5 Good habits to improve your memory

Maureen Diament 19 Sep 2015 updated the 6 October 2015 à 22:28

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Full of good fats
The membranes that surround the neurons are largely composed of fats. These are renewed continuously from tap into stocks of fatty acids from our diet. "Polyunsaturated fatty acids, including the famous Omega-3, make the membranes more flexible. Connection between neurons and brain cells are more fluid, which facilitates learning and access to the memories. Hence the importance of consuming oily fish and flax oils, nuts, Cameroonian line or rapeseed," says Bernard Doutres, pharmaceutical and author of A brain on top*. Conversely, the abuse of trans fatty acids (present in particular in the processed products) makes the brain feel smaller, stiffer, and disrupts the assimilation of new data. A recent US study has also shown that, consumed in excess, these unhealthy fats seriously impede our ability to retain information from the age of 20!** One more reason to give up on junk food.
*For Thierry Souccar editions.
**Plos One (June 2015).
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Put a lot of vegetables on the menu
If the fatty acids are essential for the brain, they cannot do the job alone. "To stay healthy, one also needs proteins and antioxidants that work synergistically with the fat," adds Bernard Doutres. The fish protein, meat, eggs or soybeans contribute to the production of neurotransmitters such as dopamine or serotonin, which allow neurons to communicate. On the antioxidants side, the focus is on green tea, and especially on fruits and vegetables. Vitamin C - kiwi, orange, cabbage, strawberries, parsley - increases attention span. Beta-carotene - carrots, mango, apricot - slows the dicecognitive blink. Finally, polyphenols, present in all fruits and vegetables, help protect brain cells from oxidative stress and pollution that damage in particular to memory performance. Be wary of dehydration that causes difficulty concentrating. Drink at least 1.5 liters of water a day, and when it's hot or in case of any excess physical effort.
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Remember to sleep well
It is while we are in the arms of dreamland that the brain is sorting out the information it can get rid of and which ones to keep. "Sleep allows the storage and deep memorisation new items. Without rest, no classification is possible and we cannot subsequently access the information we need," insists Bernard Doutres. To sleep well, avoid night disruptors such as tobacco, alcohol and excess caffeine. Keep to merely 2 to 3 cups of coffee a day to drink before the middle of the afternoon. Go for light dinners with fish, vegetables and legumes (chickpeas, lentils...) that allow better recovery. Allow yourself at least two hours between the time of the meal and sunset.Turn off the screens from 9PM because they emit a blue light which prevents sleep. Cheers for reading and soft music!
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Physical activity to muscle up neurons
According to research at the University of Pittsburgh (USA), regular intensive physical exercise (like cardio) for one year increased the hippocampus volume by 2% (remember, this area is valuable for memory). However, engaging in stretching sessions is equivalent to doing nothing (at least for the brain) and the consequence is atrophy of the hippocampus by 1.5%. A change that has a negative impact on memory skills. In his book The Age of Bel brain*, André Aleman, professor of Dutch cognitive neuropsychiatry explains that these good results are due to a better oxygenation of the brain. Physical exercise also stimulates the release of factors growth in blood vessels and brain. Among them, IGF (Insulin Growth Factor), which promotes the restoration of brain tissue, the growth of neurons and establishing new links between them. Exercise is thus a weapon of choice against blackouts. And it is never too late to start! Even after 60 years of age, the benefits are palpable on the brain and heart health. In addition, the practice of meditation is highly recommended. According to research by Imaging Medical**, there is an increase in gray matter in the famous region of the hippocampus in people who practice a half hour of mindfulness meditation daily for eight weeks.
*For the other editions.
**Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging (2011).
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Pay attention before trying to remember
In recent years, several studies have highlighted the benefits of social ties on prevention of memory disorders. "Belonging to an association, volunteering or, more generally, establishing fulfilling relationships with others are very important cognitive stimulations," confirms Prof Eustache. If being in good company is essential, we must also lead one's memoirs regularly. Because we have several - working memory, short-term, procedural, perceptive, etc. They are located in various locations of the brain and work differently. Get up to speed with sudoku or crosswords: "A specialized learning can make us very gifted in one area but has no impact on our cognitive abilities. However, regularly seek your different memories preserves your performance," insists Prof Eustache, adding nevertheless that we should not expect mid-squeegees. Just as we should not worry any oblivion. If you can not remember where you put your keys while you were returning the phone, it's probably not a memory problem but rather one with attention. Before retaining information, it is indeed necessary to pay attention in order to 'encode' and then store it.

Want to keep those neurons performing for long? Lifestyle, nutrition, exercise, games… Everything you need to know to boost your brain.

According to a study published last year in the prestigious journal Plos One, that once hitting 24 years of age, one’s cognitive decline begins progressively and our stock of neurons decreases. This is bad news for the vast majority of us. Fortunately, all is not lost.

MAINTAINING YOUR MEMORY

In the mid-1990s, scientists have shown that new neurons are ‘born’ everyday in different areas of the brain. “Especially in the hippocampus, a key area in learning and memory,” says Prof Francis Eustache, professor of neuropsychology at the University of Caen and president of the Observatory B2V Memory. If these cells, most of the time, have a lifetime of just a few weeks, we now know that it is possible to prolong their existence. This is also to create new connections between neurons to replace those that disappear over time. This phenomenon, called brain-plasticity, allows us, among other things, to preserve our intellectual capacity to continue learning throughout our lives and to better preserve our memories.

Maureen Diament and Nur Syazana H.

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MAINTAINING YOUR MEMORY

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