A four-pronged lifestyle program works to improve memory and brain efficiency in older adults in as little as two weeks, University of California researchers found.
The study involved 34 adults with normal memory who either made no lifestyle modifications or made the following changes as part of a "memory improvement plan" for 14 days:
Eating five small meals per day. This was done to prevent dips in blood sugar that can occur when three larger meals are eaten. The meals consisted of healthy foods including omega-3 fats, whole-grain carbohydrates and antioxidants.
Regular physical exercise. Participants took brisk walks daily and performed other physical conditioning to improve brain circulation. This has been linked to a decreased risk of Alzheimer's disease.
Stretching and relaxation exercises. This can help to temper the production of cortisol, a stress hormone, in the body. Cortisol can shrink the brain's memory centers and thereby impair memory.
Memory exercises. Participants performed brainteasers, crossword puzzles and other memory exercises to help improve their memory skills.
Your Brain Can be Used More Efficiently
The participants underwent positron emission tomography (PET) scans to measure brain activity before and after the study.
PET scans of those who followed the memory improvement plan had a significant decrease in brain metabolism in the brain area linked to working memory and cognitive functions. This means they were essentially using less brain power, or, in other words, were using their brains more efficiently.
Study participants ranged in age from 35 to 70, with an average age of 53 years.
