Misplaced your car keys again? Forget that appointment? Can’t remember the name of the person you just met? You’re not alone.

We all tend to forget things, especially when we have busy and hectic lives. However, memory loss should not be taken lightly, especially if you are older. As we age, our brain cells and chemicals begin to decline, thus making it harder for us to remember things as well as we once did.

Fortunately, we can follow five simple tips to help us improve our memory and stay on top of our daily tasks and responsibilities.

1) Get Organized

When we are occupied with too many errands, our house becomes messy, and our notes become disorganized. That is why we have to arrange our personal belongings and tasks to make our lives easy.

Set a designated spot for your personal belongings such as placing your keys on a hook near your door. Write down your responsibilities, meetings, and family outings in a special notebook, calendar, or cell phone.  Once you are done with an errand, check it off on a to-do list so that you can move on to the next task.

2) Stay Mentally Active

Just as doing physical exercise keeps us in shape, we should do mentally stimulating activities to maintain and boost our memory. We can play word games such as Sudoku or crossword puzzles. We can play strategy games such as checkers or chess to work out all parts of our brain and enhance our creativity and problem-solving skills.

We can also challenge our brain by doing a new hobby, such as playing an instrument. Or, we can learn something new, such as speaking a new language or learning alternate routes when driving. Just make sure to test your brain with new activities to strengthen your neural pathways and improve your mental abilities.

3) Socialize Regularly

Socializing and spending time with our family and friends can lower our stress and risk of depression, both of which contribute to memory loss. Take the time to stay in touch with friends and get involved in social activities to keep your brain active.

4) Incorporate a Healthy Diet

Eating a healthy diet can also boost our brain. Consuming fruits, vegetables, and whole grains reduce our risk of illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease, but these foods can also help us mentally.

Good nutrition can help increase blood flow to  the brain, which will improve our memory and increase our focus. Protein sources such as fish and eggs can provide nutrients to improve our brain health. Finally,  drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated can help all bodily functions, including our brain.

5) Get Enough Sleep

We all know that getting enough hours of sleep is important. However, we tend to neglect it. Sleeping is the easiest and most efficient way of consolidating our memories so that we can remember them. If we don’t get a sufficient amount of sleep, then it can affect several of our cognitive processes such as thinking, reasoning, and learning.

So, make getting enough sleep a priority, especially since adults need seven to nine hours of sleep a day.

Visit Mayo Clinic

If your memory loss is affecting your daily routine, or if you think it is getting worse, then talk with your doctor about doing a memory screening and testing. For more steps to improve your memory, visit the Mayo Clinic website.

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