Key Takeaways:
- Some memory changes with age are normal. However, if your memory loss disrupts your daily life or makes you unable to complete a task, you should speak with your healthcare provider.
- You can support brain health and memory by exercising, doing stimulating activities, getting adequate sleep, and taking a supplement.
What was his name again? What did I come in here for?
It can be frustrating to feel your memory slipping as you age. Thankfully, taking care of your brain health and memory is easier than you may think. We’ve rounded up easy, science-backed tips for supporting brain health and memory that you can incorporate into your daily routine.
But first, is it normal to forget things as you age?
Are mild memory problems normal with age?
As you age, it’s natural to feel some concern about your changing mental abilities. For many people, the ability to remember won’t decline significantly, and they’ll retain the knowledge and skills they had throughout their lives.
About 2 out of 3 Americans will experience some level of cognitive impairment at about 70 years old.1 Another recent CDC study found that 1 in 10 adults aged 45 years and older reported worsening memory loss.2
Age-associated memory impairment is normal and refers to memory changes that:3
- Don’t disrupt your daily life
- Don’t affect your ability to complete tasks
- Don’t affect your ability to learn or remember new things
- Aren’t caused by an underlying medical condition
However, be sure to speak with your healthcare provider if memory loss is getting worse and interfering with your everyday life — like getting lost on your way home from work or having difficulties recalling recent events.
Let’s take a look at a few ways you can support your brain health and memory every day.
1. Stay active
If you want to support your brain health, get moving! Exercise affects the brain both directly and indirectly. Exercise increases blood flow to the brain, and a healthy brain relies on good blood flow to deliver the nutrients it needs to do its job. Blood flow also increases the production of molecules important to memory.4
Additionally, exercise supports memory by increasing molecular targets like BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor). BDNF helps form new synapses that mediate learning and memory, making it easier to absorb information and form long-term memories.5
What is the best type of exercise for brain health?
Aerobic exercises — like walking, running, or cycling — are great for brain health because they help increase blood flow to the brain. On the other hand, low-intensity mind-body exercises (such as yoga and tai chi) have also been shown to support cognitive health, although researchers are still working to determine the exact reasons.6 If in doubt, some exercise is always better than none.
2. Give your brain a workout
In the same way you exercise your body, your brain needs exercise too. According to Harvard Health, stimulating brain activities cause new connections to form between nerve cells and may even help the brain generate new cells.7
Activities to stimulate your brain:
- Do a jigsaw puzzle
- Learn a new language
- Learn or play a musical instrument
- Do a crossword
- Take a new route to work
- Increase your vocabulary
- Take up a new hobby like crocheting or painting
- Play chess
- Do a sudoku
3. Get your z’s
Getting enough sleep is one of the most important ways to support brain health and memory. Sleep affects how neurons communicate with each other, how your brain forms and maintains pathways, how you create new memories, and more. Research has even shown that your brain uses the time you’re asleep to do some housekeeping by removing toxins that build up while you’re awake.8
Sleep is especially important for memory. Not only does getting enough sleep help you process information better when you’re awake, but sleeping after you spend time learning can help consolidate information and form new memories.9
A healthy sleep cycle consists of four stages. The first three stages are NREM stages. During NREM stages, your brain gets ready to learn new information the next day. According to the Sleep Foundation, not getting enough sleep can lower your learning abilities by as much as 40%.10
It’s during these NREM stages that your brain also sorts through your memories from the day, filtering out important memories and eliminating other information. These selected memories are made more concrete through NREM and REM sleep. In the REM stage, emotional memories are processed, which may help you cope with difficult experiences.11
Supplement for sleep
With three layers of ingredients, this unique formula can help you stay asleep longer and wake up feeling refreshed during times of occasional sleeplessness.*
Each tablet contains:
- Melatonin: Both quick-release melatonin to help you fall asleep faster and time-release melatonin to help you stay asleep longer.*
- L-Theanine: An amino acid that interacts with the neurotransmitter GABA to support a calm and relaxed mood.*
- Nighttime Herbal Blend: Made up of chamomile, lavender, lemon balm, and valerian root extracts.
This advanced sleep supplement leverages clinically-studied time-release melatonin that’s released throughout the night to work with your body’s natural sleep cycle to help you stay asleep.*
Read more: Aging & Sleep: The Science Behind Why You May Have Trouble Sleeping
4. Take a supplement
Taking a supplement is one of the easiest ways to give your body the key nutrients it needs to function optimally. Try adding these supplements to your routine:
Supplement for memory
Memory Support is a brand new supplement from Solgar® that’s part of our healthy aging line of supplements. Memory Support is a nootropic for brain health made with clinically-studied ingredients.* Just one capsule daily of Memory Support:
- Supports focus by assisting with attention*
- Helps with recall*
- Helps support short-term memory‡*
Key ingredients:
- Nutricog™: Clinically-studied combination of Terminalia chebula & Boswellia serrata
- Huperzine-A: From Toothed Clubmoss, an herb native to Eastern Asia
- Vitamin C
- Zinc
Supplements for nervous system health
Solgar® B-Complex “100” formula contains all the members of the B-vitamin family. One capsule taken daily helps:
- Provide support for occasional stress of daily living*
- Support daily energy*
- Maintain cardiovascular and nervous system health*
- Maintain healthy hair, skin and nails*
In a convenient, easy-to-take liquid form, Solgar® Liquid Vitamin B12:
- Supports energy metabolism*
- Helps maintain proper cardiovascular, immune and nervous system health*
- Helps your body convert carbohydrates, fats and proteins into energy*
Supplements for antioxidant support
Unlike regular vitamin C such as ascorbic acid, Ester-C® is a unique vitamin C clinically shown to stay in your white blood cells for up to 24 hours, and is non-acidic and gentle on your stomach.*
Vitamin E is an essential nutrient that supports overall good health.* This easy-to-take liquid form is non-GMO, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and kosher.
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Summing it up
Some memory impairment with age is normal. However, if your memory loss disrupts your daily life or makes you unable to complete a task, you should speak with your healthcare provider. You can support your brain health and memory by exercising regularly, doing stimulating activities for your brain, getting adequate sleep, and taking supplements for brain health.
Want more easy tips on staying healthy? Follow us on TikTok! (@solgarvitamins)
‡For mild memory problems associated with aging
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
The information provided on this site is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. The information on this website is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Never disregard medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the Solgar® site.
