ways to keep your memory sharp

The way you live,what you eat and drink and how you treat your body affect your memory as well as your health and well being.By age 60,more than half of adults have concerns about their memory.However,minor memory lapses that occur with age are not usually signs of a serious problem,but rather the result of normal changes in the structure and function of the brain.This describes the normal age-related changes and other more serious cause of memory loss and how to distinguish them.Here are some of the ways you can use to keep your memory sharp:

           Manage your stress-The constant drumbeat of daily stress such as deadline pressures or petty arguments can certainly distract you and affect your ability to focus and recall.But the bigger problem is an ongoing sense of extreme anxiety that can lead to memory impairment.If you don't have a strategy in place for managing your stress,protecting your memory is one reason to get one.

            Get a good night's sleep-people who don't sleep well at night tend to be more forgetful than those who sleep soundly.A good sleep is essential for consolidating memories.The most common reason for poor sleep is insomnia (difficulty in falling asleep or staying asleep). Unfortunately most medicines used to treat insomnia can also impair memory and rain function.That is why it's best to try improving your sleeping habits first and turn to medication only if those steps do not help.If you need sleeping aids ,use the lowest dose for the shortest time needed to get your sleep back on track.

            If you smoke,quit smoking.Easier than done certainly,but if you need additional motivation,know that smokers have a greater degree of age related memory loss and other memory problems than non-smokers.People who smoke more than two packs of cigarettes a day at midlife have more than double the risk of developing dimentia in old age compared to non-smokers.

            If you drink alcohol,do so moderately.Drinking too much alcohol increases the risk of memory loss and dimentia.People with alcoholism have difficulty performing short term memory tasks such as memorizing lists.Another type of memory loss associated with alcohol is called Korsakoff's syndrome.In this condition,long term vitamin B1 deficiency combined with the toxic effects of alcohol on the brain can trigger sudden and dramatic amnesia.In some cases this memory loss is permanent but if caught at an early,can be reversed to some degree.

             Protect your brain from injury.Head trauma is a major cause of memory loss and increases the risk of developing dimentia.Always use the protective gear during high speed activities and contacts sports.Wear seatbelts when riding in motor vehicles.Car accidents are by far the most common cause of brain injuru and wearing seat belts greatly reduced the chances of severe head injuries.wear a helmet when bicycling,line skating and skiing.

Prevention is better than cure,they say.