Memory loss is a characteristic of the seniors. Memory difficulties evoke immense fears despite being a normal aging process. Luckily, there are a few steps seniors can adopt to improve their cognitive ability. Here are the top five tips to being with:
1) Improved Social Connections
Enhanced socialization can greatly improve a senior’s memory. There is no better way to improve social connections than spending time with family and friends. Besides, you can also seek the services of a professional senior care agency and join a class or a volunteers program. If you have a senior within Florida experiencing memory loss problems, there are quality elder care services in Palm Beach County where he or she can get support by participating in daily social events and therapeutic activities.
2) Better Sleeping Habits
Even though sleep may not be a cure for this problem, recent studies have shown that it triggers certain changes in the brain that solidify memories. In other words, the brain processes the day’s events before consolidating them into memory when you are asleep. Seniors should consider getting at least 6-9 hours of sleep every night for an optimum brain boost. It is crucial that the seniors’ sleep remains as undisturbed as possible. With disturbed sleep, a senior’s memory gets fragmented, implying that he or she will not clearly remember what he or she had learned earlier.
3) Regular Body Exercise
Rapid aerobic exercises are known to improve blood circulation around the body. Consequently, they increase blood flow to the brain. These exercises even give better results when combined with hand-eye coordination movements and motor skill development.
4) Improved Diet
Certain foods can significantly hamper a senior’ brain health. This is especially true for those foods with a high composition of saturated and trans fats such as beefsteak, fried foods, and dairy products. These foods have high levels of LDL cholesterol that can have detrimental effects on the heart and may cause damage to the brain.
Therefore, it is advisable to change a senior’s diet to foods with a high saturation of mono and polyunsaturated fats. These include vegetables, fruits, olive oil, nuts, and fish. Such foods prevent damage or clogging of blood vessels that would pose a risk of one developing memory loss or stroke.
5) Keep Learning
A good way to improve cognitive functions and memory in seniors is through engaging in mental exercises. The brain is involved in three distinct tasks: taking in new information, recording, and retrieving it. Several parts are involved in this complex procedure, but the process is relatively slow as the normal aging process takes its toll. It is crucial to challenge your brain with new skills as well as vigorous mental exercises. A senior can consider adopting a new hobby that demands new skills or playing games so that they continue learning throughout their life. He or she should go for those physical games that are less vigorous and physically demanding considering the advanced age.
