Adam's Apple
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Mind Aerobics: 10 ways to get your memory in shape
By Susan Jacoby
February 2005
Excerpted article
...you hear the same stories about memory glitchestime-consuming searches for misplaced glasses and keys, difficulty recalling names only minutes after an introduction and, perhaps most frustrating of all, coming up empty when a familiar word is on the tip of the tongue...
What often leads to these lapses are "brain busters" such as fatigue, depression, poor physical health and medication, says Janet Fogler, a clinical social worker at the University of Michigans geriatric clinic and co-author of Improving Your Memory: How to Remember What Youre Starting to Forget.
Stress is another factor getting closer scrutiny. Researchers at Yale Medical School, for instance, reported in the journal Science last fall that stress activates a brain protein called kinase C, or PKC, that can undermine short-term memory. Other researchers have found that sustained high levels of the stress hormone cortisol can damage the hippocampus, a part of the brain thats central to memory.
Its possible to fight brain busters, scientists increasingly believe, by taking control of your life and reducing stress. What works is a strategy to improve overall healthand to stimulate the brain with exercises that Small calls "aerobics for the mind."
"The next big fitness movement is the brain fitness movement," says Small, who wrote The Memory Prescription. "We can modify a lot of the risk factors for brain disease in the same way that we can reduce the risk factors for, say, heart disease."
Get a jump-start. Heres a 10-step memory workout based on the latest scientific findings.
1. Exercise regularly
Aerobic activitywalking, dancing, biking, for at least 20 minutes three times a weekincreases blood flow and the delivery of oxygen, sugar (as glucose) and nutrients to the brain. In 2003 researchers from Wayne State University and the University of Illinois, Urbana, showed that aerobic fitness may reduce the loss of brain tissue common in aging.
2. Stick to a healthy dietAvoid sugar and saturated fat. And eat lots of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables such as blueberries, spinach and beets. Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology reported in December that the magnesium found in dark green, leafy vegetables appears to help maintain memory.
3. Learn something new
Mastering activities youve never done before, such as playing the piano or learning a foreign language, stimulates neuron activity. For best results, remember this: People exposed to positive reinforcement before completing memory exercises scored well above others exposed to negative reinforcement in a study led by Thomas Hess, a North Carolina State University psychologist.
4. Get enough sleep
Too little sleep impairs concentration. Anecdotal evidence shows a good nights sleep appears to boost memory after learning something new.
5. Devise memory strategies
Make notes or underline key passages to help you remember what youve read. Invent mnemonicsformulas to help you remember things. An example in Foglers book: a mans two carsone tan, one blackhad gas tank doors on opposite sides. To remember which was which, he associated the lighter-color car with the word "left," the side the gas cap was on.
6. Socialize
Conversation, especially positive, meaningful interaction, helps maintain brain function.
7. Get organized
Designate a place for important items such as keys and checkbooks. Keep checklists for things like daily medications or items to pack when you travel.
8. Turn off the tube
Some experts say too much TV watching weakens brain power.
9. Jot down new information
Writing helps transfer items from short- to long-term memory.
10. Solve brainteasers
Crossword puzzles, card games and board games like Scrabble improve your memory. Other games are good for remembering numbers (Concentration), spatial concepts (pinball, pool) and strategizing (chess, checkers).
http://www.aarp.org/bulletin/yourhealth/mind aerobics.html
By Susan Jacoby
February 2005
Excerpted article
...you hear the same stories about memory glitchestime-consuming searches for misplaced glasses and keys, difficulty recalling names only minutes after an introduction and, perhaps most frustrating of all, coming up empty when a familiar word is on the tip of the tongue...
What often leads to these lapses are "brain busters" such as fatigue, depression, poor physical health and medication, says Janet Fogler, a clinical social worker at the University of Michigans geriatric clinic and co-author of Improving Your Memory: How to Remember What Youre Starting to Forget.
Stress is another factor getting closer scrutiny. Researchers at Yale Medical School, for instance, reported in the journal Science last fall that stress activates a brain protein called kinase C, or PKC, that can undermine short-term memory. Other researchers have found that sustained high levels of the stress hormone cortisol can damage the hippocampus, a part of the brain thats central to memory.
Its possible to fight brain busters, scientists increasingly believe, by taking control of your life and reducing stress. What works is a strategy to improve overall healthand to stimulate the brain with exercises that Small calls "aerobics for the mind."
"The next big fitness movement is the brain fitness movement," says Small, who wrote The Memory Prescription. "We can modify a lot of the risk factors for brain disease in the same way that we can reduce the risk factors for, say, heart disease."
Get a jump-start. Heres a 10-step memory workout based on the latest scientific findings.
1. Exercise regularly
Aerobic activitywalking, dancing, biking, for at least 20 minutes three times a weekincreases blood flow and the delivery of oxygen, sugar (as glucose) and nutrients to the brain. In 2003 researchers from Wayne State University and the University of Illinois, Urbana, showed that aerobic fitness may reduce the loss of brain tissue common in aging.
2. Stick to a healthy dietAvoid sugar and saturated fat. And eat lots of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables such as blueberries, spinach and beets. Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology reported in December that the magnesium found in dark green, leafy vegetables appears to help maintain memory.
3. Learn something new
Mastering activities youve never done before, such as playing the piano or learning a foreign language, stimulates neuron activity. For best results, remember this: People exposed to positive reinforcement before completing memory exercises scored well above others exposed to negative reinforcement in a study led by Thomas Hess, a North Carolina State University psychologist.
4. Get enough sleep
Too little sleep impairs concentration. Anecdotal evidence shows a good nights sleep appears to boost memory after learning something new.
5. Devise memory strategies
Make notes or underline key passages to help you remember what youve read. Invent mnemonicsformulas to help you remember things. An example in Foglers book: a mans two carsone tan, one blackhad gas tank doors on opposite sides. To remember which was which, he associated the lighter-color car with the word "left," the side the gas cap was on.
6. Socialize
Conversation, especially positive, meaningful interaction, helps maintain brain function.
7. Get organized
Designate a place for important items such as keys and checkbooks. Keep checklists for things like daily medications or items to pack when you travel.
8. Turn off the tube
Some experts say too much TV watching weakens brain power.
9. Jot down new information
Writing helps transfer items from short- to long-term memory.
10. Solve brainteasers
Crossword puzzles, card games and board games like Scrabble improve your memory. Other games are good for remembering numbers (Concentration), spatial concepts (pinball, pool) and strategizing (chess, checkers).
http://www.aarp.org/bulletin/yourhealth/mind aerobics.html
