Here’s how to remember more and improve your overall brain function in the process.
Whenever the evening quiz shows used to come on, you’d always beat your spouse to the “buzzer.” (You did a fair amount of gloating about it too.)
But in recent years, you’ve been having a harder time remembering all the random things you used to. And it’s got you worried that your forgetfulness might be something more than just your average memory lapses.
Some good news: Memory blips are a normal part of aging. But if you’re worried it’s something more serious, it’s always a good idea to consult your primary care doctor. They can help you get to the bottom of things.
As you get older, it’s not the end of the road for you and your memory. You can actually train your brain to sharpen its functions, such as memory, attention, and focus.
Read on for six tips that can help keep forgetfulness at bay and boost brain health.

BrainHQ rewires the brain so you can think faster, focus better, and remember more. And that helps people feel happier, healthier, and more in control.
Tip #1: Learn something new. Taking in and processing new information is a key factor in having a healthy brain. Learning drives brain plasticity, which is the brain’s ability to change. One of these ways is by creating new “wires” or neuropathways.
“When you’re learning, you’re forming new connections between existing brain cells, and that strengthens the brain,” says Richard J. Addante, Ph.D. He’s a neuroscientist and associate professor of psychology at Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne, Florida.
But avoid the “same-old, same-old.” If you’ve been doing crossword puzzles for years, that may be fun – but it’s not driving new learning in the brain. Pick something new, that will challenge your brain – even if you’re not immediately good at it, the learning process is what helps your brain.
How to do it: Try learning a foreign language, taking up a musical instrument, or engaging in a new hobby, such as salsa dancing or pickleball.
Tip #2: Get the right amount of sleep. The brain never stops working, and that includes when you’re sleeping. While you’re asleep, your brain is busy sorting out its daily information intake and consolidating memories.
There’s also a necessary clean-out occurring. While brain cells use energy during the day, they also create waste products that accumulate in the fluid surrounding the brain. If this waste accrues over time, it can impair the brain’s ability to do its daytime work.
“When you’re in a deep sleep, it allows spinal fluid to come in and flush out debris, including beta-amyloid plaques, which can be a significant risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease,” says clinical psychologist Sherrie D. All, Ph.D. She’s the founder and CEO of the Centers for Cognitive Wellness in Chicago and Bethesda, Maryland, and the author of The Neuroscience of Memory. This process of flushing out debris ensures that an individual wakes up in the morning with a fresh, clean brain, ready for the new day’s activities.
Insomnia is the most common sleep problem in adults ages 60 and older, says the National Institutes of Health. Sleep deprivation can cause irritability and increase the risk of falls and accidents, and it can also impair memory. “If you’re not sleeping well, it reduces the ability to pay attention, and if you can’t do that, you’re not going to be able to remember things,” says All.
How to do it: Aim for seven to nine hours of sleep per night to keep the brain and memory sharp. For optimal sleep, keep the bedroom at a comfortable temperature, avoid caffeinated beverages later in the day, and put away any blue light–emitting devices such as smartphones and tablets, which can interfere with falling asleep.
Tip #3. Socialize with friends and family. Feeling lonely and socially isolated isn’t uncommon in older adults, and it can heighten your risk of dementia. In fact, a report from the U.S. Surgeon General says that chronic loneliness and social isolation can increase the risk of dementia by approximately 50% in older adults.
But socializing with friends, family members, or your grandchildren can help slow down the brain’s aging process, according to a large global study published in The Lancet Healthy Longevity. The researchers say good social connections, such as weekly interactions with family and friends, as well as community engagement, can be associated with slower cognitive decline.
Socializing can also provide you with stimulating new activities, such as a game night or movie night, and interacting with others taps your memory and language skills. Plus, emotional support helps reduce stress.
How to do it: Not a social butterfly? Start small and work your way up. Make a date for a video call with a friend you haven’t talked to in a while. Then fan out from there: research and explore community groups to join, volunteering opportunities, or classes.
Tip #4: Eat brain-healthy food. Research suggests that a healthy diet can benefit your entire body — including your heart and brain. One type of eating pattern linked to better cardiovascular and cognitive function is the MIND diet (Mediterranean DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay), which includes brain-focused foods such as:
- Beans
- Nuts
- Proteins such as seafood, poultry, and eggs (in moderation)
- Vegetables
- Whole grains
People who follow the MIND diet can lower their cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar (glucose) levels, which, when elevated, are risk factors for heart attack and stroke. Plus, studies from Rush University Medical Center and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that people following the MIND diet are less likely to experience cognitive decline and develop dementia.
How to do it: You don’t have to immediately adopt the MIND diet and shun your favorite doughnut shop forever. Start by adding a vegetable as a side on your dinner plate and work your way up from there.
Tip #5: Stay active. Getting enough exercise isn’t just important for strong muscles, bones, and weight control, it’s also good for brain health. “When you’re exercising, there’s an increased blood flow sending all the necessary nutrients to the brain, including oxygen,” says Addante. “This influx of blood flow to different areas of the brain is going to allow neurons to work at a high gear and start operating more efficiently.”
Another plus? Exercising releases endorphins, the brain chemicals that boost your mood, he adds.
Exercise has been shown to help with both short and long-term memory. Research published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease looked at brain scans of people who exercised. It found that people who do even 10 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical exercise approximately four days a week could increase their brain volume, including in the hippocampus, the area involved in storing memories.
How to do it: Before you start any new type of exercise regimen, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor. They can help you work around any health or physical limitations you might have. And as we’ve been saying, you don’t have to go full tilt right out of the gate. Start with a weekly regimen you can manage and enjoy. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week (for example, 30 minutes a day, five days a week). Think nature walks, gardening, yoga, or tai-chi.
Tip #6. Train your brain with BrainHQ. While upping your body’s fitness routine has a number of great returns, so does exercising your brain, which can be accomplished using BrainHQ’s science-backed brain training program. Through a series of fun, interactive brain exercises, you can help sharpen functional aspects such as your memory, brain speed, and attention and focus. And you don’t have to start at an Arnold Schwarzenegger brain fitness level; BrainHQ offers customized plans for your personal skill set.
How to do it: You can create a free BrainHQ account to get access to one exercise per day. Better yet, subscribe to BrainHQ for full access to all its exercises. Either way, you can fit BrainHQ’s brain exercises into your busy day — you can do them on your laptop, tablet, or smartphone while you’re waiting for your morning coffee to brew.
Plus, you can get social doing it: Invite your friends to join and keep tabs on one another’s progress. A good goal to set is a maximum of 90 minutes per week (three sessions at 30 minutes a pop).
Additional sources:
Study on adult ed classes and dementia: Frontiers
MIND diet study on cognition: The New England Journal of Medicine
Investigation of three MIND diet studies: JAMA Psychiatry
U.S. Surgeon General’s report on loneliness and isolation: U.S. Surgeon General
Social connections and cognition: The Lancet Healthy Longevity
Exercise and memory: Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease
Physical activity recommendations for older adults: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention