Memory Fitness

Are you frustrated by forgetfulness? If so, you are not alone. People of all ages complain about the memory lapses that get in their way, such as forgetting their keys, scheduling two appointments for the same time, losing a train of thought, not recalling what they wanted to get from the kitchen and—worst of all—forgetting names. As people grow older, these slips seem to become more frequent and can even be frightening. It’s all too easy to worry that each little memory lapse is actually the early sign of a slow decline to dementia.

Although diabetes seems to increase a person’s risk for developing dementia, dementia is still relatively uncommon in people with diabetes. And while there is thought to be some decline in a person’s ability to learn new things with increasing age, a lot of forgetfulness is often just caused by poor memory health.

Can people improve their memories? Absolutely. Almost everyone can improve their daily memory performance, no matter what their age, medical history or background. Healthy adults who do not have a memory disorder such as dementia can boost their memory power simply by practicing better memory health habits. Just as exercise can improve physical health, so too can certain techniques and lifestyle changes enhance memory fitness. All it takes is an awareness of what good memory