Try: The same practices that contribute to healthy aging and physical vitality also contribute to healthy memory exercise regularly regular exercise boosts brain growth factors and encourages the development of new brain cells exercise also reduces the risk for disorders that lead to memory loss such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease exercise also makes a huge difference in managing stress and reducing anxiety and depression stay social people who don’t have social contact with family and friends are at higher risk for memory problems than people who have strong social ties social interaction helps brain function in several ways it often involves activities that challenge the mind and it helps ward off stress and depression so join a book club reconnect with old friends or visit the local senior center being with other people will help keep you sharp eat plenty of fruits vegetables and omega-3 fats eating plenty of fresh produce keeps your brain cells from "rusting " and foods rich in omega-3 fats such as salmon tuna trout walnuts and flaxseed are really good for your brain and memory also avoid saturated and trans fats which helps cholesterol levels and reduces your risk of stroke manage stress cortisol the stress hormone damages the brain over time and can lead to memory problems but even before that happens stress causes memory difficulties in the moment when you’re stressed out you’re more likely to suffer memory lapses and have trouble learning and concentrating get plenty of sleep sleep is necessary for memory consolidation the process of forming and storing new memories so you can retrieve them later sleep deprivation also reduces the growth of new neurons in the hippocampus and causes problems with memory concentration and decision-making it can even lead to depression, another memory killer don’t smoke smoking heightens the risk of vascular disorders that can cause stroke and constrict arteries that deliver oxygen to the brain information references "memory loss and aging causes treatment and help for memory problems" by melinda smith lawrence robinson and robert segal 2011 available at
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Categories: Sage, Topic, Cognitive Intellectual, Emotional Psychological, Medical Physical, Social, Cognitive Awareness, Fully Aware, Somewhat Aware, Unaware, Long-Term Memory, Good L T Memory, So-So L T Memory, Poor L T Memory, Short-Term Memory, Good S T Memory, So-So S T Memory, Poor S T Memory
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Keywords: Memory loss forgets things smoking sleep stress anxiety social activity exercise fruits and vegetables
*This information is listed as a Fact Sheet and is not explicitly medically licensed