It is undeniable to face some moments of forgetfulness whenever your life is hectic and you are busy from dusk till dawn. Although this is a very normal thing that can happen to anyone, sometimes it can become quite frustrating. Studies show that a major role in memory loss is played by genetics, especially when the case is of some serious diseases like Alzheimer’s disease. Besides genetics, your lifestyle and diet also have a significant role in your concentration and memory. Here I have brought you some amazing, natural, and proven ways to boost your brain health, sharpen your memory, and increase concentration to a great extent.
Contents
Lower the Intake of Added Sugars
Too much sugar consumption can lead to many health issues, chronic diseases, and even cognitive decline. Researches show that people whose diet contains excessive sugar often face more problems than those with lower quantities of sugar in their diets. Sugar can become the cause of poor memory, and reduced brain volume, specifically in the part which is for short-term memory. Not only your memory but your overall physical health will also improve to a great extent if you cut back on sugar.
Give Fish Oil Supplement a Try
Fish oil contains high quantities of fats like omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which are well known for lowering the risk of heart diseases, relieving stress and anxiety, reducing inflammation, along with slowing down the mental disease. Studies have been conducted on older people showing episodic memory improvement and improved working memory scores in those who consume fish and fish oil supplements.
Meditation Works Wonders
Practicing meditation tends to have a positive effect on the health of a person. Among the numerous benefits that meditation provides, some of the most important ones include reducing stress and pain, lowering blood pressure, and obviously improving memory. It’s quite relaxing and soothing, providing a person with the necessary peace of mind, body, and soul. Our brain has gray matter that holds neuron cell bodies. Meditation greatly increases this gray matter, which directly impacts our memory and cognition. It is a proven fact that relaxation and meditation techniques enhance short-term memory in people of all age groups.
Maintain Your Weight
One of the best ways of keeping your body and mind in top condition is by maintaining a healthy body weight, as it is crucial for your overall well-being. Obesity can also be considered a risk factor for cognitive decline. You will be surprised to know that obesity leads to drastic changes in the genes associated with memory, negatively impacting our mental health. Another way obesity affects your memory is indirectly through its capacity to lead to insulin resistance and inflammation. You all must have heard of Alzheimer’s disease, which can be termed as a progressive one that tends to slowly and steadily spoil memory and cognition.
Do Not Compromise With Sleep
Not getting enough sleep has also been directly linked with poor memory. To fully understand this part, first, you need to acquit yourself with the term ‘Memory Consolidation.’ It is a process where your short-term memory is strengthened and then transformed into long-lasting memories. Lack of proper sleep or sleep deprivation negatively impacts this process. For optimal health, adults are recommended by health experts to take at least seven to nine hours of sleep.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness refers to a situation or a state of mind where a person must focus on his or her present situation while being aware of the surroundings and feelings. Do not mix meditation with mindfulness, and although they are similar, there is a slight difference between the two practices. Meditation is formal, while mindfulness is a kind of habit to be practiced in any situation.
Researches show that this mental habit of mindfulness is effective in reducing stress levels while at the same time improving memory and concentration. People who practice mindfulness can easily counter age-related cognitive decline and stay psychologically fit and healthy.
To incorporate mindfulness in your daily life by just doing these simple things- focus on present situations, pay attention, and concentrate on breathing. If in case you find that your mind is wandering elsewhere, you have to reset your attention.
Avoid Alcohol
Consumption of too many alcoholic beverages is likely to be detrimental to your physical and mental health. If your blood sugar level reaches up to 0.08ml per liter or more than this, it is known as binge drinking and can alter the brain and cause memory deficits.
Alcohol tends to cause some neurotoxic effects on your brain and can also cause damage to your hippocampus, which is one of the parts of the brain that plays an important role in protecting your memory.
A smart way to keep your memory safe while not having to leave alcohol completely is to take a drink or two now and then while staying away from binge drinking.
Brain Training
This is the funniest and most effective way of exercising your cognitive skills just by playing some brain games like crosswords, Tetris, word-recall games, and even mobile apps designed for memory training also work in an incredibly amazing manner. You can easily improve your memory test score by playing some games on brain training apps for about 8 hours in four weeks. Participating in a brain training program for 15 minutes five days a week will serve you with numerous benefits, like- improvement in short-term memory, concentration, working memory, and problem-solving. Moreover, in older adults, the risk of dementia also reduces to a great extent by indulging in brain-training games.
Conclusion
After you have gone through this complete article and now are reading this, you must have noticed there are numerous, very simple, and delicious ways to assist you in the whole process of increasing your memory. The most important thing here is exercise, both for your mind, as well as body. If you are a chocoholic, a good quality chocolate bar also works as a catalyst in this process. Another excellent technique is to lower the quantity of added sugars in your diet.
If you add these basic science-backed tips into your daily routine, it will help you boost your brain health and work towards keeping your memory in excellent condition.
