Forgetting like this is all to do with ‘prospective memory’ or accurately remembering something you want to do in the future. The difficulty with this kind of memory is recalling information without any clues at all – unless you create them for yourself.

Prospective memory is very important for continuing confidence and independence. Unfortunately, it is one of the memory abilities that is most affected by ageing. Isn’t that Murphy’s Law!  The good news is that we can find plenty of ways to make sure we remember the important things.

When I was researching memory loss across adulthood I made hundreds of visits to younger and older people over a two-year period.  Several times I arrived at a door, loaded down with computer and memory testing material, only to find the person had completely forgotten I was coming.  So which age group do you think was most likely to have forgotten our appointment?  The older people?  Guess again!  Every time an appointment was forgotten it was by one of the young adult participants in the research study.  Why was this?

The younger people trusted their memories and were very likely to make comments such as “I won’t forget”, “I’ve got a great memory”, or “I’ve got an internal alarm that never lets me down”.  The older adults, some of them in their late nineties, were invariably ready and waiting for me, having noted the appointment on a calendar, diary, post-it note, or having my letter in a prominent place.

Dr. John Harris, a psychologist at Cambridge University, found the very same thing when he studied prospective memory. He commented that organising one’s life so as to remember to do things seems to be one of the skills which improves with maturity; older people are much more adept at relying on memory aids.

If you have difficulty with this sort of memory, try some of these memory aids.

1. Keep ONE diary or wall calendar to note every event you want to remember. Rid yourself of scrappy pieces of paper and the backs on envelopes.
2. If you want to keep a visual reminder of events, try using Post-It notes in different colours. You might decide on blue for meetings, pink for appointments, yellow for birthdays and so on.
3. Use a timer if you are cooking on the stove-top or the oven, especially if you are going to be in another room.  Find one with a loud ‘ding’.
4.  Ask receptionists, hairdressers, or friends to give you a reminder telephone call if necessary.
5. Before you go to sleep each night, mentally run through the next day reminding yourself of engagements or tasks you want to remember. Do the same when you wake in the morning.
6. When you turn off the heater or lock the door, tell yourself, out loud if possible, “I am turning off the heater now”, or “I am locking the door and putting the key into the front zip on my bag”. This creates a clear memory trace in the brain, preventing the dreaded worrying about whether you did or didn’t.

Making sure you are well organised will soon pay dividends in brushing up on prospective memory.

March 12 – 17 is Brain Week.
All over the world, people like you are thinking about the way their brain works and what can be done to guard against memory loss. You’ve already taken important steps in this direction and below we bring you more quick reminders. You’ll find exercise tips, a video about what Alzheimer’s does to the brain, how brain injury affects memory …. and so much more!

9 Best exercise tips for baby-boomers
Here are some insider tips from personal trainers, coaches and exercise physiologists in the USA.
The pay-off is that physical exercise sharpens your memory by increasing the flow of blood and oxygen to your brain.
Read the full article from AARP

New article:
Helen asks: Tell me how I can prevent Alzheimer’s.
Helen was exhausted. Not only from caring for her father with AD but also from worry about whether she might get the disease herself. Share Helen’s list with your friends.
Read Dr. Lamont’s advice to Helen.

Do you enjoy computer games?
Here are some that will boost your short-term and working memory skills
There is no cost to play them and you don’t need to register to play.
Challenge yourself, your friend or even your grandchildren to a game!
Free Minddabble Games
www.Minddabble.com

How Alzheimer’s spreads throughout the brain
There are many technical articles written about Alzheimer’s, but this short video is one of the best we have found that explains very simply what happens when the disease occurs. It shows what happens to the different parts of memory.
Watch the video

How do brain Injuries affect memory?
This is a frequently asked question. Here is the link to an excellent Brain Map that tells you about the impact brain injury will have on various areas of the brain.
Brain Map

