These 4 common habits contribute to memory decline, says neuroscientist

It is natural that with time, memories are forgotten. .

However, Certain actions affect the Mental Health and contribute to the deterioration of memory over the years.

Recently, the neuroscientist and director of the Dynamic Memory Laboratory at the University of California, Charan Ranganath listed a series of habits that most people have developed, but which can be harmful. in this framework.

As he assured BBC , To protect the memory, it is essential to change them in time .

These are the points you mentioned .

He is also the author of the book Why we remember: the new science of memory (Peninsula Editions, 2024) pointed out that Sleep plays a restorative role, so it is necessary to get enough hours of rest .

He explained that, Otherwise, “the brain’s frontal function is reduced, as is its level of stress tolerance; and, as a result, is not able to concentrate properly. .

“During sleep, memory is reactivated and this is what many attribute the origin of dreams (…) Sleep makes it easier to remember the information we have learned “, he told the aforementioned media.

In order to reconcile it, suggested not using phone or computer before going to sleep, in addition to eliminating caffeine, alcohol and heavy foods in the preceding hours.

This phenomenon, Also known as multitasking can harm memory maintenance .

Ranganath said that “the prefrontal cortex helps us focus on what we need to do to achieve our goals, but This wonderful ability gets bogged down if we continually jump from one goal to another. “.

Along with this, as an example, he detailed that Performing tasks like reading an email in the middle of a meeting contributes to not remembering the content later. which were discussed in both spaces.

However, he said that An exception may be when the activities in question are related each other.

For example: “If you make a cake, you have to preheat the oven then redo the dough (…) If you combine all these tasks into one big task, you will be able to do it. “.

Although it is common to take on a series of responsibilities throughout the week, the neuroscientist emphasized that constant monotony can affect the preservation of brain plasticity .

This is due, as he stated, to the fact that experiences associated with emotions such as fear, surprise, happiness or desire, among others, are capable of releasing chemical substances that are found in neurons .

Between these we find adrenaline, dopamine, cortisol and serotonin .

“Plasticity in the brain helps us carry out tasks, especially the most repetitive ones, more efficiently “, he told the BBC.

In this sense, he declared that Activities like changing a password you’ve had for a long time (and remembering the new one) help deal with this monotony .

SO, “You will have the neurons that had the old password saved and will fight with those that have the new one” » added Ranganath.

The specialist was categorical in saying that many people “think it’s all well and good until at some point in their lives they realize it’s not.” .

Of course, he emphasized that “The purpose of memory is not to remember the past, although it can do that, but to extract from the past the important information we need to understand the present and prepare for the future. » .

To train her, he suggested that A simple action you can take is to try to remember a person’s name a few minutes after they are introduced to you. .

“The farther apart these attempts are, the better.” he claimed.

He also recommended measures such as take care of your sleep habits, take steps to control stress levels, pay attention to aspects such as diet and training to be in shape.

Regarding these last points, the neuroscientist declared: “The Mediterranean diet has shown very good results in promoting mental health (…) Physical exercise, especially aerobic exercise, is good because it increases the secretion of substances that increase plasticity and improve the cerebral vascular system” .