Memory is a huge part of who we are. Our memories of our lives and those of our relatives and friends bind us together and create a framework in which we come to understand our lives and our stories. As for me, I can’t remember what I had for dinner and that was last night. I’m surprised I remembered where my keys were this morning, I probably can’t remember, sometimes I just slap all the pockets on my pants and my jacket until something jingles.
At least, that’s how I used to be. I’ve struggled with memory challenges for most of my life. I was diagnosed with ADD (attention deficit disorder) as a child, and now I know that I have the inattentive type of that disorder (we call it ADHD now) and it makes it harder for my brain to process, store, and recall information sometimes. My parents used to say I have a head like a steel sieve, when it should have been like a steel trap. I struggled sometimes paying attention in school and often had to spend time re-reading what I had just read in the books they gave me for class. Some things stuck with me though, mainly when the books relayed the information with some kind of story, images, and narrative. I also learned that my studies got better when I could take regular breaks to move around, especially in college.
Memory challenges affect more people than just those with ADHD, they can affect most people of advanced age, as well as people with history of traumatic brain injuries, substance use disorders, and trauma and stress related disorders as well. Lots of people have had an experience where they felt silly or embarrassed about not remembering something important, like where they left their keys; or whether they sent an email or just thought about doing it.
With that in mind, let’s be gracious and kind to each other and acknowledge that everyone has trouble with memory at some point, and let’s go over a few things that can help. Physically, there is a lot of evidence that cardiovascular exercise improves memory function. When we walk, run, swim, bike, hike, or any other exercise that stimulates the heart to beat faster, it increases the amount of blood that reaches the brain. We can also help our body out by consuming certain minerals, like copper, magnesium, and sodium, and flavanols, which are antioxidants found in tea, cocoa, and fruits like blueberries that help reduce blood pressure while improving blood vessel function. This helps stimulate your brain to help improve your overall memory.
One other important part of our lives that stimulates our need for memory is our connections with other people. Social life, including school, work, doctor’s appointments, and regular visits with friends and family helps improve our memory in at least two ways. Firstly, it creates experiences where we have social pressure to remember or think back on later, and secondly it creates opportunities for others to aid in our recollection. Social pressure to remember important dates, events and details about each other in conversation trains our brains for retention. Meanwhile, we can get helpful reminders from people around us when they recall information and remind us in an active way, which strengthens our neural connections too.
Another important way people have been building up their memory for generations is via games and storytelling. Memory matching games using playing cards with numbers, words, or symbols are used to help train memory athletes who compete in challenges. Story tellers routinely re-tell stories to keep them fresh in their mind and pass those stories on to the next person and the next generation.
Memory is important to all of us, and we can all struggle to remember important things in life from time to time. Let’s give each other some grace, and practice together to help each other out! Here’s to your good health!
It’s okay not to feel okay
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