Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 4: Strengthen Cognitive Skills
• Part 2 of 4: Maintain a Positive Mindset
• Part 3 of 4: Helping Your Own Memory
• Part 4 of 4: Accept Help
• Tips
• Warnings

Memory can fail a person at any age. Fortunately, there are ways to keep your mind clear and thereby improve your outlook on the world. Also, clarity of mind helps to better understand situations and make wiser decisions with age. Use a variety of ways to maintain a clear mind and a positive attitude.

Steps

Part 1 of 4: Strengthen Cognitive Skills

1. 1 Daily physical education. Exercise is extremely beneficial for mental and physical health. They help prevent depression and strengthen the immune system. In addition, physical education helps to maintain clarity of mind with age.
   • For people in their 40s, daily exercise helps maintain the health of the prefrontal cortex.In the study, aerobically well-trained men of age outperformed men with lower levels of fitness on decision-making tasks.
2. 2 Healthy eating. Brain and heart health is a key factor in keeping our memory functioning as we age, and often helps prevent dementia. Avoid saturated and transitional fats, which cause damage to blood vessels in the brain, and eat the following foods:
   • Healthy fats like olive oil and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, which can be found in salmon fish.
   • Antioxidants that support optimal brain function. Even dark chocolate is good for you!
   • Lots of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains that may lower your risk of stroke.
   • Alcohol in moderation. This is not a mistake: small doses of alcohol can help adults prevent dementia by maintaining healthy cholesterol and insulin levels. At the same time, it is important not to abuse: excessive alcohol consumption will have the opposite effect, as a result of which you can even lose your memory (the so-called "memory lapses").
3. 3 A healthy night's sleep. Overwork clouding mental capacity, and a rested brain is able to function optimally.
   • During sleep, the brain retains daytime memories, so rest helps to organize the mundane details of daily life.
   • You can even take a nap after learning new or important information in order to remember the information for a long time.
4. 4 Mental calculations. Mathematics develops logical thinking and problem solving skills. Your workout can be simple examples that can be solved in your head or on a piece of paper. Many people haven't used long division since high school. Refresh your knowledge.
   • At the supermarket, try counting the value of the items in your cart. You don't need to count as accurately as possible. Round up prices to whole numbers. Find out at the checkout how accurate your calculations were!
5. 5 Keep learning. Harvard researchers have found that continuing education improves memory as we get older. Continue to educate yourself if you have already graduated.
   • Build your knowledge at your local library. Here you can relax, collect your thoughts and focus on your studies. If you have some free time, sit with a book in the park or your favorite cafe. Maintain a sharp mind and a positive outlook.
   • Take courses at your local school. The best choice would be activities that require mental and social activity, such as photography or handicrafts. It will also help you meet new people and even make new friends!
6. 6 Tighten your mental muscles. Develop logic, problem-solving ability, and coping with mental aspects through puzzles and challenging mental tasks. Thus, mental stress develops rational thinking skills and allows you to feel confident in solving problems.
   • Solve crosswords. Older people who often solve crossword puzzles perform better on various cognitive tests. Researchers cannot give a definitive answer as to whether crossword puzzles really develop mental abilities, or whether people with higher mental abilities are better at solving crosswords thanks to their skills, but it certainly won't hurt you!
   • Play computer games. According to one study, a game called NeuroRacer helped older participants improve their multi-tasking ability, short-term memory, and attentiveness. If computer games are not your thing, traditional games like bridge are also good for the mind.
7. 7 Use all your senses. Scientists have found that stimulating all of our senses activates different parts of the brain and improves memory.In one study, participants remembered images better when displayed with a specific scent.
   • In practice, this may mean that using mindfulness techniques to notice the sights, smells, tastes, sensations and sounds present can help you remember such events better.
   • You can also feast on mints, as peppermint oil can help improve memory and alertness. Treat yourself to mints as you read new information or study the material.
8. 8 Use your other hand for daily tasks. It is a challenging challenge, especially when trying to write or type, but it forces the person to focus and engage both hemispheres of the brain.
   • Sit down at your desk and start writing with your dominant hand. At first, you may get scribbled, but you will immediately notice the tension in the shoulders and over time you will be able to develop this ability. This exercise is very helpful for patients with epilepsy.