Looking for a useful gift for yourself or a friend?
Brain and Memory Foundation have a number of titles available in hard copy (a book!) or for smartphones, iPad or Kindle
Find a gift

A simple, five-minute, low-impact exercise routine that will keep all of your muscles active.
We’ve repeated this because it proved to be so popular last time. Most of you will be able to do it without looking at the diagrams by now. It works for all ages, all fitness levels and almost all levels of mobility.
Best-ever 5-minute exercise routine

Dr. Lamont opens her new Memory Clinic in Christchurch.
Would you like to discuss, one-on-one, a memory issue? Do you have a group wanting to hear more about ways to improve memory?
Contact Dr Lamont by visiting http://memoryclinic.co.nz or through email below.

Read about Gillian Eadie and Allison Lamont in Unlimited Magazine:
This link did not work for some of you last time, so here it is again.
Precious Memories

Can you help?
There is so much more we want to do! We have iPhone apps planned and we are currently seeking financial support for this work. If you know of anyone who would be interested in helping us, do please let us know. We’d love to hear from an expert in creating iPhone apps, too.   We have such an important message to share with the over-50′s! Contact Gillian at the email below, if you have any suggestions for us.

Forwarding this message to other friends will help spread the Healthy Brain message, too. Encourage them to enrol for their free Brain Tune course.

Don’t forget you can contact us at any time. We are here to help you.

Gillian Eadie MEd, BA, Dip.Tchg, LTCL
Allison Lamont, PhD (Psych), MA, MAPS
http://brainandmemoryfoundation.org
gillian@brainandmemoryfoundation.org
Dr.Lamont@memoryclinic.co.nz

Memory loss is the second most common side-effect after muscle pain and weakness in surveys of users.

Thank goodness the US government decided to add ‘that statins may raise levels of blood sugar and could cause memory loss’ to the official warning about side effects. Food and Drug Administration announced this on 29^th February, 2012.

Lipitor, from last year available in generic form as Atorvastatin, is the world’s all-time biggest selling prescription medicine with, so far, sales of over US$130 billion). The generic form of Zocor, Simvastatin, in 2010, was the second most widely prescribed drug in the US, according to IMS Health.

So check your pill-bottle labels and discuss the comparative risks with your doctor!

There have been positive advances into ways to avoid the risk factors in the disease, though; following these guidelines will give you the best possible protection. But the important message is that you must begin while your brain is still healthy and it is not too early to begin in your 40’s.

Here are the 10 key ways to prevent Alzheimer’s:

1. Stay active. Physical exercise into old age can reduce the risk of dementia by 50%.
2. Your brain needs to have work to do. Without being challenged, the all-important connections in your brain (the dendrites) decline, causing a decrease in your brain mass. The more you challenge your brain with tasks that are hard for you to do, the more your brain connections grow. This increased brain mass is your protection against Alzheimer’s. Reading, talking, playing an instrument, dancing, crosswords, internet searches help.
3. Mental Fitness. Going beyond the everyday brain challenges, make an effort to engage in mental arithmetic, remembering shopping lists, reading parts of the paper upside down, word games, computer games and the like. These force your brain to work in unusual ways and help build the vital brain mass you need.
4. Focus on food for a healthy brain. The more brightly coloured your fruit and vegetables are, the better they will be for you. Keep within a healthy weight and buy items you know will help you support the growth of brain connections. Make sure Omega-3 is in your diet (fish such as salmon provide an excellent source). Not only will your risk of dementia decrease, but your whole body will be healthier as a result of a brain-healthy diet.
5. Reduce alcohol intake. A glass or two of wine a few days a week can be beneficial for some people; what is known, though, is that an excessive alcohol intake will cause the loss of brain cells and connections. This risk factor for Alzheimer’s can be avoided.
6. Reduce high blood pressure. Any cardiovascular difficulties that restrict blood flow to the brain will increase the risk of dementia. Make sure you follow your doctor’s instructions to keep blood pressure at safe levels.
7. Look out for Diabetes and stress. Both of these conditions have been found to increase the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s as well as heart attacks and strokes. Seek medical advice if you are suffering from Diabetes or have been exposed to long periods of stress.
8. Look after your sight and hearing. Loss of sight and hearing have increased the risks of Alzheimer’s, possibly because of the reduced opportunities for brain stimulation. Don’t ignore the symptoms of declining eyesight or hearing.
9. Maintain a positive attitude. A happy outlook on life can reduce the risk of depression and memory loss. Do you remember Pollyanna’s ‘glad game’? She learned from her father to find something optimistic in every situation, no matter how gloomy it seemed on the surface. This positive outlook on life is a wonderful protection.
10. Avoid pollutants wherever possible.  Pesticides, poisonous heavy metals or dye solvents have been found to increase the risk of memory loss. Keep your living environment as healthy and free of pollutants as possible.

