Why Does Memory Decline?
Many people begin to notice memory loss as they reach age 50, 60, or beyond. They tend to chalk it up to growing older, and while there’s an element of truth to that reality, it’s important to recognize exactly what memory is …
Physical Skills and Mental Skills
Memory is a skill, much like the physical skills we possess. Just as most of us have the ability to walk, jog, or do a few push ups, we also have the ability to remember names, dates, and events. But what happens to our skills if we don’t practice them?
The answer, of course, is they decline over time. A good example is the ability to play the piano. In grade school, some 40 years ago, I was a pretty good piano player. Much to my parents chagrin, I stopped taking lessons and now, about all I can play on the piano is “Chopsticks” …
And so it goes with our ability to recall and remember. It’s true that all of our skills … both physical and mental … will gradually decline with age. Circulation and blood flow is believed to be one major cause, along with others like overall deteriorating body function.
But why do some people’s minds and memory remain sharp well into their senior years? In most cases, it’s due to their active lifestyle. The link between good overall health and sharp, reliable mental abilities has become even more evident as our population ages. Remaining active and practicing good health habits not only helps us physically, but mentally as well. Exactly how much isn’t specifically known, as various other factors come into play. Good genes certainly play a part, but overall health patterns carry more weight.
Keeping Your Memory Sharp
It’s quite possible to keep your memory sharp, even as an advanced senior citizen, but you’ll have to work at it. You’ll find many suggestions of exactly how to make it happen in our other articles on this site. The strongest recommendation we have is to invest in, and use, a reliable scientific brain training program.
Brain training programs are specifically designed to increase cognitive abilities like memory, focus, and concentration. They utilize a building block approach, typically over a six to eight week period. This allows the participant to build or rebuild skills gradually and in a progressive nature, as opposed to “one shot” methods like memorizing cards in a deck or playing so called brain games on a computer.
To summarize, memory skills, just like our other skills, will decline as we age. The key question is how much will they deteriorate, and how much effort are we willing to give to prevent the deterioration.
