Train Your Brain

The holidays are coming. For most of us that means more stress. And more stress often means more of those embarrassing senior moments. You know the ones, like when you go to introduce your spouse and momentarily blank out on her name.

Fortunately, you can do some quick mental aerobics each day that might help you avoid those uncomfortable fauxpas.

First, start paying more attention to your thoughts. Notice what you're thinking. You are constantly thinking, usually about what you're doing. Take a moment to notice the thoughts. Focus on how cold the floor feels in the morning, how soft your towel feels after your shower, how good your first sip of coffee tastes. These thoughts are there anyway. By taking notice of them, you actually encourage your brain to build stronger neural connections. That can mean a better memory and a greater sense of clarity.

Next, focus on where you are and what you are doing. It's easy for the stress of the holidays to crowd your thoughts. You know how it goes. You're making dinner and instead of focusing on what you're doing, you start making a gift list in your head. Next thing you know, dinner is burnt and you're frustrated. Practice catching yourself the moment your thoughts start to drift away from the moment and bring them back to what you're doing.

Finally, make time for stray thoughts. Just sit on the couch, flip on some music, maybe grab a glass of wine. Then close your eyes and let your mind wander. This is often a great way to relieve stress. I always keep a pad and pen nearby when I do this. When I'm ready to be done relaxing, I write down any thoughts that I had that I don't want to lose.

Lapses in memory are frustrating, but they are common when your stress levels rise. Try these three techniques to lower your stress and improve your memory at the same time.

Stay Well,
Heather Robwell