Exercises to Improve Memory

Improving your brain function can be helpful in the fight against age-related memory loss, Alzheimer's disease, dementia, and the simple daily stress of having too much to do. From playing a matching game with cards to making lists and writing stories, there are many simple exercises that can sharpen your memory.

Lists

• Shopping lists help you remember what you want to buy at the store, but they also provide you with an easy memory exercise. After you have written the list, try to memorize the first three items. Keep them in your head until you get to the grocery store. Did you pick them up without looking at the list? Next try for five items and so on. This exercise helps improve your short-term memory.

  You can also simply make up a list of unrelated items (for instance tree, book and apple) and try to remember them. Set a time to go back and write down the list. It could be five, 10, 20 or 60 minutes--whatever you think will be a challenge.

Writing Stories

• You can write stories about important events in your life that you want to remember or pass on to your children, or fictional tales to read with your grandchildren. The important part is the writing. Using your vocabulary and going through the thought process of story-writing engages both long-term and short-term memory. It also keeps your hands active and flexible whether you use pen and paper or a computer.

Matching Games

• Matching games are not just for children. These games can help sharpen short-term memory and provide a fun diversion as well. You can use regular playing cards and match based on color, number or suit. You can also choose how many cards to use at one time to decrease or increase the challenge.

Thinking Games

• While not strictly memorization exercises, any game that requires you to think strategically can sharpen your memory. These include crossword puzzles, Sudoku, Mah Jong, Scrabble and even Monopoly.

Hobbies

• Hobbies help keep your memory sharp by having you recall steps. Whether your hobby is knitting, ceramics, model airplane building or gardening, there is a certain order that must be followed to have the final result be correct.