Beating Memory Loss With Brain Workouts

So you've reviewed the causes of forgetfulness. You've eliminated the ones you can - especially lifestyle issues such as drugs and alcohol. But you still have moments when you can't remember your boyfriend's birthday. Or when you wrote that exam and forgot the formula for calculating the area of an isosceles triangle (let alone how to spell it).

How can you have better command of your memory? How can you store memories and call them up when you need them?

The answer is pretty straight-forward. You work out your brain as often as possible.

It's kind of like getting in shape for an athletic event. You eat a healthy diet and head for the gym. You run a few miles every morning, and practice the special skills for your sport. Regular workouts are basic to success in athletic performance.

Sorry to say, it's work. As for brain workouts, however, it can actually be fun. You don't have to practice geometry or read difficult poetry. As long as you flex your mental muscles doing memory games, you'll shape up.

· Newspaper Games. If you subscribe to your local paper or the New York Times, you've got brain workouts right there - workouts you can do while you eat breakfast. Turn to the crossword puzzles, or Sudoku. Researchers have discovered that word or number puzzles improve people's ability to hold on to information and recall it at will. Furthermore, starting the day with a newspaper puzzle puts you in great shape for the rest of the day - people have greater mental clarity and agility the rest of the day.

· Board Games and Puzzles. Neurologists check out many aspects of brain performance. They have found that playing board games and doing jigsaw puzzles has a definite effect on memory. They improve concentration and the ability to focus on detail. Another finding is that the harder the game or puzzle, the greater the positive effect on mental skills. Thus, a 5,000 piece puzzle with sharpen your mind more than a 3,000 piece puzzle. And pick out a Scrabble player who'll whip your butt if you don't play hard.

· Trivia. Whether you aiming for winning a TV quiz show, or just beating up on your friends in Trivial Pursuit, trivia games are good for your brain...and good for your memory. It's been proven that trivia play helps you transform short-term memory into long-term memory. Not an insignificant memory booster. So turn your horde of geography or movie facts into better brain skills. Get going on trivia!


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