Gillian M Eadie, MEd, BA, Dip. Tchg, LTCL
CEO, The Brain and Memory Foundation

Gillian is an award-winning educator with more than 20 years as a principal at several prestigious private schools and is a Churchill Fellow. For more free help and personal advice on diet, brain food, exercise and improving your memory, please visit the Brain and Memory Foundation. You’ll find lots more information and tips like these in the books by Allison Lamont PhD and Gillian Eadie, see Seven Second Memory.

Are you losing your edge?
Or getting Alzheimer’s?

No!

It’s NOT a ‘senior moment’
It’s NOT the loss of brain cells
It’s NOT your brain shutting down

Your memory is still all there!
But you do need to learn the ways to find it.

The Memory Doctor, Dr. Allison Lamont, PhD, says,

“Yes, if you do nothing at all to help your brain, you will lose some of your brain power after 55. But the good news is, you can re-grow your brain capacity, just as you can improve your fitness”.

Research shows that the best results come from planned, systematic brain exercise. Even little changes in the way you challenge yourself each day can bring positive results. Science hasn’t yet found a cure for Alzheimer’s, but most over-55 brains will definitely benefit from increased brain activity, and, with the new brain connections created, will be able to push back brain decay.

Learn these NINE easy secrets for a youthful brain.

1. Can You Hear Me?

31 million Americans have hearing problems. Is one of them you? Did you know that, if you are struggling to hear, it is more than likely that you are not creating a strong memory connection for the information you were trying to hear?. You can’t process and understand what you didn’t hear properly – so you will forget.
Have your hearing tested every 3 years after age 50. Keep the volume down on your TV, Ipod or MP3. The last thing you want is more hearing loss. Protect your hearing and improve your memory.

2. Do I Look Fat In This?

The old adage, “fat and happy” just isn’t true any more. Obesity, or near obesity, is the enemy of a sharp and alert mind and obese people are usually very unhappy. While there is a lot of hype around about BMI (body mass index), there are indications that people with a healthy BMI (around 20) score much better on memory tests than those with BMI’s of 30 or more. I know there are exceptions to this general principle, but your all round health will benefit by thinking lean and trim when it comes to diet. Reducing your calorie intake by 250 a day – either by saying No to that muffin, or burning off 250 calories with a brisk walk, will work wonders for your alertness and sharper memory.Aim to keep your BMI below 25. Eating 4 or 5 small, balanced meals a day keeps your metabolism even and reduces the risks associated with high blood sugar levels.

Don’t know what your BMI is? Check here to work it out.

3. Hello Doctor!

Obesity, hypertension, or high blood cholesterol in middle-age (approximately 50 years old) significantly raise the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease, or a related dementia, in later life. (This comes from research by Miia Kivipelto and colleagues from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden). Each of these risk factors roughly doubled the risk so that those in their 50s with all 3 conditions ran a risk of developing dementia that was 6 times higher than for folks with none of them. Please get checked out regularly for blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

4. Pass the Salad, Please.

You’ve always known that vegetables are supposed to be good for you, right? Well, here’s the proof!

