Let’s face it, regardless of whether you live in an assisted living facility, or you’re a 20-year-old living in a downtown condo, everyone has moments where they can be forgetful. However, as we get older, our memories start to fail on us more and more. Some people may refer to these spurts of temporary amnesia as “senior moments.” Perhaps we forget our Social Security number, or we can’t remember what we had for breakfast.
This is a natural part of aging, since our brains get older along with our bodies. In order to reduce the effects of aging on the brain, it’s important that we practice healthy habits in our younger years to keep our memories sharp. Now here are some of the best tips for keeping your memory sharp, well into your older years.
Read More
Statistics show that people who read regularly are much more likely to retain information than those that read less often. Even something as simple as an article every morning can have a significant boost on your ability to remember information.
So, whether you enjoy reading or not, try to make it a habit of reading several times a day for at least 15 minutes. Beyond boosting your memory, it will also increase your vocabulary, and enhance your imagination.
Practice Makes Perfect
If there is something that you’re looking to master or get better at, the key is repetition. Continue practicing over and over until your brain starts to master the concept and action behind it. As you get better and better, increase your practice sessions. The longer you can repeat something for a stretch of time, the faster you will master the process, and the more your body and brain will start to memorize completing the action.
Sleep
As we get older, you might think that sleep becomes easier. After all, it’s logical to think that if our bodies are older they may be more tired than when we were younger. However, contrary to popular belief, it can be more difficult to sleep in our older years. Although we may fall asleep faster, it’s much harder to stay asleep.
Many adults over a certain age find it difficult to sleep for a solid chunk of time without waking up. Therefore, it’s important that you prioritize getting as much sleep as possible. Limit your exposure to blue light before you go to bed, and reduce the amount of outside noise and distractions.
Besides the length of sleep, the quality of your sleep is very important. Sleeping will improve your brain’s ability to function, manage stress, and retain information.
These are just a few ways to keep your brain sharp past 60. By practicing healthy lifestyle habits, getting plenty of exercise and following a healthy diet, you should stay sharp well into your older years.
Leave a Reply