_By Cynthia Nkweti_

Did you know that just as you exercise your physical body, there are also things that you can do to exercise your brain and keep your memory sharp? Well, if you didn’t know, you’re in luck. That’s what we want to look at today.
First of all, why should you even keep your memory sharp? Retention! You will most definitely like to remember what happened the day before or even what you have been taught in school. For students, especially, preparing for your final exams, you will benefit from these tips.

1. Exercise:
First of all, your mind and your body are interconnected. What benefits your body benefits your brain. Create a regular habit of exercising no matter how little. This goes a long way to stimulate brain activity and boosts memory. Here are a few exercises you can do:
• Walking
• Jogging
• hiking

2. Read:
Reading improves intellectual stimulation. Statistics have shown that reading and writing in late life reduced the rate of memory decline by 32%. Make reading a habit by getting books, subscribing to
• online magazines
• joining a book club.

3. Write regularly:
Writing improves working memory and communication abilities. It doesn’t even matter what you write. All it does is that, writing boosts brain activity. You could start by getting a diary or a jotter where you write a few words a day.

4. Get plenty of sleep:
Sleep problems can lead to trouble with memory, concentration, and other cognitive functions. Memories and newly learned skills move to more permanent regions of the brain while you sleep, according to medics. This makes them easier to recall. If you’re between the ages of 26 and 64, seven to nine hours nightly is a good sleep goal.

5. Play brain stimulating games: Games are another simple way to sharpen and stimulate your mind. You could also find an adult colouring book or learn to paint. It does not have to be perfect. This however stimulates your memory. A few games to stimulate your brain are:
• Scrabble
• Sudoku
• Chess
• Trivia

6. Keep learning or learn a new skill:
It is believed that challenging your brain with mental exercises activate processes that help maintain individual brain cells and stimulate communication among them. Learning a new skill is one way in which you improve your memory.

Forgetting things can be very frustrating so we hope these tips help you. What do you do to keep your memory sharp?