How many times have you walked into a room for a specific item and realized you have no idea what you’ve come for? Or, maybe you’ve been introduced to a person and within seconds you’ve ‘forgotten’ that person’s name.
A lot of people think that this type of forgetfulness is just part of the aging process. After all, the older you get, the more you forget, right? In her role as The Age Coach, Cheryl Greenberg, Ed.D., spends a good portion of her time debunking this and other myths about memory loss.
According to Greenberg, ideas about memory loss and aging have changed a great deal in the last three decades. “Back then, we had a pretty dismal view of aging,” she said. “The view is much more positive today. You can live a vibrant third act and stay intelligently engaged as long as disease doesn’t intervene.”
Working as a coach, or “guide,” Greenberg assists seniors and their families as they consider changes in their personal and work lives. Along the way, she has noticed that memory loss is a major concern not only for her senior clients, but younger adults, as well.
Staying physically active is the number one thing that Greenburg advocates for keeping your memory sharp. “Research shows that the most important thing a person can do is to exercise and oxygenate your brain,” she said. “It’s not exactly clear what type of exercise works best but the idea is to break a sweat and get your heart rate up.”
Eating healthy goes hand-in-hand with exercise to help maintain healthy brain function. “The Mediterranean diet is an example of a diet that hits all the right notes,” said Greenberg. “It’s high in Omega 3 and low in saturated fats. It consists of lean meats, olive oil and lots of vegetables. All the foods that have a positive impact on brain function.”
While exercise and eating right are important to maintaining and improving memory, Greenberg also gives advice on other practical ways to boost your brain power. “People can keep their brains sharp by challenging themselves,” she said.
This is different for different people but a common factor is really pushing yourself and engaging your brain to remember things. “Anything where you’re having to recall, process information, make plans, follow directions; all of these things challenge your brain,” she said. “For some people that might mean taking a ballroom dance class or trying yoga. For others, it could mean taking a different route home or simply trying to remember your grocery list instead of relying on a piece of paper.”
Possibly the quickest way to improve your memory is to just pay attention. In today’s fast-paced, multi-sensory world, we’re all distracted and trying to do too many things at one time. Slowing down, looking and listening can have a tremendous impact on our memories. For most people improving your memory isn’t that difficult. It’s a matter of lifestyle and taking the time to exercise both your body and your brain.
