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Boost Your Memory with 4 Easy Moves
1. Meditate! This is a little foreign to many of us, but it isn't as difficult as it might seem. There is breath meditation, traditional meditation, imagery meditation and more.
A University of Pennsylvania study in 2007 suggests that daily meditation can help to train your brain to remember more. Who doesn't need that! Twenty adults between the ages of 52 and 70 with mild cognitive impairment (sometimes a precursor of Alzheimer's disease) who meditated 12 minutes a day for eight weeks showed improved blood flow to the region of the brain that is linked to learning and memory.
Want to give it a try? Try meditating for 10-12 minutes before your morning breakfast and/or coffee or tea. Did you know that caffeine can actually decrease the blood flow to the brain? Sit comfortably, closer your eyes and focus on your breath. If your thoughts wander, bring your attention right back to your breath. Is this easy?NO It takes practice, but if you let go of your expectations and just let it happen, you can be successful, also.
2. Take your Vitamins A form of the B vitamin Choline called Citicoline helps to replenish the brain's phosphatidylserine, a nutrient believed to improve memory, thinking and learning in older adults. In fact, in 2007 a study from the Massachusetts Institue of Technology found that people aged 50 to 85 with memory deficiency after taking 1 gram of citicoline every day for three months. Those who took 2 grams for another two months showed even better results. Check with your doctor about proper dosing for you.
Want to give it a try? You can find citicoline supplements at health food stores and suppemental specialty stores or online. I found some good deals for you right here!
3. Get your left and right brain to talk! By simply moving your eyes from side to side seems to encourage your brain's two halves (hemispheres) to work together. This in turn improves your ability to get your memories-also called memory retrieval. A 2007 British study had college students listen to 20 lists of 15 words and found that those who followed a computer program that prompted side to side eye movements for 30 seconds remembered more. They actually remembered 10% more words on average than those who looked at a vertical list.
Want to give it a try? Next time you can't remember where you put your keys or where you parked your car, try moving your eyes from side to side for about 30 seconds. Take a deep breath (memories come to us when we are relaxed!) and try again.
4. De-stress When we are stressed, a lot of changes happen to our bodies and our minds. The stress hormones flood our brains. It pays to de-stress, and your body, mind and spirit will benefit.
Want to give it a try? I've written a lot about this. You can start here.
