Tips for Keeping Your Memory Sharp as You Get Older

Many people are worried about Alzheimer’s, dementia, and just overall memory loss as they age. Luckily, there are several things you can do if you are one of those people who worries about keeping your memory sharp as you get older.

Exercise

Exercise is important for both your physical and mental health. A study published in May 2018 by Neurology: Clinical Practice looked at just how much exercise is needed for a sharper memory. The study looked at dozens of other studies involving older adults. By looking at those studies, scientists determined that those who exercised for about 52 hours over a six-month period showed the biggest improvements in various thinking and speed tests. This averaged out to about three one-hour exercise sessions per week.

Of the participants, 59 percent were labeled as healthy adults, 26 percent had a mild cognitive impairment, which may lead to dementia, and 15 percent had been diagnosed with dementia. Nearly 60 percent did not exercise regularly prior to the study.

Joyce Gomes-Osman, who is an assistant professor of physical therapy and neurology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and who led the study, said that 52 hours is not a magic number necessarily. The key is long-term consistency. It’s not so much about exercising for three hours this week as it is about continuing the habit of regular exercise.

There are several reasons why exercise helps people improve their mental sharpness. One reason is that exercise helps with blood flow all over the body, including in the brain. It also produces endorphins, which increases your motivation and enjoyment. This improves your outlook on life, which helps you cognitively.

Aerobic activity is also found to help with brain freezes or those tip-of-the-tongue moments when you know the answer, but it just won’t come to you. According to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Birmingham in England, regular aerobic activity could reduce those tip-of-the-tongue moments by 28 percent, making you more cognitively alert.

Contact us to learn more about keeping your mind sharp as you age, or read Part 2 of our series to learn another great way that you keep your mind sharp as you get older.