Do you find yourself forgetting important details? Do you arrive at the grocery store only to forget what you made the trip for?
While genetics can play a major role in memory loss, your diet and lifestyle could also be the reason you’re becoming forgetful.
If you’re wondering how to strengthen your memory, you may be surprised to learn how a few simple changes to your daily routine could help you.
Here’s what you can do.
1. Reduce Your Sugar Intake
Some studies show that those who consume high amounts of sugar in beverages have poorer memories than those who consumed less sugar. Too much sugar can lead to low cognitive functioning. It can also lead you to have trouble with memory and attention.
While a little sugar is necessary for energy, excessive sugar intake can damage brain cells.
It can also lead to depression and even dementia.
Eating sugary foods can stimulate a craving for more, fostering a loss of self-control and a tendency to overeat. It can lead to diseases such as obesity and diabetes.
If you’re prone to drinking a lot of sugary beverages, consider swapping out your soda for flavored seltzer. Check out the labels on foods you buy and avoid those with added sugar.
Eating healthy full-fat options can fill you up with nutrients without adding extra sugar. Consider options packed with protein, such as peanut butter and Greek yogurt.
Whole foods can also help. Avoid food choices that are very processed, such as cereals, pizzas, and cakes. Instead, opt for simple bread and cheese options. Check out your local natural food store for other ideas.
2. Take Some Vitamins
If you have a busy job or family, it can be difficult to make sure you’re eating the right vitamins. A diet rich in Vitamin B-12, for example, can help improve your memory. Vitamin B-12 is naturally found in fish, poultry, milk, and eggs.
Vitamin E has also been found to improve memory in people who are older. It’s naturally found in nuts, seeds, and fruits like blueberries and blackberries.
If you’re having trouble getting enough vitamins into your diet, a supplement may be able to help. Look here for more information.
3. Try a Mediterranean Diet
A Mediterranean diet can help to improve memory. If you aren’t used to eating Mediterranean-style foods, try changing your diet little by little at first.
Try adding more veggies, fruits, nuts, and whole grains into your meals. You’ll also want to avoid refined grains and added sugar. Try foods like oatmeal, salmon, and veggies, and learn how to prepare them with healthy ingredients like olive oil.
A Mediterranean diet involves avoiding eating red meat and adding more fish to your diet. You can eat lean poultry in moderation.
4. Get More Exercise
Physical exercise has been proven to sharpen memory and thinking skills. One way it does this is by encouraging positive physiological changes, such as improving your heart health and decreasing your risks of diseases like diabetes and heart disease.
Exercise can also encourage the growth of new blood cells in the brain, and affect their ability to grow and survive.
Regular exercise can also improve your circulation and help you to reduce stress and anxiety. It can improve your mood, help you to get better sleep, and boost your energy. Regular exercise is a great way to keep your mind sharp and your body strong.
5. Get More Sleep
We all know we feel happier and more alert after a good night’s sleep. What you may not realize is that it can actually strengthen connections between brain cells. These can solidify your memories by helping you to transfer information from one area of your brain to another.
Sleep can also help you synthesize new ideas. Your brain can actually pull together bits of knowledge from different experiences while you’re sleeping.
6. Try Yoga
Some yoga can involve chanting and visualizations, which can improve your overall awareness and attention. Practicing yoga can also help with the growth of connections between neurons.
Yoga can help with a number of health concerns that are common in adulthood. It can increase your flexibility, improve your respiration, and help improve your metabolism. Yoga can also serve to reduce stress and help you develop a more positive perspective on life, no matter what your circumstances are.
7. Drink Less
While a drink or two per day is safe, and may even have health benefits, excessive alcohol consumption can harm your memory in the long run. Too much alcohol consumption, however, can slow down the nerves in a part of the brain known as the hippocampus.
Short-term memory loss can occur when you binge drink. Regular heavy drinking can also cause long-term memory loss and dementia.
8. Take Notes
Using an old-fashioned pen and paper to take notes rather than a computer has been proven to improve your memory and your ability to learn new concepts. Your brain gets feedback from the motor actions that could serve to improve your memory.
The next time you have something to read or professional development at work, consider jotting down what you’ve learned. You may be surprised at how much easier it was for you to remember and apply new information.
How to Strengthen Your Memory
Sometimes it’s difficult to recall things. If you’re wondering how to strengthen your memory, consider your health and lifestyle. Changing your diet, sleeping patterns, and exercise levels could be exactly what your brain needs.
For more information on boosting your health, read our blog today.
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