kwalk
03-23-08, 01:56 AM
I know a lot of people who have a.d.d have a terrible memory, so I figured I'd share some information I found on ways to cope with it.
Keep your mind active. Although it is normal for our memory to be less efficient as we grow older, this can be offset by activities that require thinking and learning. Memory is like a muscle; keep working it so it stays in shape. Research at the University of Southampton in the UK has shown that you can slow mental ageing deliberately engaging in mentally demanding activities.
Consider taking up a hobby that uses your brain such as reading, evening classes, card games, sudoku, crosswords or discussion groups.
When you are reading a good book or a newspaper article, pause every now and again and imagine you are telling someone about what you have just read.
Even better, join a book group to discuss your reading with other people.
In the evening, try to recall the day’s events as vividly as possible. (I'm going to write a day to day journal of everything that happened and things that people said that I think are important to remember, then I'm going to go back and read them every week.)
Pick a topic and think of the opinions opposite to those that you usually hold; for example, if you love pets, think about all the disadvantages of having a pet.
Take exercise. A study of over 71-year-olds in the USA has shown that moderate exercise (for example, walking more than 2 miles a day) helps to keep the brain, as well as the body, in good shape (Journal of the American Medical Association 2004;292:144–61).
Be sociable. People who have lots of social contact with other people are less likely to develop serious memory problems.
Pay attention! We best remember things we are most interested in. (hahhahaha,good luck with that one)
Establish a routine for putting frequently used items (keys, pens and spectacles) in the same place each time.
When you are introduced to new people, repeat their names once or twice to commit them to memory.
Write down things that you need to remember – carry a notebook, use lists and keep an appointment diary. (Planner works really well for me)
It is easy to forget whether or not you have done something if you do it on automatic pilot. Instead, pause and register what you are doing; speaking it aloud may help. A common example is wondering whether you have turned the iron off, so when you finish ironing, pay special attention to your act of turning it off and say aloud “iron off”.
If you often forget names, go through your address book from time to time, saying the names of your friends and acquaintances out loud. This helps to bring the sounds of their names to the surface of your memory bank. Similarly, before you go to a social gathering, say out loud the names of the people you might meet.
Do not smoke. Do not listen to people who say smoking prevents memory loss. This idea was popular a few years ago, but there is no scientific evidence for it. Nicotine can improve brain function very temporarily, but smoking is likely to damage brain blood vessels and make the problem worse in the long term.
Get enough sleep. When you sleep, your brain processes the information that you have learnt during the day. If you are deprived of sleep, the memories will not stick properly, so students who spend half the night cramming for exams may be wasting their time.
Do not take HRT to help your memory. It is untrue that the menopause causes memory loss (British Journal of General Practice 2004;54:434–8, Neurology 2003;61:801–6). If this is happening to you, it is more likely that you are depressed or anxious. function and may even make it worse (Neurology 2007;69:1322–30).
Consider a ginkgo biloba supplement. Extracts of the leaves of the gingko tree (also known as the maidenhair tree or fossil tree) have been used for hundreds of years in Chinese medicine. Over the past few years, gingko supplements have become very popular with people who think their memory is poor, but the scientific evidence to support this is very confusing. Many of the so-called ’scientific’ studies have been flawed for several reasons, so their results cannot be trusted.
Keep your mind active. Although it is normal for our memory to be less efficient as we grow older, this can be offset by activities that require thinking and learning. Memory is like a muscle; keep working it so it stays in shape. Research at the University of Southampton in the UK has shown that you can slow mental ageing deliberately engaging in mentally demanding activities.
Consider taking up a hobby that uses your brain such as reading, evening classes, card games, sudoku, crosswords or discussion groups.
When you are reading a good book or a newspaper article, pause every now and again and imagine you are telling someone about what you have just read.
Even better, join a book group to discuss your reading with other people.
In the evening, try to recall the day’s events as vividly as possible. (I'm going to write a day to day journal of everything that happened and things that people said that I think are important to remember, then I'm going to go back and read them every week.)
Pick a topic and think of the opinions opposite to those that you usually hold; for example, if you love pets, think about all the disadvantages of having a pet.
Take exercise. A study of over 71-year-olds in the USA has shown that moderate exercise (for example, walking more than 2 miles a day) helps to keep the brain, as well as the body, in good shape (Journal of the American Medical Association 2004;292:144–61).
Be sociable. People who have lots of social contact with other people are less likely to develop serious memory problems.
Pay attention! We best remember things we are most interested in. (hahhahaha,good luck with that one)
Establish a routine for putting frequently used items (keys, pens and spectacles) in the same place each time.
When you are introduced to new people, repeat their names once or twice to commit them to memory.
Write down things that you need to remember – carry a notebook, use lists and keep an appointment diary. (Planner works really well for me)
It is easy to forget whether or not you have done something if you do it on automatic pilot. Instead, pause and register what you are doing; speaking it aloud may help. A common example is wondering whether you have turned the iron off, so when you finish ironing, pay special attention to your act of turning it off and say aloud “iron off”.
If you often forget names, go through your address book from time to time, saying the names of your friends and acquaintances out loud. This helps to bring the sounds of their names to the surface of your memory bank. Similarly, before you go to a social gathering, say out loud the names of the people you might meet.
Do not smoke. Do not listen to people who say smoking prevents memory loss. This idea was popular a few years ago, but there is no scientific evidence for it. Nicotine can improve brain function very temporarily, but smoking is likely to damage brain blood vessels and make the problem worse in the long term.
Get enough sleep. When you sleep, your brain processes the information that you have learnt during the day. If you are deprived of sleep, the memories will not stick properly, so students who spend half the night cramming for exams may be wasting their time.
Do not take HRT to help your memory. It is untrue that the menopause causes memory loss (British Journal of General Practice 2004;54:434–8, Neurology 2003;61:801–6). If this is happening to you, it is more likely that you are depressed or anxious. function and may even make it worse (Neurology 2007;69:1322–30).
Consider a ginkgo biloba supplement. Extracts of the leaves of the gingko tree (also known as the maidenhair tree or fossil tree) have been used for hundreds of years in Chinese medicine. Over the past few years, gingko supplements have become very popular with people who think their memory is poor, but the scientific evidence to support this is very confusing. Many of the so-called ’scientific’ studies have been flawed for several reasons, so their results cannot be trusted.