Part 2 of 4: Maintain a Positive Mindset

1. 1 Find your special talent. You can develop new talents and skills at any stage of your life. This builds self-confidence.
   • Start skiing or playing golf, join a choir or an amateur comedy club. Moderate your expectations and don't strive for excellence. Just have fun and meet new people, but make sure to put in some effort.
   • Skills like foreign languages ​​or programming also significantly affect mental clarity.
2. 2 Find a way to express yourself creatively. Creativity is good for mental acuity and good mood for a number of reasons: creative activities force us to think and tense our mental muscles, and the results of such work can strengthen self-confidence and a sense of joy in everyday life.
   • Try writing a poem, sewing, learning to play an instrument, gardening, or painting. If you don't consider yourself a person of art, try baking or journaling to express yourself differently.
   • Get creative with everyday activities like shopping on a moderate budget or new recipes with specific grocery restrictions. Maintain a positive attitude about your ability to make good decisions in everyday situations.
3. 3 Help others. With age, helping others helps you find a new goal and find yourself, which contributes to a positive outlook and outlook on the aging process.
   • Help feed the homeless, volunteer at a nursing home and help local residents write letters, or work with children and youth in a religious organization. Having regular volunteering tasks will make it easier for you to meet and help others.
4. 4 Change your views on things. Indeed, with age, a person loses the ability to do everything that was easy for him in his youth. You shouldn't see it as a failure. Change your train of thought and focus on what you get.
   • Take a fresh look at the situation. Everything is determined by our attitude: any thought can be turned from negative to positive. For example, if you find it harder to remember events, then instead of thinking about failure or embarrassment, it is better to admit to yourself that this is a natural result of a busy life.
5. 5 Strive be grateful. Scientists have conducted hundreds of studies on the benefits of a grateful attitude that enhances feelings of joy and pleasure in life. Try different strategies and approaches:
   • Write a thank you letter to the person who changed your life for the better. Then send this letter along with the gift.
   • Practice writing exercises. Every day for a week (or longer) list at least three things you are grateful for. The scale of the aspect is irrelevant. Write down your feelings.Do the exercise daily (for example, before bed) to develop a sense of gratitude.

Part 3 of 4: Helping Your Own Memory

1. 1 Start recording. Remembering everything in the world is impossible (and not necessary), so strive to use the mental space as needed and take notes. This will help you remember things you don't need to keep in mind. Thanks to the notes, you will not miss an appointment, take your medicine on time, and do other things that require your attention.
   • Use stickers and a whiteboard in the office to leave daily task reminders.
   • Use a calendar or diary to record important upcoming events and dates, and regularly add to your grocery list that will come in handy at the store.
2. 2 Repeat important details. Repetition of what you hear helps to create connections in the brain and better remember information.
   • When meeting new people, repeat their names at the beginning and end of the conversation. Do it in passing. At the beginning of the conversation, say: "Nice to meet you, Boris", and at the end: "I was very happy to talk to you, Boris."
   • Review important instructions from your doctor, and write them down as necessary to ensure that you remember all the information accurately.
3. 3 Meditate or do yoga. Learn to calm your mind and focus to improve mental clarity, memory, and attention span.
   • Participants in one study who practiced mindfulness for 20-30 minutes a day scored higher on standardized memory tests than other participants who attended a nutritional class.
   • Mindfulness is a meditative exercise that requires you to sit down and breathe slowly while focusing on the physical sensations of inhaling and exhaling. Try meditating 2 times a day for 10-20 minutes.

Part 4 of 4: Accept Help

1. 1 Realize that you may need help at some point. With age, mental capacity declines, regardless of attempts to maintain a clear mind. This is an indisputable fact. You should surround yourself with people you trust so that you can let them make important decisions for you if necessary.
   • As they age, people can remember events that did not happen in reality. If there is a younger person who you have known for a long time (your adult child), then he will clarify your memories of past years.
2. 2 Choose a guardian. Choose a caregiver before you need one if your mental capacity is declining. When the time is right, a lawyer will help you draw up the necessary paperwork.
   • In the absence of a guardian, the court usually assigns the next of kin to this role - this can be a brother, sister, spouse or child. If you don't have the best relations with your relatives, which happens all the time, then it would be wise to choose a guardian yourself and not leave the decision to the discretion of the court.
   • Make a will indicating your last days property and care wishes. If you lose the ability to think clearly, then thanks to the will, your decisions will remain in effect.
3. 3 Make health decisions now. Make important health care decisions for the future and document them for your caregiver to take into account.
   • A lawyer will give you all the details, but more often than not, an advance directive is recommended, including a will in case of death, a power of attorney (usually in the name of your guardian, but not required) and your wishes in case of resuscitation and intubation (for example, do not resuscitate).
4. 4 Get help. If you suspect that you have neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's or dementia, then seek help from a loving and caring person. There are various treatment plan options available to help you combat this condition.
   • Symptoms of Alzheimer's disease can appear at any time, but before the age of 65, they are called "early onset of the disease."
   • With progressive memory loss, a person may experience anxiety, fear, and anxiety. Conversations with children or loved ones will assure you that the future is in good hands. Even with this diagnosis, you can live a productive and fulfilling life.

Tips

• Read books and newspapers to gain knowledge.
• Share your ideas and views with others. Help people solve problems so you can feel different situations.
• Create a visual to focus on the details to remember.
• Become a member of a hobby club. New and different experiences will allow your brain to work in different directions and maintain mental clarity.
• Learning a new language is considered a great brain exercise. Moreover, such a skill will definitely expand future employment opportunities.
• It's important to focus on something new every day and sleep well at night. Meditation, yoga, and a nutritious diet can help you relax, improve your health, and lift your mood.
• Make a red dot on the wall and focus on it. This will help you improve your concentration.
• Sleep 7-8 hours every night. The maximum amount of sleep required depends on the age group.

Warnings

• Notice people trying to influence your thoughts, but don't reject helpful advice. A clear mind will help you distinguish between helpful advice.
• Don't try to please everyone, or bad people can take advantage of you. A clear mind will not allow you to admit such situations.
• Focus on your desires, not on what others are persuading you to do.