Practical Memory Tips for a Younger Brain by Dr Gary Small l Memory Tips for Everyone l Memory Exercises l How to Strengthen Your Memory l Memory Enhancement Tips l Memory Enhancement Advice

Have you ever recognized someone’s face but been unable to remember their name? Do you sometimes forget where you put your phone or keys? You are not alone – people of all ages complain about these kinds of memory issues, which only escalate as our brains age. Scientists can now detect these memory lapses even in young and middle-aged brains. But there’s no reason to give up hope. We all have considerable control over our own brain aging and the memory slips that accompany it. In 2 Weeks to a Younger Brain, we describe the latest science that shows what all of us can do to reverse this aging process quickly and begin enjoying the benefits of a younger brain – one that thinks fast, learns effectively, and remembers well. The following are my top 10 strategies for keeping your brain young:

Get Physical

Engaging in regular physical exercise is perhaps the most important strategy for keeping our brains young. Scientists at the University of Illinois studied the brain and memory effects of regular aerobic conditioning and showed that brisk walkers have bigger and better functioning brains than those who don’t do any cardiovascular conditioning. One study showed that walking briskly 90 minutes each week lowers the risk for developing dementia. During exercise, the heart pumps oxygen and nutrients to the brain, and the body produces brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which stimulates better brain cell communication. Also, keep in mind that strength training offers brain benefits above and beyond those resulting from aerobic conditioning.

Learn Simple Memory Strategies

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Whether you’re in your twenties, your forties or your sixties, you can bolster your memory ability with focus and frame, the basic memory strategy from my new book, 2 Weeks to a Younger Brain. The first step, focus, is a reminder to pay conscious attention to what you want to remember and then create a mental image of it. To practice this skill, concentrate on observing details and turn off any distracting devices. Once your mind has focused on the new information you want to remember and created a mental image of it, you then frame that image so it becomes memorable. The idea is to mentally place a picture frame around the image that you are focusing on so you are better able to recall it later. This method is effective for the most common memory issues people experience: remembering names, finding lost objects; recalling plans; and overcoming tip-of-the tongue memory lapses.