Memory Loss

Memory Loss

Elvis lives. Sasquatch roams the forest. Aliens have landed. Yes, modern myths abound. But few are as pervasive or damaging as the misconceptions about aging and memory. Just take a gander at these tall tales.

• You lose 10,000 brain cells a day, and one day you just run out.

• Your memory gets worse as you get older, and you can’t do anything about it.

• Forgetfulness is a sign that something is wrong with your brain.

Not one of these statements is true, yet thousands of people over 60 continue to believe them, says Barry Gordon, M.D., Ph.D., behavioral neurologist at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore and author of Memory: Remembering and Forgetting in Everyday Life.

“These myths about memory give people over 60 a fatalistic attitude about these problems that is often quite harmful to self-esteem.” Dr. Gordon says. “While it is true that many people will have a worsening of memory with age, it is also true that some of these problems are reversible. They can be helped with a few simple coping strategies.”

If a person has a mild memory loss, it doesn’t necessarily mean his brain is rotting, says Dr. Gordon. It could be a simple problem that is easy to remedy. Here’s a look at few simple ways to sharpen your recall.

Try This First

Keep on listing. Regular mental exercise like memorizing names, shopping lists, and other important information is vital if you want to keep your memory sharp as you age, says Alan S. Brown, Ph.D., author of How to Increase Your Memory Power and professor of psychology at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.

“People in their sixties, seventies, and eighties tend not to practice using their memories as much as they did when they were younger,” he says. “Many people in this age group, for instance, rely on lists, and that’s a fine technique if it isn’t overused. But if you become overly dependent on lists, that can actually diminish your ability to concentrate and recall.”

So at least once a week, try making a mental rather than written list to help do your shopping, housecleaning, or daily errands. Memorizing these tasks is one of the best and simplest brain-stretching exercises you can do, according to Dr. Brown.

Other Wise Ways

Sweat it out. Aerobic exercises like brisk walking or swimming can improve memory 20 to 30 percent, Dr. Gordon says, although he recommends checking with a physician before beginning any exercise program.

Snooze and you won’t lose. When you’re tired, you’ll have more trouble focusing your attention and your recall will suffer, says Janet Fogler, co-author of Improving Your Memory and clinical social worker at Turner Geriatric Services at the University of Michigan Health System in Ann Arbor.

A good night’s sleep also will help your brain process and store new information, Dr. Gordon says. Although most people get six to eight hours of sleep a night, the amount you might need will vary. Try to get enough sleep so that you feel well-rested when you wake up, he suggests.

Toss chaos. If you randomly scatter bills, car keys, and glasses around your home or office, you’re going to have trouble finding them simply because you probably weren’t paying attention when you set them aside, Fogler says. Designate a hook for your keys and always hang them there. Toss old magazines and newspapers at least once a week. Keep a wastebasket near where you sort through your mail, and throw away unwanted mail immediately, Fogler suggests.

Take a moment. Most of us have experienced at least one anxious instant when we couldn’t remember if we fed the cat or turned off the iron. Usually, that’s a sign that we were distracted. So always pause, take a deep breath, and relax before you dash out the door, says Danielle Lapp, author of Don’t Forget: Easy Exercises for a Better Memory and memory training researcher at Stanford University. Take a moment to ask yourself some questions. Where am I going? What am I doing? What do I need? Have I forgotten anything important?

Talk the walk. Talking to yourself as you do a task can help focus your attention and make things easier to remember, Fogler says. As you straighten up your house, for instance, literally talk your way through the process. You could say, “I’m putting these old clothes in a white cardboard box marked with a red X. Now I’m carrying the box down to the basement. I’m placing the box on the floor behind the blue lounge chairs that we use on the patio during the summer.” When you want to find the box, talk your way back through what you did, and you’ll probably have no trouble finding it, she says.

Make the ordinary extraordinary. A good reminder can be unconventional or even weird, Fogler says. The next time you need to remember an errand, try placing a sock in the refrigerator. You can be sure the sight of that sock will jog your memory the next time you open the fridge.

Make the connection. It may take more effort to retrieve information as you get older, but don’t give up, Lapp says. Try to organize your thinking. Keep your memory scanner in the area of the subject. If you can’t think of a movie title, for example, keep talking about the movie. Name as many actors and actresses as you can. That may trigger the recollection you want, she says.

Catch a wave. Relaxation techniques like deep breathing can reduce stress and boost your ability to recall, Lapp says. To try it, sit comfortably, without tensing your muscles, and close your eyes. Let your arms and legs rest limply. Keep your mouth closed and inhale deeply and gradually through your nose until your lungs are full. Now exhale slowly, again through your nose, until all of the air is out.

As you continue breathing deeply, listen to the rhythm of air rushing in and then slowly seeping out. Notice how it sounds like waves crashing gently against the shore. Visualize the motion of the waves, their sound, and the smell of the sea breeze. Enjoy the sensations. Use this visualization technique as often as you can, particularly when you feel tense and are having difficulty remembering things, Lapp says. Try it while at work or while waiting in line. The visualization part of the exercise is enough to lessen anxiety when you have trouble remembering a piece of information.