Summary Alcohol has neurotoxic effects on the brain, While having a drink or two now and then is likely OK, avoiding excessive alcohol intake is a smart way to protect your memory. Repeated episodes of binge drinking can damage the hippocampus, a part of the brain that plays a vital role in memory ( 22). Studies have shown it alters the brain and results in memory deficits.Ī study of 155 college freshmen found that students who consumed six or more drinks within a short period of time, either weekly or monthly, had difficulties in immediate and delayed memory-recall tests compared with students who never binge drank ( 21).Īlcohol exhibits neurotoxic effects on the brain. Mindfulness is also linked toĬonsuming too many alcoholic beverages can be detrimental to your health in many ways and can negatively impact your memory.īinge drinking is a pattern of drinking that raises your blood alcohol levels to 0.08 grams per ml or above. Summary Practicing mindfulness techniques has beenĪssociated with increased memory performance. ![]() Incorporate mindfulness techniques into your daily routine by paying more attention to your present situation, concentrating on your breathing, and gently resetting your attention when your mind wanders. Mindfulness has also been linked with a lower risk of age-related cognitive decline and an overall improvement in psychological well-being ( 20). One study of 293 psychology students showed that those who underwent mindfulness training had improved recognition-memory performance when recalling objects compared with students who did not receive mindfulness training ( 19). Studies have shown that mindfulness is effective at lowering stress and improving concentration and memory. Meditation is a more formal practice, whereas mindfulness is a mental habit you can use in any situation. Mindfulness is used in meditation, but the two aren’t one and the same. Mindfulness is a mental state in which you focus on your present situation, maintaining awareness of your surroundings and feelings. You’re also likely to perform better on memory tests if you’re well Sufficient sleep with better memory performance. Summary Studies have consistently associated Health experts recommend adults get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night for optimal health ( 18). The group that slept between training and testing performed 20% better on the memory tests ( 17).Īnother study found that nurses working the night shift made more mathematical errors and that 68% of them scored lower on memory tests compared with nurses working the day shift ( 17). The other group was trained and tested on the same day, with no sleep between training and testing. One group of children was trained for memory tests in the evening, then tested the following morning after a night’s sleep. Research shows that if you’re sleep deprived, you could be negatively impacting your memory.įor example, one study looked at the effects of sleep in 40 children between ages 10 and 14 years. Sleep plays an important role in memory consolidation, a process in which short-term memories are strengthened and transformed into long-lasting memories. Lack of proper sleep has been associated with poor memory for quite some time. Matter in the brain and improve spatial working memory. Research suggests meditation may increase gray Summary Meditation isn’t just good for your body. Spatial working memory is the ability to hold and process information in your mind about the positions of objects in space. Meditation and relaxation techniques have been shown to improve short-term memory in people of all ages, from people in their 20s to older adults ( 11).įor example, one study showed that Taiwanese college students who engaged in meditation practices like mindfulness had significantly better spatial working memory than students who did not practice meditation ( 12). ![]() Gray matter contains neuron cell bodies ( 9).Īs you age, gray matter declines, which negatively impacts memory and cognition ( 10). ![]() In fact, meditation has been shown to increase gray matter in the brain. It is relaxing and soothing, and has been found to reduce stress and pain, lower blood pressure and even improve memory ( 8). The practice of meditation may positively affect your health in many ways.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |