5 Effortless Tips for Sharp Memory

5 Effortless Tips for Sharp Memory

1. New mind-engaging activities
If you want to be in shape, you have to exercise. Therefore, if you want your brain to be in “shape” you have to exercise it as well. In fact, doing mind-engaging activities is essential for brain health and prevention of neurodegenerative diseases. 

Some mind-engaging activities you can do include reading a book, listening to relaxing music, doing crosswords, Sudoku, or puzzles etc.

Also, you should strive to engage your brain in something new e.g. developing new skills. In fact, routines are bad news for your brain due to the fact they require very little brain energy. Remember, brain has to be challenged in order to function properly. 

For instance, study published in the journal Psychological Science revealed that learning new skills keeps your mind sharp. Findings from this study reveal that mind engagement alone isn’t enough to keep memory sharp; one should also strive to master more tasks and skills.

Here are some brain exercises that can help you improve your memory effectively:

• Switch hands i.e. if you’re right-handed, use left-hand t brush your teeth, eat etc
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• Eat with chopsticks
• Close your eyes when washing hair, brushing teeth, taking a shower to encourage your brain to use new neural pathways
• Wear your watch upside down
• Take different routes to work
• Read section of the newspapers that you normally skip
• Read books aloud
• Think creatively
• Do things the hard way.

2. Supplements
Supplements are very popular nowadays for boosting brain health and cognitive functioning. It’s because they are made of natural ingredients and aren’t usually associated with some adverse effects. One of the most common misconceptions about brain boosters is that they improve one’s IQ. Before you purchase one of these products online, you should bear in mind that these items enhance clarity of thinking, focus, alertness, concentration, memory, and your mood. They don’t increase your IQ, instead they let you use your full cognitive potential. Brain boosters appear to stimulate brain’s activity, although they aren’t stimulants per se. Ideally, you should consult your doctor before buying these products, particularly if you’re taking medications for some medical condition.

3. Physical activity
Physical activity isn’t only beneficial for your body, but your mind as well. It increases blood flow to your entire body, including the brain thus keeping your memory sharp. Scientists from the Boston University School of Medicine conducted a study whose findings suggested that physical activity and aerobic exercise keep the brain healthy. Results, published in the NeuroImage, showed that aerobic exercise has a positive effect on the medial temporal lobe memory system in healthy young adults. This means that increasing levels of aerobic fitness can help you have a sharp memory. Make sure you exercise about 30 minutes a day.

4. Healthy diet
Healthy diet is beneficial for all processes that are occurring in your body and memory is one of them. Ideally, you should avoid or limit intake of foods that have no nutritional value such as junk food, sugary foods, refined foods etc. On the other hand, you should make sure that your diet consists of high levels of Omega 3 fatty acids which are essential for brain health. In fact, most memory supplements contain Omega 3’s on the list of ingredients. Most abundant sources of Omega 3’s are fatty fish and seafood, but they are also present in some plant sources such as walnuts, flaxseed, pumpkin seeds, broccoli, spinach etc. Furthermore, your menu should also contain:

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Whole grains
• Low-fat protein sources
• Green tea.
• Stay hydrated throughout the day and limit consumption of alcohol.

5. Socialize
Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin published results of the study conducted by scientists at the University of Michigan wherein they examined the link between memory and socializing. Results of the study showed that just 10 minutes a day talking to another person improves memory and mental performance. In fact, socializing was just as effective as more traditional types of mental exercise in improving memory and intellectual performance.