Have you ever mentally created a grocery list, knowing exactly what you needed because you’d been thinking about it for days? Then you get to the store, and somehow, out of the 10 things you needed, you walk out with one item from your list—and 20 other things you didn’t need or weren’t planning to buy. You get home and think, “How did I forget the one thing I actually went there for?”
Forgetting an item at the grocery store every now and then is usually nothing to worry about. Our minds are constantly juggling information, distractions, responsibilities, conversations and everything else happening throughout the day. But memory plays such an important role in our everyday lives that it’s worth paying attention to how we can keep our brains active and engaged.
Whether you’re younger or older, having a sharp memory helps you navigate daily life, from remembering appointments and names to following instructions, learning new information and keeping track of the things that matter most. And as we age, finding ways to challenge our brains and stay mentally engaged becomes even more important.
The good news is that supporting your memory doesn’t always require complicated brain games or hours spent solving puzzles. Sometimes, it can be as simple as paying closer attention to the people and places around you, changing up your routine or turning on your favorite song and dancing.
They say muscles are made in the kitchen, but what about muscle memory – how is it made? Here are four ways to improve your memory.
While out and about, select one person and make a mental note identifying four things about them. Then, throughout the day, try to remember those four points. The more you do, the more your memory improves.
Increase cognitive functioning through active listening. While engaging in conversation, silently repeat what the other person is saying. This act forces you to engage in the conversation instead of building responses to what you think they may say.
It also keeps you focused, reduces distractions, and helps you stay fully engaged in the discussion. The key here is to remember the conversation once you’ve parted ways.
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It’s easy to jump into our routines. After all, routines exist for a reason. They keep us on track, and we know their outcomes from experience. It’s a mindless activity given its repetitive nature.
Now, there is nothing wrong with routine, but a disruption in our patterns forces us to use alternative processes, which improves our mental ability to function.
Taking the long way home could mean different things to different people. It could mean changing your route home, going to a new grocery store, and walking a new terrain instead of running.
Our disrupted actions aid in increasing our memories, so when we jump back into our routines, who knows – we’ll have unique perspectives and see things we’ve mentally ignored.
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There are so many benefits to dancing – whether it’s dancing recreationally or professionally. Dancing reduces depression and anxiety while releasing a happy hormone.
In a New England Journal of Medicine study by Albert Einstein College of Medicine, researchers discovered that dance could improve brain health and boost memory. Several studies have shown that dancing is linked to a reduced risk of dementia and is associated with a 76 percent reduced risk of dementia among the participants.
Just like muscles are made in the kitchen and need strength training to maintain weight loss. Muscles made through memory need constant stimulation, which can happen through observations, repetition and recall, a change of scenery, and a fun memory-inducing activity, like dance, to remain sharp.
Whether you’re observing details about someone you meet, actively listening during a conversation, taking a different route home or dancing to your favorite song, the goal is to keep your mind engaged instead of allowing every part of your day to happen on autopilot.
And the best part is that these memory exercises can easily become part of what you already do. Turn your next walk into an observation exercise. Challenge yourself to remember something someone told you earlier in the day. Try a new grocery store or take a different route home. Put on some music and dance around your living room.
A forgotten grocery item doesn’t mean your memory is failing you. But making a habit of challenging your brain, learning new things and staying mentally active can be a positive part of healthy aging. So the next time you find yourself searching for your keys or trying to remember why you walked into a room, don’t panic. Give your brain a little stimulation—and keep exercising that mental muscle.
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