementia. Dementia is characterized by a considerable amount of cognitive loss in one or more areas that impact the individual’s daily life. Typically, individuals suffering with dementia forget things such as family members and their surroundings, therefore resulting in no longer having the ability
Cognitive symptoms of stress are memory problems. You may tend to forget what your main goal or sometimes even what your purpose is. You may not recall tasks that you were planning to do. You see...
...tions in the number of synaptic spines and functional synapses contribute to annual reductions of as much as 0.5% to 1.0% in cortical thickness (the cortex is the outermost layer of the brain) and sub-cortical volume in some regions of the brain (Fjell & Walhovd, 2010). Working memory declines in both speed and function, so they forget names, locations of important objects, appointments and medication schedules (Smart, 2012). Both physical fitness and exercise in the form of stimulation among multiple channels aid in slowing cognitive decline and could potentially provide success to individuals (Whitbourne & Whitbourne, 2010). However, Horn and Cattell found that memory, crystallized intelligence, and fluid knowledge all decreased after age of 70 despite level of education, physical activeness and the number and variety of stimulating experiences (Smart, 2012).
When looking at the arteries of macaque monkeys, those under significant stress have more clogged arteries. This prevents blood from getting to the heart quickly during stress which results in heart attacks. The brain can also be affected, when looking at mice exposed to stress, there is dramatically smaller brain cells with fewer branch extensions than normal mice. This is particularly prevalent in the areas associated with memory and learning. Which makes sense as to why all those late night study sessions weren’t as affective as we hoped them to be. Acute stress and sleep deprivation make it increasingly difficult to remember the things we want
Modern life is full of hassle, stress and frustrations. Stress is so common that is has become a way of life of many people. Stress isn’t always negative. In small measures, it can help you cope well under pressure and encourage you to do your best. Stress has known to be a common factor for students these days due to work overload. Stress can cause some lifestyle problems, for example, headaches, loss of appetite, heart attacks, obesity, aging, depression, nervous breakdown and loss of focus. There are many ways in which stress could be overcome, such as yoga and meditation. Studies have found that stress has both positive and negative effect on everyone. Even though meditation is conventional, people still practice it in hopes of stave off stress. Meditations have been used for centuries by everyone as one of the cures to help reduce stress in their daily life.
(http://www.helpguide.org/elder/alzheimers_dementias_types.htm) As people get older, it’s not all that uncommon to experience some changes in memory such as memory loss. However, there is a big difference in having normal changes in memory and having symptoms of Dementia. Typical aging changes in memory include things like not being able to find the right word when having a conversation and complaining about memory loss but still being able to give detailed examples of things that are being forgotten. A few more signs of typical aging are stopping to remember directions but not getting lost in a familiar place, being able to remember recent events that are important and the conversation isn’t affected, and having the same level of interpersonal social skills that have always been present. On the other hand, there are more extreme cases of memory loss that are symptoms of Dementia. These include things like complaining about memory loss only when asked about it and not remem...
Find healthy ways to cope with stress, such as exercise, meditation, or spending time with people you care about.
Historically, memory has been a recurring topic in cognition research. Through the years, many scientific findings have helped us to understand how memory works. Since, older adults are the subgroup most affected by frequent memory deficiencies, they would be highly benefited with the advance of the cognitive
Weintraub, Karen. "'Brain games' can boost seniors' memory, focus." USA Today n.d.: Academic Search Complete. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.
Lupien, S.J., McEwan, B.S., Gunnar, M.R., & Heim, C. (2009). Effects of stress throughout the lifespan on the brain, behavior and cognition. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 10(6), 434-445.
Stress on individuals can bring numerous numbers of health problems, for example; heart disease. Researches have declared that having stress increase heart rate and blood flow, and causes release of cholesterol and triglycerides into the bloodstream. Another example is the Alzheimer’s disease, stress could potentially worsen Alzheimer’s disease causing its brain lesions to form more quickly. Individuals should be aware that being stressed could lead to major problems in the long run, but with the proper care and staying positive could help prevent further damages.