As we age, memory problems become more frequent and can become a real burden in our daily lives. That's why it's essential to maintain our cognitive functions and avoid premature ageing of the neurons. But how can we stimulate our memory on a daily basis? Find out!

Memory decline with age

As we age, the body's cells, and therefore brain cells, regenerate less and less efficiently.  As a result, the brain's ability to process information slows down, making it harder for it to carry out complex tasks. As a result, memory, particularly short-term memory, becomes less effective.  

This deterioration in cognitive capacity affects two areas of memory: encoding and retrieval. These functions play a role in recording information and in the ability to retrieve information from the brain. Fortunately, certain external factors can limit this decline and strengthen your memory. 

Be careful, however, not to confuse this natural decline with more serious memory loss or the onset of senile dementia, such as Alzheimer's disease.

How can you improve your memory?

Fortunately, certain factors can provide sufficient cognitive stimulation to limit memory decline in the elderly.

Regular physical activity

Physical exercise speeds up blood flow and therefore the supply of oxygen and other essential substances to the brain. This helps to keep the head healthy and optimise its capacity. But that's not all: practising sport also releases endorphins, which have anxiolytic and analgesic effects that are thought to improve sleep quality and mood, both of which are essential for maintaining a good memory. 

Eat a healthy diet 

A balanced diet helps to keep cognitive faculties healthy, thereby limiting memory decline. What's more, certain beneficial nutrients are best absorbed to preserve our neuronal capacity. These include omega-3s, vegetables, fruit and B vitamins. Some foods, such as ginkgo biloba, orange juice, ginseng, green tea and turmeric, are also said to have amazing properties against memory lapses.

Drink enough water

It cannot be repeated often enough, but water is the source of life and is essential for the proper functioning of our body's cells. Consequently, poor hydration can affect your neuronal connections and alter your reactivity or concentration. Similarly, drinking too much sugar or alcohol could cause permanent damage to your organs and therefore to your brain. So make sure you drink at least 1.5 litres of water a day. 

Play as much as you can

The brain is a muscle that needs daily maintenance. So it's important to challenge it as often as possible to maintain its skills. And there's no better way of keeping your brain in good working order than by playing brainteasers and memory games. Crosswords, scrabble, darts, sudoku, checkers, trivial pursuit and riddles are all great ways to exercise your memory day after day and develop other important skills (concentration, general knowledge, logic, etc.).

Technology can also help you achieve this goal. A large number of computer and tablet games are developed every year with the aim of exercising memory and improving intellectual capacity. So you can play against an opponent even when you're alone at home and train your head without even realising it. Pretty tempting, isn't it?

Maintain a fulfilling social life

According to several studies, there is a close link between human relationships and neuronal degeneration. Social interaction is highly beneficial for brain function and stimulates intellectual activity. So it's vital to combat isolation by organising weekly outings with your friends and family for fun or cultural activities. This way you can engage in discussion and get your multiple senses (empathy, logic, intellect, etc.) working.

Get as much sleep as possible

Taking care of the quality of your sleep is essential if you want to maintain a healthy lifestyle and therefore a good memory. It is during the night, when the body is resting, that the brain organises and archives memories. During deep sleep, the brain selects the relevant elements to retain and eliminates those that are less necessary in order to maintain a balance within the grey matter. Every night, your brain updates itself and consolidates new learning by incorporating it into pre-existing memories, thereby enriching your knowledge. So it's vital to get a good night's sleep and avoid accumulating a lack of sleep over too long a period. 

Relax

Practising certain wellness disciplines such as yoga or meditation is also thought to have a positive impact on cognitive functions and the ability to concentrate. These include a noticeable strengthening of the connections between different areas of the brain involved in the memorisation process.