Jae Hee Kang reports that research, conducted over 10 years at Harvard Medical School , found that middle-aged women who consistently ate generous portions of leafy or cruciferous green vegetables were better able to preserve their cognitive abilities into advanced age than those who did not. Women who ate 8 or more servings (1 serving = 1/2 cup) of green, leafy vegetables (such as spinach or romaine lettuce) a week demonstrated the cognitive function of someone 1.7 years younger than those who ate 3 or fewer servings per week.

Green leafy vegetables seemed to preserve cognitive function best, perhaps because of their high vitamin B and antioxidant content, (e.g. vitamin C and folate) which may prevent the deleterious effects of ageing on the brain caused by free radicals So eat up that salad and eat more greens.

5. “Stop the noise! I can’t think!”

Have you ever felt like this? Well, actually, it’s probably true. If there are lots of distractions around you, then it is much more likely that you won’t remember, unless you have paid particular attention. When you want to remember, reduce the background noise.

6. Practice the Seven Second Rule!

It takes 7 seconds of concentration or processing to commit information to memory. You’ll find full details of this amazing fact in the Lamont and Eadie book: Seven Second Memory plus six other powerful memory techniques. Rewire your brain for a youthful mind. For now, though, think of paying attention as shining a flash-light on what you want to remember – and do this for seven seconds, focusing on the details and creating as many clues as you can for your memory.

7. Not just a Fishy Tale!

It’s now well-known that the Omega-3 fatty acids found in most types of fish (but particularly cold water fish) are brain-friendly. People who eat any type of fish at least once a week do appreciably better on mental tests than those who avoid seafood. Try to eat at least two fish dishes weekly; if fish is not for you then, at the very least, consider taking Omega-3 dietary supplements.

8. Move it, Baby, Move it!

You already know that exercise is good for you. Being fit gives you a great feeling of well-being. But did you know that exercise is great for your brain also?
Even a 20 minute walk a day will help activate circulation that is so vital for brain growth. 40 minutes to an hour is even better.

9. Your Brain, Your Friend, Your Future.

Do you believe you have a sharp brain? Maybe not, since you are reading this, but I want you to change that.
Dr. Lamont says that having a positive attitude and strong self-belief in the power of your brain are very important in achieving brain growth.
You can do it!

Take these nine actions today and you are on your way to a better performing brain. Not only that, you are building up a buffer against brain decay in later life.
People who are purposeful, conscientious, sociable and self-motivated show less cognitive decline and fewer Alzheimer’s disease symptoms.

Make a conscious effort to stay on task, take an interest in new activities and engage in life around you.

Why not get your memory check and the six-part memory challenge, Brain Tune?
It’s free, it’s based on science and your brain will love you for it. We’ll never reveal your details to anyone.

For more free help and personal advice on diet, exercise, brain food and improving your memory, please visit the Brain and Memory Foundation.

You KNOW you know ….
That word
That name
That number

You just can”t THINK of it.

So what’s happening??

Brain overload?
Too many things in your mind at once?
Too many drinks?
Didn’t take enough notice in the first place?
Exhausted?

These are all likely causes or short-term memory loss.

Given space to think and recall – or sleep – that lost thought will most often come back to you.

Lack of sleep could be the main culprit.

Sleep researchers say for every two hours we spend awake, the brain needs an hour of sleep to sort out the meaning of all that we’ve experienced. To read more about this study

Sleep not only helps store facts, it also helps make connections between them.

Sleep-deprivation experiments show that a tired brain has a difficult time capturing memories of all sorts, and an even tougher time making decisions.

Look after your brain to protect it against short-term memory loss.

It’s not fatal – but it can be darned embarrassing!

To find out about other ways you can sharpen your memory skills, sign up for Brain Tune. It’s a six-part memory training course that is easy, fun to do and hundreds of our readers tell us it has worked for them. It’s also free because we want everyone to have the opportunity to build a buffer of new brain connections. Research tells us that is the best, non-prescription protection against Alzheimer’s.

