How To Improve Your Memory and Cognitive Function

Memory and cognitive function, like many other things, tend to decrease as you grow up. I still remember when I was a kid how I never forgot a name I heard once, and before I reached my twenties, that ability was lost to me. But age is not the only factor that affects memory and cognitive function; there are other things that contribute to the decline of memory, some maybe even stronger than the age factor.

Thankfully, there are things that you can do to improve your memory and cognitive function. In this blog post, I will share with you important information about what affects memory and cognitive function and how to improve it naturally.

What Are Cognitive Functions?

Before we start, let me share with you a brief intro about cognitive function. Cognitive function refers to multiple mental abilities that include your ability to remember, your ability to retain attention, learning, thinking, your ability to handle tasks and solve problems, and even how you behave. This decline appears in the following signs:

• A small attention span that makes you unable to focus for a long time; for example, you might find it hard to read a book or follow a movie plot. Some might even find it difficult to finish a YouTube video that is longer than one minute.

• Forgetting oftentimes, for example, you might find more difficulty in remembering names, appointments, where you put things, and so on.

• You may find it hard to follow instructions and finish certain tasks.

• Paying attention to conversations might seem harder.

• Poor decision-making.

• Finding difficulty in remembering a certain word.

Things That Affect Your Memory and Cognitive Function Negatively

As I already mentioned, memory and cognitive function naturally decrease with age, but other things might have a more profound effect on your memory than age, for example:

1. Genes

genetic factors might lead to mild cognitive dysfunction. The same gene that's found in Alzheimer's patients might be responsible for mild cognitive dysfunction. However, having the gene does not necessarily mean that there will be memory problems or cognitive function issues.

2. Social Media

This might not be surprising to many of you. Almost every parent has noticed how their kids’ attention spans have become terribly short, to the degree that it now affects their school performance. I have written before about TikTok and its effect on memory, but this is a problem that all social media platforms pose to some extent. More and younger adults who are not expected to have cognitive impairment At their age, they are experiencing neurodegeneration, and this has been linked to social media. Not to mention the addictive side of social media, as it is designed to be addictive in every way possible, and addiction in itself affects cognitive function.

3. Addiction

   
   

Addiction to psychostimulant leads to significant changes in the brain structure; those changes can lead to cognitive deficits that might include memory, learning, and poor decision-making. Much to the degree that treating cognitive deficits is now considered by some as part of the treatment for addiction. Porn addiction, which is not technically considered an addiction, might also influence memory and cognitive function, as studies found shrinkage in some brain regions in those who are addicted to porn.

4. Diabetes

There is sound evidence now that diabetes affects cognitive function negatively; in fact, those who have diabetes have a 1.25 to 1.91-fold higher risk for cognitive impairment and dementia. This effect, however, can potentially be modified.

5. Hypertension

Hypertension is yet another modifiable risk factor for cognitive impairment, both vascular cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease.

6. Obesity

For obesity, many studies show a relationship between body mass index and cognitive decline. One of those studies of over 2000 middle-aged workers suggests that there is a linear relationship between BMI and cognitive function.

7. Diet

Overconsumption of certain types of food, such as saturated fats, added sugar, refined carbohydrates, ultra-processed food, and fish that are high in mercury, is also linked to the worsening of cognitive functions.

8. Alcohol

Alcohol can cause alcohol-related brain impairment.

How to Improve Memory and Cognitive Function

Fortunately, there are simple things that you can do to improve your cognitive function, such as:

1. Working Out

Recently, I wrote about high-intensity interval training and how it affects cognitive function. HIIT exercises improve cognitive functions in adults and children and adolescents. Exercising can boost your memory and improve your thinking in many ways; one of them is related to how it reduces stress and improves mood, which in turn leads to improvement of cognitive functions.

Physical exercise, both aerobic and chronic, triggers a strong neuroplastic phenomenon that aids in brain recovery.

2. Reading

Oh yes, reading. I have a whole blog dedicated to the effects of reading fiction on the brain. Frequent reading, whether it is fiction or not, is associated with a lower risk of cognitive function decline. Reading is, in fact, recognized as a cognitively stimulating activity.

3. Cognitively Stimulating Activities

Reading is not the only cognitively stimulating activity out there. Other activities, such as solving puzzles, playing games, listening to the radio, and even watching TV, are all considered cognition-stimulating activities.

4. Food

You already know now that certain types of diet are related to poor cognitive performance; similarly, the opposite is true: consuming certain types of food regularly can lead to improvement of memory. Those foods are like:

• Fruits

• Vegetables

• Legumes

• Whole grain

• Healthy fats

• Seafood

• Herbs

• Seeds

Following diets like the Mediterranean diet and clean eating diet can help, as those diets tend to include more of the healthy food and less of the bad stuff, and most importantly, they are easier to follow than many diets out there.

5. Do Not Smoke

Smoking is related to a faster decline in cognitive function; therefore, not smoking or quitting if you are a smoker can slow down the decline in your cognitive functions.

6. Socialize

Whether you are an extrovert or an introvert, you need to go out and mingle with the crowd. Catch up with your friends, coworkers, and family. Some studies suggest that socializing can be effective in preventing cognitive decline.

7. Praying

Praying is among the activities that improve cognitive function. For example, the Muslim prayer was found to reduce stress and mental fatigue in addition to its restorative effect. As I mentioned earlier, reduction in stress is a good way to improve cognitive function.

8. Listening to and Memorizing the Quran

In a study, the working memory of students was assessed before and after listening to the students listening to Quran recitation. The results were a significant increase in working memory performance in the students that listened to the recitation. Also, as I mentioned in one of my pervious articles, Quran helps with depression, one of the major risk factors for cognitive impairment.

Summary

We have a responsibility towards ourselves to do the best we can to preserve our health, including our brain's health. Following a healthy lifestyle and doing simple things like not smoking, not drinking, and eating healthy food can take you a long way to achieving better cognitive function and memory.

References and Citations

Montag, C., Markett, S. Social media use and everyday cognitive failure: investigating the fear of missing out and social networks use disorder relationship. BMC Psychiatry 23, 872 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-023-05371-x

Shanmugasundaram, M., & Arumugam, S. (2023). The impact of digital technology, social media, and artificial intelligence on cognitive functions: A review. Frontiers in Cognition, 2. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcogn.2023.1203077

D’Souza, M. S. (2019). Neural substrates for treatment of psychostimulant-induced cognitive deficits. *Frontiers in Psychiatry, 10*, Article 509. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00509

Sebastian, M. J., Khan, S. K., Pappachan, J. M., & Jeeyavudeen, M. S. (2023). Diabetes and cognitive function: An evidence-based current perspective. World journal of diabetes, 14(2), 92–109. https://doi.org/10.4239/wjd.v14.i2.92Canavan

M., & O'Donnell, M. J. (2022). Hypertension and Cognitive Impairment: A Review of Mechanisms and Key Concepts. Frontiers in neurology, 13, 821135. https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2022.821135Nguyen

J. C., Killcross, A. S., & Jenkins, T. A. (2014). Obesity and cognitive decline: role of inflammation and vascular changes. Frontiers in neuroscience, 8, 375. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2014.00375Chang

Y. H., Wu, I. C., & Hsiung, C. A. (2021). Reading activity prevents long-term decline in cognitive function in older people: evidence from a 14-year longitudinal study. International psychogeriatrics, 33(1), 63–74. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1041610220000812

https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/maximize-memory-function-with-a-nutrient-rich-diet