Keep your mind sharp
We all suffer those forgetful moments, usually due to mental overload. But there are ways to clear your mind and keep it sharp for the future.
Almost everything you do relies on the recollection of stored information. Encoding (getting information into memory), storing and retrieving are the three phases involved in memory. A failure at any of these stages, or being forgetful, can cause harmless ‘Where did I park the car?’ situations, or indicate something more significant, such as dementia.
The recent World Alzheimer’s Report estimates there are 4.4 million people over the age of 60 years living in South Africa, with approximately 187 000 living with Alzheimer’s (which is the most common form of dementia). The good news is there are ways to reduce your risk of developing this condition. Here’s how you can clear your mind and safeguard your grey matter.
MEMORY THIEF: Physical inactivity
The loss: Being a couch potato is one of the most damaging health habits. Inactivity might cause an increased risk of vascular disease and higher levels of inflammatory markers in the blood, which both intensify the risk and severity of cognitive decline and dementia.
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Being physically active is vital if you want to preserve your memory, as it improves blood flow to the brain and the supply of glucose and oxygen it needs to function well, confirms a new study published in the journal Neurology. “Brain size shrinks in late adulthood, which can cause memory problems,” explains study author Kirk Erickson. But regularly walking just more than a kilometre a day might result in a greater volume of brain tissue and a reduced risk of cognitive decline, he says.
MEMORY THIEF: Excess weight
The loss: Carrying unhealthy weight might result in a poor memory, claims a new study from the US. “The message is obesity and a higher body mass index are not good for your cognition and your memory,” says lead author Diana Kerwin. Researchers suggest cytokines – hormones released by fat in the body that can cause inflammation – might negatively affect cognition.
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By reducing your alcohol intake you will trim down and reduce your risk of alcohol-related brain injury, claims a study by the Northern California Institute for Research and Education. “It’s commonly believed it’s the large amount of consumed alcohol by itself that leads to brain injury,” says researcher Dieter Meyerhoff. This is only partly correct: while alcohol doesn’t contain fat, it contains energy that is associated with a higher risk of abdominal obesity. Losing weight, exercising and reducing alcohol intake might help improve brain health.
MEMORY THIEF: A poor diet
The loss: Just as your car needs fuel to avoid breaking down, so too does your brain. However, not just any fuel will do. “Eating anything that causes heart problems increases your risk of dementia,” says Jürgen Götz, director of the Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease Laboratory at the University of Sydney. Nerve damage might also be a result of too much or not enough of certain vitamins and minerals, resulting in memory loss, a decrease in problem-solving abilities and impaired brain functions.
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Upping your vitamin B intake might halve the rate of brain shrinkage and memory problems, found an Oxford University study. Certain B vitamins – folic acid, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 – might control levels of the amino acid homocysteine in the blood, and reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s. To protect your memory, ensure your diet contains vitamin B-rich foods such as wholegrains, seafood, poultry, meats, eggs, dairy, leafy green veggies, beans and peas.
MEMORY THIEF: Chronic stress
The loss: You need your brain to respond to stress, release hormones and activate the fight-or-flight response. However, a side effect of elevated levels of the stress hormone, cortisol, might be a poor memory. New research has also discovered that long-term exposure to stress can cause your brain to get stuck on high alert, risking more damage, claims a study by the University of Calgary.
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Following stressful situations, always take a break. Researchers discovered memories were strengthened during periods of rest, which previous studies had only shown occurred during sleep. “Your brain is working for you when you’re resting, so rest is important for memory and cognitive function,” explains researcher Lila Davachi.
MEMORY THIEF: Obstructive sleep apnoea
The loss: Memory failure might be a result of nocturnal habits. Sufferers of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) – caused by relaxed muscles in the mouth blocking the windpipe – might have tissue loss in brain regions that help store memory, found researchers from the University of California. Memory disruption might be a result of constricted blood vessels starving brain tissue of oxygen, causing cellular death.
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Losing 5kg to 10kg may greatly reduce symptoms of OSA. For more severe cases, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) – a machine that generates a steady flow of air keeping airways open during sleep – might improve your memory, reports a study cited in the journal CHEST. “Patients with OSA often complain of daily forgetfulness,” says study author Mark Aloia. “Where memory is concerned, we may have the ability to reverse some of the impairments by providing effective and consistent use of CPAP treatment.”
MEMORY THIEF: Hypothyroidism
The loss: Becoming forgetful might be a sign that you have an underactive thyroid. Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland fails to produce enough hormones. This might result in every organ system slowing, including the brain, causing memory and mental impairment.
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A lack of iodine in the diet might be the leading cause of hypothyroidism, as your body needs iodine to make thyroid hormones. Iodised salt is the most common dietary source, but it’s also found in dairy products, seafood, kelp, eggs and some vegetables.
MEMORY THIEF: High blood pressure
The loss: Just like your heart, your brain depends on a nourishing supply of blood to function properly. When there’s a blocked flow of blood to the brain, caused by damaged arteries as a result of uncontrolled high blood pressure, it can trigger anything from mild cognitive impairment to dementia.
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Have your blood pressure monitored by your doctor and take proactive steps to keep it within a normal range, by avoiding smoking, eating a healthy diet, exercising and watching your weight.
MEMORY THIEF: Negative thoughts
The loss: A negative inner voice telling you your memory will worsen as you get older might actually be a self-fulfilling prophecy, say researchers at North Carolina State University. They discovered that senior citizens who think older people should perform poorly on memory tests scored lower than seniors who don’t buy into negative stereotypes about ageing and memory loss.
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Those with a more positive view of ageing exhibit significantly higher levels of memory performance, says study author Tom Hess. In other words, if you’re confident that ageing will not ravage your memory, you’re more likely to perform well on memory-related tasks. Further research has also found that optimistic people live healthier lifestyles – they get more physical activity, follow a healthier diet, and have reduced rates of smoking and alcohol consumption.
MEMORY THIEF: Loneliness
The loss: Social isolation might be worse for your health than alcoholism, smoking, obesity and not exercising. Not only is wellbeing affected, loneliness might also hamper your memory, research from the University of Chicago suggests. This might be because social isolation affects how your brain operates. The ventral striatum – a region of the brain that is critical to learning – is much more active in social people than in the lonely.
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Chatting to someone for 10 minutes a day might be enough to stop your memory from declining, reveal researchers from the University of Michigan. “Socialising was just as effective as more traditional kinds of mental exercise in boosting memory and intellectual performance,” says study author Oscar Ybarra. Stimulate your brain by chatting on the phone, visiting family and having group-based hobbies.
CREDIT: AREMEDIASYNDICATION.COM.AU/MAGAZINEFEATURES.CO.ZA