We will never reveal your details to anyone else.

Latest US Study Finds Brain Training Linked to Decreased Risk of Alzheimer’s.

Have you ever worried, like me, that someday you might suffer from Alzheimer’s? Recently, my sister Allison and I nursed our lovely mother, Jeanie, through the final stages of of this form of dementia. Sadly it’s an experience that more and more of our age group are going through. You probably know of someone yourself who has Alzheimer’s.It’s scary to watch because the person you knew so well gradually drifts away from you as memory loss takes over. No-one really knows what causes it. No-one has yet discovered a cure for it. And thousands more are being diagnosed with it every day.

That’s why this new research is such good news for healthy over-50′s.
It’s a huge, 800 page study prepared for an NIH State-of-the-Science Conference “Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease and Cognitive Decline,  and its findings are music to the ears of everyone over 50 who wants to keep a sharp, alert brain for the rest of their life.

And who doesn’t!

Scientists, as you know, are very cautious about making promises but this is what they said:

“Of all the factors reviewed, including diet and dietary supplements, physical exercise, social engagement, and other leisure activities, only cognitive training was found to have a high level of evidence for being associated with a decreased risk of cognitive decline.”

This is fantastic news for Baby Boomers!

What the scientists are saying is this:

Although eating brain food, physical fitness and social activity are all really important, ‘only cognitive training was said to have a “high degree of evidence” in this report’.

(‘Cognitive’ means brain and memory activities).

This new knowledge is of critical importance.

It means you don’t have to accept memory loss as a consequence of getting older.

You can do something about it!

At 50+, you are confidently expecting to live a full and positive life, with plenty of time to enjoy the leisure activities you’ve promised yourself and your family during your busy earning years.
You’re entitled to those years – but more and more of us are being robbed of them through memory loss and Alzheimer’s.

But you can do something about that. Take action today.

Sign up on this page for our FREE six-day Brain Tune course.

It will set you on the right path to build essential new brain connections. That’s the best, non-prescription protection against Alzheimer’s.

For further information, you can read lots of articles on this site, including  Nine Secrets of a Sharp Brain After 55 and Keep that Boomer Brain Growing

So there I was, sitting in the courtyard of a lovely little restaurant, enjoying the late summer sun, and the last mouthful of heavenly Chardonnay, when I heard my husband calling my name from the counter, where he was paying the bill.

Something in his voice didn’t sound quite right so I went up to join him, and in a hushed but panicky voice he said,

“Darling, I can’t remember the pin number for my card”.

He was clearly horrified, and concerned, I quickly whipped out my card, making some joke to the maitre de that my husband would go to any lengths to get me to pay.

The whole way home he was totally flummoxed, as five minutes into the drive, he remembered the darned number.  “Must be my Alzheimer’s”, he said, attempting to laugh it off.  “But I was so embarrassed, no, mortified, I truly could not remember that number, and I’ve been using the same one for years”, he continued, at least 3 times before we got home.

Has this ever happened to you Where you’ve thought, “Oh, not another senior moment”, or convinced yourself you were losing your edge because you forgot about a meeting or worse still forgot someone’s name – someone you’ve known for years?

The storing of human memories is a highly dynamic system which is interwoven with your emotions, how you view things and your actions.  Your ability to create store and recall new memories when you need them allows you to learn and interact with other people.

Remember the days when you knew everyone’s name instantly? And recognized faces without a problem? In those days, you never seemed to have to struggle for clues – you just knew. You were probably about 14!

Actually, until (like my husband) you find your heart pounding because you can’t remember your pin number in a restaurant, or searching frantically for a name you really know quite well, you’ve taken the skill of recognition for granted. But it is actually a very complex process and it isn’t until your memory has let you down, that you begin to realize this.

