We all forget things and often find ourselves confused on reasons why.

Our memories are complicated and the process in which they are created is composed of different activities.

This is one of the primary reasons people find themselves looking into careers like family medicine, psychology, neurology, and genetics. Figuring out what’s going on in the brain and how our daily lives contribute to how well our brains work is a key reason for many research projects in place.

Memory loss is often related to age, but we all forget things all the time. Everyone, young and old, wants to slow down the process of our brains losing memory. For example, how many times have you forgotten where you parked? Or a friend or family member shared stories of something that happened on a family trip and they turn to you and say “do you remember that?!” And the moment you say you don’t remember, they ask how you don’t remember it! Apparently it was a very eventful moment and you just can’t seem to remember…

Those instances can almost be embarrassing sometimes, but that doesn’t mean you’re in the early stages of Alzheimer’s… you could simply be having what most would call a “brain fart.” Nonetheless, the following activities will not only give your mind and body a boost but they will also keep your mind sharp as a preventive measure in fighting memory loss.

Get enough sleep

Getting enough rest and getting good rest is important in recovering or strengthening our memories. This is one of the most effective ways to increase your memory capacity. When you are sleep deprived you can notice that it’s more difficult to remember what you said or did later on. Because your mind is tired it creates a struggle in your brain.

When you’re sleeping your brain strengthens the connections it created when you were experiencing an event. Even within a short nap, your brain recovers the memories beforehand. Our brains recover in our sleep and over time it grows new neurons.

Eat less added sugars and refined carbs

Eating too much added sugar and carbs have been linked to illnesses and health issues. Not only do these things lessen your brain power but your body power as well. When compared to those who don’t have as much sugar intake, those who frequently drink sodas and eat lots of added sugars have poorer memories.

Eating lots of refined carbs like cakes and cereal have the possibility of damaging your brain in the long run. Carbs and added sugars create a spike in blood sugar levels which can lead to other health problems. Changing your diet to a more healthy selection will not only improve your memory bt your overall health as well. Try choosing anti-inflammatory foods with antioxidants to decrease the amounts of stress… berries can work wonders!

These are beneficial for long-term memory and strengthen the connections we already have in our brains. Berries are high in flavonoids which are useful to your overall brain power.

Do brain exercises

Do activities and play games that will train your brain. Exercising your brain is just as important as exercising your body. Your brain needs stimulation and to get that you have to do some work-outs. The more you use your memory the sharper it will become. Exercise, in general, is beneficial to our memory.

Try meditation

Meditating is good for lots of things dealing with the mind and body. When you are having issues with your memory, take some time to meditate on it. When you meditate you put the focus on nothing but your mind and breathing. It teaches concentration and works effectively over time to improve memory and brain capabilities.

During the meditation process, brains stop processing information as it would when you are actively experiencing something and you become more intuitive.

Re-learn information

Train and test yourself on certain things to help you remember certain experiences and information. Try reminding yourself often about something that you must remember and it will strengthen the connection in your brain, making it easier to recall at later moments. Repetition is a great way to remember specific information, and learning it differently each time will make it stick.

Watch your stress levels.

Stress can have negative effects on your body and mind. According to sciencedaily.com, stress can shrink the size of your brain and the areas important to memories can be affected. Try to keep your stress at a low level to ensure your memory stay sharp.

Use mnemonic devices

Mnemonic devices are used to connect the memories we already have to the new ones were trying to create. They work as a bridge between old and new and make it easier to recall a past situation. This works because there are many possible ways and routes to get a memory. People usually use physical images to help them remember something but there are other ways to use mnemonic devices to improve memory:

• Acrostic — or making up a sentence and pulling out every beginning letter of every word to create a memory of something using initials.
• Acronym — or a word that is made up of letters from phrases or situations in which you want to remember.
• Chunking — used when trying to remember numbers while grouping small numbers together that are a part of a larger number.
• Rhymes and alliteration — or using repeating sounds and syllables to remember facts and information.

Be aware and pay attention

Being aware of the things that are happening around you and paying attention to certain details can help you recall things in the future. Paying attention goes a long way because you are placing a focus on something specific and retaining that only. Being consistently distracted all of the time will have your mind scattered along with your memory.

Consider taking supplements.

Supplements are good to incorporate in your diet to ensure that you are healthy and that your body works to the best of its ability. Supplements improve your brainpower and will help you with memories. Vitamin D works well as it improves the strength of your body and having a deficiency is linked to health issues, including dementia. Curcumin is good for adding extra antioxidants to your diet to decrease any inflammation and damage in your brain.

There was a commercial that once said that a mind is a terrible thing to waste, and it indeed is. By doing various brain exercises and maintaining a healthy diet, you will be able to keep your mind sharp and ward off signs of memory loss.