Memory loss is something almost all of us think about on a day-to-day basis. This could show itself in us forgetting why we walked in a room, forgetting a book title, or even forgetting someone’s name that you just met. More times than not, these are just normal memory lapses and are of no concern when they happen. However, if moments like these do make you worry about what your future may hold, there are ways to help yourself early on to not have worsening memory issues.
Simple lapses from time to time shouldn’t be a huge worry, more times than not these are normal. Significant memory loss that may come with age may not be as normal and could lead to issues like brain disorders or Alzheimer’s disease. As we age there are many ways to help us strengthen our current memories.
Use all Your Senses
We have five senses for a reason and as we go through life, using all, or as much as we can (don’t lick doorknobs), can help us memorize that moment in time. Utilizing the smells and sights around you can help you remember them in more ways than one, allowing you, later on, to try to remember it from different angles and give you a better chance of knowing what happened. For example, if you meet someone new in a park, you can listen to their name, to the dogs barking, the wind, but then also the smell the trees or hot dog cart down the road. By having multiple versions of the same moment memorized, it gives a bigger opportunity for the memories to be remembered properly.
Repetition
This may seem simple at first but it can be a huge help when trying to remember smaller things. Repeating a name, a place, or really anything that you have just learned can help keep it stored in your head. Writing it down once or twice can also have the same effect. If you just saw where something is and you want to try to remember it for later, repeat it out loud to yourself.
Don’t Stop Learning
Continuing to learn can teach our brains to memorize information and help in other day-to-day circumstances. Learning a new hobby such as fishing, knitting, or painting can also help with this as your brain needs to remember movements or patterns.
As we get older, memory can change and we may see it is becoming harder to remember the simple things. Tools like these can help strengthen your mind and keep those gears turning. Of course, with age our minds and hormones will change, leading to lower testosterone levels as well, and that can also be intertwined with what happens in our brain.
Overall, adding these simple techniques to what we do in a day, can make a huge difference in how we perceive and remember our own lives.