To remember a number or recognize someone, you have to bring together, quite unconsciously, an amazing range of stored memories. These include, for example, the numbers you have rehearsed into your memory, along with the cues you have attached to them. Or facts about someone  (same school/married Sally/three daughters/drives a Lexus), the relationship the person has with you (I know him/played football on the same team) and episodic memories (we visited a bar last time we were in town) and then, finally comes the person’s name. At the same time you may have an emotional response to the person (I don’t get on with him, really).

Forget Me Not

If there is a malfunction in the remembering process, it could be because you are distracted by other thoughts, stress or maybe it really was just one too many glasses of wine with that lunch! Or it could be, if the person is only slightly known to you, that you did not encode the information well enough into your memory.

It takes seven seconds of concentration to create a memory trace in the long term memory.

Once new information comes into the short term memory, it goes straight to the brain’s processing plant (hippocampus) and moves along to the long-term storage department.  Paying attention is like shining a light on what needs to be remembered – focusing on the information creates the all-important pathway to memory.

Try these tips for remembering your pin number:

• Pay attention to the number and recite out loud  it as you ‘see’ it in your mind’s eye.
• Focus on the numbers and think of a zany association e.g. 7393 – I’ll be 73 in 11 years time and I hope to be 93 before I forget that number again! Or, it’s 73 steps to the mail box and 93 to the store.
• Try to take time a few minutes after memorizing the number and visualize it on your card.recall it again in an hour, a day and a week.

You’ll find lots more tips like these in the great new book by Allison Lamont PhD and Gillian Eadie, Seven Second Memory. And if you are ready to start our free six-day Brain Tune course, sign up now.

For further information, read Nine Secrets of a Sharp Brain After 55 and Keep that Boomer Brain Growing

I expected directions, a calm voice giving me some clues …….
isn’t that what husbands are for?

Is this your worst nightmare, too?
A crowded parking lot, cars as far as the eye can see, in every direction
And, NOT A CLUE where you left yours?

Don’t you HATE it when time is against you and you can’t find your keys or your wallet!
Why does it happen?

Well, it’s quite simple really – your just weren’t paying enough attention when you parked.

Everyday you are being bombarded with information – things you see, touch, taste, hear and smell.  If you remembered it all there your brain would explode! (Well, not really, but you get the idea.)  Contrary to media buzz that urges us to multi-task every day, the human brain can focus on only one thing at a time. Not everything needs to be remembered and your brain has it all worked out how to make sure you remember only what is important to you.

Probably when you were parking, you were thinking about the shop you needed to get to, how much time you had until you needed to be driving out again and how you were going to handle your teenager who flew out of the house this morning, slamming the door.

Until recently it was believed that by the age of 50, heaps of brain cells were lost every day and that they were gone for good.  It’s true it does become harder to remember where you parked, where keys were left, names, dates or what was done two days ago.  But science has established that it’s more likely your memory powers have dulled simply because your brain (and maybe your body!) is no longer in tip top shape.

Forgetting and mis-remembering are normal parts of everyday life – at all ages.  Scientists are just beginning to understand why people forget.  From the age of 40 or 50 most people notice some forgetting.  Without regular brain exercise, the number of synapses (meeting points between neurons) diminishes so less information can be transmitted. But research shows you have the power to improve your memory, regrow brain connections and sharpen your overall brain health, and that the normal degree of changes in memory, abstract thinking, reasoning, imagination and insight caused by ageing varies from person to person

Your brain will quickly ‘forget’ anything that you have not committed to long-term memory so, if you put down your keys or wallet – or even park your car – on autopilot, without thinking, then your memory will let you down. To remember where things are, you need to focus on the item, concentrate on where it is being placed. You need to create a ‘memory trace’. There are ways to help your memory, though. Try these tips for remembering where things are:

• Always remember where your car is parked:

  Look for the closest parking spot, keep track of the number and level of your parking spot, jot this down and look out for landmarks like stores, large signs or trees. You can even take a photo with your phone if you are really having trouble with this one!

