You get in the car. But wait – you’ve forgotten something. So you go back into the house only to stand there and wonder, What did I want? If this sounds familiar, there's good news: Your brain is incredibly adaptable, even improving with age if you treat your mental muscles right. Here are 10 steps that help…
When noggin retention slips and you start forgetting names, misplacing your glasses or letting appointments slide, it’s scary. You wonder: Am I going senile?
So what causes forgetfulness? For starters, too much stress, not enough sleep, bad nutrition, medication (especially cholesterol-lowering drugs) or other health issues.
Women can blame their hormones too. Estrogen fuels memory function, which is why many of us complain of foggy brains during pregnancy, just after delivery or before and during menopause, when hormone levels decline or fluctuate.
In fact, lower estrogen levels at any age can wreak havoc on a woman’s ability to think clearly, remember details and concentrate. According to a 2006 study at McGill University in Canada, young women with too little estrogen suffered the same memory problems as those in menopause.
But there’s hope. Your brain freeze may be temporary and even reversible, according to UCLA researchers.
The study, reported last year in the medical journal Neurology, found that women processed information better with repeated testing during early perimenopause and postmenopause. The scores of late perimenopausal women didn’t improve much but those with low grades did much better when tested after it was all over.
No matter your age, there are ways to keep your brain functioning in balance. Start with these 10 smart tips:
1. Eat Regularly
The brain makes up 2%-3% of the body’s weight but uses 20% of its energy, according to Stephanie McClellan, M.D., co-author of So Stressed (Simon & Schuster Free Press).
“The fuel the brain requires is staggering, so we need consistent calorie intake to function at our best.”
McClellan recommends eating every 2-3 hours. Choose healthy, filling snacks high in protein, fiber and some fat, like a small handful of almonds, celery sticks with peanut butter or a piece of string cheese.
2. Super-Size Your Brain
Super foods such as spinach, strawberries and blueberries are a delicious way to boost brain function. A diet rich in those foods reversed age-related brain changes, according to a 2000 study by James Joseph, Ph.D., a neuroscientist at Tufts University in Boston.
Try for a daily serving of berries or spinach. Stock up on frozen berries and make a memory-enhancing morning smoothie or cook up some spinach as a tasty side dish.
Or pick up some Thai or Indian food for dinner. A 2006 study in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that older people who ate curry – as infrequently as once every six months – had sharper mental function and less cognitive decline than those who didn’t.
3. Drink Hot Beverages
Coffee, tea or hot cocoa? All three provide comfort and boost brain function.
Several studies have found short- and long-term mental benefits from drinking coffee. A 2007 study of 7,000 women by French researchers found significantly less memory loss in women over age 65 who drank three or more cups a day – and the effect got better with age.
Green tea has powerful antioxidants, soaking up cell-damaging free radicals and reducing the risk of stroke. Cocoa improves blood flow to the brain and heart.
4. Watch the Spirits
Although a drink a day can be good for the body and relaxing for the soul, anything more plays a role in forgetfulness.
A 2003 University of Teesside in England study found 25% more memory problems in people who consumed more than 10 drinks a week. Lead researcher Jonathan Ling said recall loss included everyday things, like forgetting birthdays or where you put the keys and missing appointments.
Limit yourself one drink a day – or less – and explore other ways to relax, such as taking a bath, yoga or exercising.
And it’s never too late to curb a drinking habit, because the brain can heal itself and reverse memory loss, according to a 2006 study led by Andreas Bartsch, M.D., at the University of Wurzburg, Germany.
5. Take Your Vitamins
“The brain needs a variety of vitamins, minerals and enzymes to run properly, just like a car needs gasoline and oil,” McClellan says.
Although a balanced diet with a variety of foods is the best source of brain fuel, multivitamins are a good insurance policy.
Folic acid, in particular, appears to improve brain function, according to a 2005 Dutch study. Look for a multivitamin with at least the recommended daily dose (400 micrograms). Fortified cereals, grains and leafy greens are good sources too.
6. Stock Up on Herbs
Nature provides some brain-boosters too.
Ginkgo biloba, made from dried leaves of the ginkgo tree, has shown promise for clearing up fuzzy thinking and memory problems.
Complementary medicine guru Andrew Weil, M.D., founder and director of the Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, recommends taking 40 mg of ginkgo three times a day with meals for two months to see mental improvement.
Fish oil is another supplement that provides brain food, in particular, a component of omega-3 fatty acids known as DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). The American Heart Association recommends taking 1 gram of omega-3 fish oil daily or eating 4 ounces of salmon, sardines and tuna twice a week for optimal memory function.
7. Make Time to Unwind
Chronic stress can cause changes in the brain, permanently damaging memory since it shrinks and destroys brain tissue, McClellan says.
So work downtime into your day – a walk around the block, watching your favorite TV show or curling up with a good book before bed. Your brain needs a little TLC every day.
8. Go Out and Play
Who said games were just for kids? Research – like the ongoing Seattle Longitudinal Study, which observed psychological developments in adults – has found that grown-ups who play mind games reap the benefits too. Learning creates new pathways in the brain, which keeps you young.
Try the daily crossword puzzle in the newspaper, grab a Sudoku book (a book full of number puzzles) or go high-tech with Nintendo’s Brain Age, a handheld video game system for adults.
Or explore an untapped interest: Take a painting class at a community center, an algebra class at the local college or rock climbing at the local Y.
9. Get Moving
Work out the body and your mind will stay young. A 2006 University of Illinois review of exercise research over the last 40 years found that staying active also helps keep the brain in top shape.
Not only do physically active adults who exercise prevent age-related brain decline, they actually reverse it with as little as a half-hour walk a day. Regular aerobic activity fueled the growth of new brain cells, improving concentration and decision-making abilities as a result.
Researchers also found that sedentary middle-agers who got moving experienced similar increases in sharpness and speed of thought as their younger counterparts.
10. Find Your Slumber Cycle
Getting enough sleep has a domino effect on the brain and body, affecting everything from mood to memory to sex drive. So sleep and wake up at the same time every day.
And lose the bright distractions at night: Turn off TVs, cell phones and computers. It signals the brain that it’s time to relax. Instead, listen to soothing music and dim the lights.
Check out more ways to stop memory loss.
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