Natural ways to improve your memory

3. Make time for meditation

The practice of meditation may positively affect your health in many ways.
It is relaxing and soothing, and has been found to reduce stress and pain, lower blood pressure and even improve memory (8Trusted Source).
In fact, meditation has been shown to increase gray matter in the brain. Gray matter contains neuron cell bodies (9Trusted Source).
As you age, gray matter declines, which negatively impacts memory and cognition (10Trusted Source).
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 (11Trusted Source).
For 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 (12Trusted Source).
Spatial working memory is the ability to hold and process information in your mind about the positions of objects in space.
Summary Meditation isn’t just good for your body —
it’s also good for your brain. Research suggests meditation may increase gray
matter in the brain and improve spatial working memory.

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4. Maintain a moderate weight

Maintaining a moderate body weight is essential for well-being and is one of the best ways to keep your body and mind in top condition.
Several studies have established obesity as a risk factor for cognitive decline.
Having obesity can actually cause changes to memory-associated genes in the brain, negatively affecting memory (13Trusted Source).
Obesity can also lead to insulin resistance and inflammation, both of which can negatively impact the brain (14Trusted Source).
A study of 50 people between ages 18 and 35 years found that a higher body mass index was associated with significantly worse performance on memory tests (15Trusted Source).
Obesity is also associated with a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, a progressive disease that destroys memory and cognitive function (16Trusted Source).
Summary Obesity is a risk factor for cognitive
decline. Maintaining a body mass index within the normal range may help you
avoid a host of issues associated with obesity, including a poorer memory.