Stay sharp!

5 tips to fight forgetfulness

Have you ever walked into a room and then suddenly forgot why you entered? Memory loss can be troubling, especially if you have a family history of Alzheimer’s disease or other types of dementia. But unless forgetfulness is severe—you can’t remember how to get to familiar places or how to do things you’ve often done before—your memory loss could be a normal part of getting older. Fortunately, just as you can boost your heart health or your physical fitness, you can also boost your memory. Read on to learn how.

1. Get more sleep. As you sleep, your brain is busy consolidating memories, which helps you recall facts better the next day. A good night’s sleep is vital if you have a mentally demanding lifestyle.
2. Write it down. Putting things in writing reinforces your recall—and gives you a place to check when memory fails. Use calendars, grocery lists and to-do lists.
3. Follow a routine. Doing the same things in the same way helps reinforce memory. Put the mustard in the same spot in the refrigerator. Always put your car keys in the same cup by the door. Eventually, you’ll “remember” where things go.
4. Get healthy. Exercise and good nutrition can reduce high blood pressure and unhealthy cholesterol levels, which can reduce blood flow to the brain and promote memory loss. See your healthcare provider regularly to treat conditions like diabetes, metabolic syndrome and inflammation, which can all harm your memory.
5. Slow down and be attentive. Juggling too many things at once results in less available memory, studies show. When you need to remember something new, get rid of distractions and pay undivided attention.

When to seek help
See your physician if:

• forgetfulness becomes a concern or interferes with your daily living
• your personality changes or you have inexplicable mood swings
• you ask the same things repeatedly
• you put things in inappropriate places, like your toothbrush in the oven

These symptoms may point to depression, hypothyroidism, a head injury, dehydration, stress, alcoholism or dementia, or you may need your medications adjusted. Your physician can recommend tests to help reveal the cause of your memory loss.