As you age, it’s common to experience some degree of memory loss. In fact, given the frequent occurrence of various types of dementia among older adults, memory loss has sometimes also come to be seen as an expected part of aging. Unfortunately, dealing with memory issues can cause problems in your everyday life and even affect your family and caregivers. Thankfully, elderly memory care doesn’t have to be as complicated as it might seem. There are a few key things you can start doing right away to boost your memory and help protect your brain health.
1. Get Adequate Sleep
This tip might seem almost too simple, but it’s true. In fact, studies have shown that sleeping can trigger brain changes that help memories to solidify. If you’re regularly sleep-deprived, you’re more likely to have a hard time remembering important things, since your brain won’t have had the chance to strengthen brain cell connections and transfer memories from your short-term to your long-term memory. Thankfully, just resting up can help! For senior citizens, about seven to nine hours a night is usually adequate. You’ll also want to create a calm environment for sleeping, since disturbances in your sleep can impact what you remember, too.
2. Learn New Skills
In order to keep your mind sharp, it’s a good idea to exercise it like you would your body. Learning new skills is the perfect way to keep your brain guessing, and you’re never too old to try something new! You could pick up a new hobby that you’ve always wanted to try, play memory games or simply focus on improving your hand-eye coordination. As long as you’re putting in an effort to keep your mind active, you can help stave off memory issues.
3. Eat a Balanced Diet
This is another top tip that seems simple to implement, because it is! When you eat a diet high in saturated and trans fats, according to some studies, your levels of LDL, or “badâ€, cholesterol may go up, leading to both heart and brain damage over time. Thankfully, you can easily avoid diet-related issues by eating a wholesome, balanced diet filled with healthy fats, fresh produce and other good-for-you grub like nuts or olive oil. When your blood vessels aren’t clogged, your odds of both memory loss and heart disease are lowered.
4. Stay Physically Active
It may come as a surprise, but your physical fitness may be related to your mental acuity. Simply engaging in physical exercise regularly throughout the week brings greater blood flow to your brain, which may be linked with improved memory. As a bonus, it can also boost your endorphins, putting you in a great mood!
Memory loss is a common problem among older adults, and can impact your relationships with others, your everyday tasks and even your overall quality of life. Fortunately, there are a few things you can start doing today to protect your brain health for the years to come. Try these key tips and you can feel good about doing your part to keep your memory sharp!