• Always know where your keys, glasses and wallet are:

  Designate a dish as your official wallet and glasses holder, keep this dish (or simply your wallet) on a table you’ll see it on your way out. Say out loud: I am putting my wallet in this dish.

  Leave keys on a specific hook and always hang your keys up there. Make a point of it. You can attach a paging or remote locating device to your key-chain. Giving a trusted friend or family member a spare might save your sanity in an emergency.

You’ll find lots more tips like these in the great new book by Allison Lamont PhD and Gillian Eadie, Seven Second Memory. And if you are ready to start our free six-day Brain Tune course, sign up now.

Memory loss coming on!

One of my followers on Twitter posted this tweet and I could understand just how he felt! Sometimes life’s just like that -  after a weekend partying, hitting the books for exams, going through a stressful relationship break up or just too much of everything!

I’ve seen lots of Twitter jokes about memory loss – like this one: Memory loss runs in my family – um, do I have a family? Or
When my doctor knew I had memory loss, she made me pay in advance.

But it isn’t really a joke because if your memory is being affected so much that you are forgetting things, then the what is causing the stress needs to be taken seriously.

What are the warning signs of stress?

Rapid breathing, increased heart rate, withdrawal, headaches, chain smoking, chest pains, insomnia, ulcers, and reduced sex drive. These symptoms often lead to thoughts and feelings of despair or panic (I’m doomed, I’ll never succeed, I’m useless). And of course, stress can mean dollars lost, projects delayed, poor morale, arguments with friends, poor heath, and failure in your job. So, although the jokes are a bit of fun, stress bad enough to cause memory loss is far from a joke.

I’ve just moved house and taken up a new job so I’ve been feeling a bit stressed lately. How can I tell? I put out my mobile to be sure to take it to work – then left it behind on the table where I placed it so carefully. I wake up in the middle of the night with a To Do list rolling round in my head. I spend minutes searching for an important paper that is actually sitting on the desk where I placed it. Silly things that wouldn’t happen if I was thinking straight, and not stressed

There are many natural stressors in our lives, both positive and negative. A constant barrage of noise, being fired, facing fierce competition, the death of someone close or divorce cause a lot of stress for us. So do moving, starting a new job, making a large purchase, going on holiday, marriage…any of these circumstances evoke our emotions . while some are joyful, often the opposite is the case, causing worry, grief, or depression. All stressors cause tension and tension is the enemy of memory.

Time honoured ways of reducing stress include:

1. Relaxation: When anxious, find a friend, a book, or learn relaxation techniques. This can take the form of breathing exercises, a gradual relaxation of the body, or an imaging process. At first the mind technique you choose may take half an hour to ‘bring you down’, but once you become adept all it need is ten seconds or so.
2. Time Management: Manage your phone calls and interruptions. Make a daily plan: this helps accomplish critical or urgent jobs, the ones that create the most stress and take the highest toll on memory. The simpler the management plan, the better
3. Cut yourself some slack: Tell yourself that mistakes happen and the world hasn’t ended and that there is usually no one clear right and wrong way to do things, and so on.
4. Assert yourself in a tactful, flexible way which makes your needs and wants known but does not cause aggression and anger. Try using statements with “I believe…” or “I would like to try…” rather than “you…” This negotiating approach is much less stressful and more likely to be successful.
5. Problem solving. Evaluate many possible solutions, then decide and implement the one that seems best. This frees your thinking and memory capacity.
6. Risk-taking. Be willing to be embarrassed and non-traditional. Have fun. The discomfort of opening yourself up will gradually fade as you experiment by taking risks. As life becomes more satisfying, you can be more relaxed about the way your life is progressing; your stress will lessen, and your memory will improve.

If you feel stress coming on, take 90 seconds to:

1. STOP. Abandon what you are doing
2. RELAX. Free your mind of distractions
3. THINK. Identify your irrational and panicky thoughts and replace them with positive statements.
4. RISK. Break the routine; try something new.