How to Improve Your Memory

Do you keep forgetting things? Having more "senior moments" than you should at your age? Here are a few ways to keep your brain sharp. Follow these directions and you'll be beating your kindergartner at the Memory game in no time!

You have a fantastical brain, but as early as your 20's, you can start losing memory function. One way to keep it sharp is to eat carbs. Have a bowl of cereal or whole wheat toast when you're eating breakfast. One study shows people on low carb diets have lower scores on memory tests. That's because your brain needs glucose to function and you get that glucose from the carbohydrates in your diet.

Another way to improve your memory is to do one hour of work online every day. If there's a subject you're interested in, Google away. According to researchers at UCLA, if you do one hour of Internet research per day, it can help your short term memory. Find something you want to know more about and start reading up.

We've all heard exercise is good for you, but who has time to spend two hours at the gym every day? British researchers found that eye exercises can increase your long term memory by as much as 10 percent. All you have to do is stand in place and look straight ahead, then sweep your eyes back and forth for about 30 seconds. That's it! You're done! Of course actual exercise increases blood flow to your brain and with it comes that oxygen and glucose. One study showed that test subjects that exercised regularly learned new words faster than those that didn't exercise. Of course, you don't need to spend two hours at the gym every day for this to happen. Even just a 10 or 15 minute brisk walk can help.

What do you have to drink when you eat dinner? If you have a glass of wine, you may be helping your memory. Notice I said "a glass". Drinking too much can actually do harm to your brain, but scientists figured out that seven or less alcoholic drinks every week lowers your risk for memory problems, so bottoms up!