Do you suspect your memory isn’t as sharp as it used to be?
If your age is north of 45, you could be right.
A study of 7,000 civil servants in France and the UK revealed that the brain begins to lose memory, powers of reasoning, and understanding not from 60 as previously thought but from as early as 45. (1)
Understandably, the most significant health concern of the boomer generation isn’t cancer or a stroke; it’s not even a heart attack; it’s cognitive decline and memory loss. And that makes perfect sense.
A good memory is an essential part of independent living as you age. With serious memory problems, it’s almost impossible to do everyday things like cooking, driving, and finding your way home.
But here’s some good news to reassure you. Mild lapses in memory like forgetting where you left your keys or your neighbor’s name may be annoying, but they do not indicate that you have a more severe cognitive illness on the horizon. And having these types of lapses as early as 45 seems pretty normal.
Science has concluded that declining brain function and memory loss begin earlier than previously thought. In most cases, more general health issues are at play and are easily addressed.
The conclusion is that you can do something about it.
1. Inactivity
If you live an inactive life, just like your muscles will eventually atrophy, so will the health of your brain decline. Regular inactivity can cause brain shrinkage and lead to cell-to-cell communication changes and loss. (2)
Conversely, numerous studies indicate that regular exercise protects your brain health, memory, and cognitive ability. From the University of British Columbia, a study shows that regular aerobic exercise like running or swimming boosts the size of the hippocampus, which stimulates the release of neurochemicals that affect the health and supply of brain cells. (3)
So get off the couch and hit the trail!
2. Hormones
Middle age is the time that women experience menopause. According to women’s health experts, dipping estrogen levels from menopause can affect brain function and cause momentary memory lapses. Moreover, common menopausal symptoms like night sweats, hot flashes, mood swings, and anxiety negatively impact the way the brain functions.
Some women find it hard to absorb information or focus on simple tasks. Other common complaints are forgetting why you walked into a room or struggling to remember someone’s name. (4)
Menouspausl brain fog is not an early sign of dementia. It’s usually temporary and vanishes after the transition has ended.
3. Dehydration
Did you know that 75% of your brain is basically water? Even negligible levels of dehydration can affect your cognitive functions, leading to memory lapses and poor concentration.
Making a conscious effort to drink enough water every day can help your concentration and cognition. Try drinking two glasses of water as soon as you wake up in the morning, and every hour, drink another glass of water. Add lemon or cucumber to make your drink more enjoyable.
4. Nutrient Deficiency
Processing and transmitting information through electrical signals are very, very energy-intensive. Your brain may make up only 2% of your total body weight, but it burns 20% of the energy you consume. And just like a race car, your brain needs a specific kind of nutritional fuel to operate optimally.
If you have a fast-paced, stressful job or live in a stressful situation, your brain burns through nutrition even faster and needs more fuel to operate clearly.
When you don’t get the brain fuel you need from your diet, the result can be trouble focusing and memory lapses.
A way to get the exact type of nutrition your brain needs is through a quality brain health supplement like Stonehenge Health’s Dynamic Brain™.
Dynamic Brain contains 40 researched and proven ingredients, including DHA, Choline, plus essential vitamins and minerals to support brain health. Take Dynamic Brain daily to promote optimal cognitive function leading to better memory, sharper processing, focus, plus a boost of mental energy.
The use of brain health supplements like Dynamic Brain is growing as quickly as the boomer generation is aging because holding on to a sharp memory and clear thinking is key to success at work and enriching life.
Sources:
1. Singh-Manoux, A., M. Kivimaki, M. M. Glymour, A. Elbaz, C. Berr, K. P. Ebmeier, J. E. Ferrie, and A. Dugravot. 2012. “Timing Of Onset Of Cognitive Decline: Results From Whitehall II Prospective Cohort Study”. BMJ 344 (jan04 4): d7622-d7622. doi:10.1136/bmj.d7622. bmj.com/content/344/bmj.d7622
2. Christopher Bergland, “The Brain Drain of Inactivity” Psychology Today | psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-athletes-way/201212/the-brain-drain-inactivity
3. Heidi Godman. “Regular exercise changes the brain to improve memory, thinking skills” Harvard Health Letter | health.harvard.edu/blog/regular-exercise-changes-brain-improve-memory-thinking-skills-201404097110
4. Amy Norton. “More Evidence Menopause ‘Brain Fog’ Is Real” WebMD | webmd.com/menopause/news/20161012/more-evidence-menopause-brain-fog-is-real
