Unfortunately, increased forgetfulness is a typical sign of aging. It can cause problems at work, and a number of everyday annoyances as well.
The good news is that there are plenty of things you can do to improve your memory after the age of 40. Most of these require some time and effort, but they’ll lift your mood and sharpen your mind at the same time.
Take Up a New Sport
Have you ever considered taking up dancing, swimming, or martial arts? It’s never too late. At this age, your body needs a steady exercise regimen to keep your circulation going. People with good circulation are usually less forgetful, and they find it easier to concentrate.
But there’s another huge benefit to learning a new sport. When you memorize rules about how to move your body, you use several different parts of your brain. This increases your brain’s connectivity, which makes it easier for it to retain any information.
Consider Music or Sculpting
Any kind of creative hobby is great for your brain. Expressing yourself creatively will decrease your stress levels too. Stress is one of the leading causes of forgetfulness in older adults.
When you’re choosing a hobby, go with what you love. But sculpting and music are particularly great because they require using more of your senses – in this case, touch or hearing. This keeps your mind more flexible.
Remember the Important Things, Write Down Everything Else
If something is important to you, you should talk about it at regular intervals. That way, your brain won’t have cause to let it fade out or get overwritten.
However, when it comes to things like schedules and addresses, you don’t have to insist on memorization. Some like to keep notebooks for such information, while others prefer apps. The less your brain is swamped by minutiae, the more you can use it for learning interesting new things that will keep it fresh.
Conclusion
Taking up new hobbies can improve your memory after the age of 40. Exercise is important as well. You will probably be more effective if you take the time to write things down instead of trying to retain everything
