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The causes of memory decline in the elderly?
Many elderly people will have symptoms of memory loss when they reach a certain age. Therefore, the elderly should take timely measures to enhance their memory. The following is what I arranged for you, I hope it will help you!

Causes of amnesia

First, thyroid function is abnormal.

When there is a problem with thyroid function, you will feel too hot, too cold, anxious and depressed, and your memory will fall behind. Although the thyroid gland does not play a specific role in brain function, people will notice the loss of memory if its normal function stops working. Therefore, when you notice a memory problem, you can ask a doctor to do a simple thyroid function examination to determine whether it is the culprit leading to the memory problem.

Second, hot flashes

Hot flashes are common discomfort symptoms of menopausal women, which will lead to poor memory of names and events. Fortunately, hot flashes have no effect on brain function; Memory can be improved after hot flashes subside. Other symptoms of menopause include insomnia and sleep apnea, which may also lead to memory loss.

Third, lack of sleep

The party that ended late last night made it difficult for you to remember the names of your new colleagues the next day. When people sleep, although some parts of the brain will take a nap, the deep parts involved in memory and emotional response will become more active. People with sleep deprivation and sleep disorder will not only suffer from memory impairment, but also have symptoms such as daytime fatigue, inattention and slow reaction time. The standard advice of sleeping eight hours a night may not be applicable to everyone. If you feel tired after getting up and accidentally fall asleep during the day, it means you need more sleep.

Fourth, anxiety and depression.

There is strong evidence that diseases such as depression, anxiety and affective disorder can disrupt the neural pathways related to memory formation and retrieval. The severity of memory loss can usually reflect the severity of emotional disorders, and severe depression can lead to equally serious memory loss.

When memory loss and emotional disorders (including anxiety and depression) exist, this memory loss is usually at least partially reversible. With the improvement of patients' mood, memory can also be improved.

Verb (abbreviation for verb) prescription drug

Check the medicine cabinet, and you will find that many common prescription drugs can make people forget. Some drugs for anxiety disorder can damage the part of the brain that is responsible for converting short-term memory into long-term memory. Drugs for heart disease, including statins and beta blockers, are also related to memory problems. Other drugs that adversely affect memory include narcotic painkillers, urinary incontinence drugs, sleeping pills and even antihistamines.

The bottom line to follow is: don't stop taking drugs easily, especially those with potential life-saving effects. Ask your doctor which drugs may affect your memory.

Six, smoking

If you are still an addict, this will help explain why you have amnesia. This is because smoking will affect the blood supply, thus damaging brain function. In addition, smoking can promote the accumulation of abnormal protein and damage the brain's ability to process and transmit information.

Seven, high-fat diet

High-fat hamburgers and chips will not only increase weight and heart burden, but also damage memory. A study shows that if adolescent mice eat high-fat food for eight weeks in a row, their memory and learning ability will deteriorate. Another study shows that childhood obesity is related to shortened attention duration and decreased attention.

Eight, pressure

Repeated or long-term stress can damage memory. Frequent contact with a hormone released by adrenal gland and high concentration of glucocorticoids will reduce the number of receptors in brain cells and make brain cells unable to respond positively to neurochemicals. The research results of the University of California, Santa Barbara show that relieving stress through meditation helps to improve memory.

Nine, germs

A study shows that cold sores can also affect memory. Researchers have found that people who are exposed to many germs, such as herpes simplex virus type I, are more likely to have memory problems in their lifetime than those who are less exposed to germs. Although there is no vaccine specifically for cold sores, vaccination against other viruses in childhood can help avoid memory problems. Besides, regular exercise is also helpful.

Ten, green tea

Researchers in university of basel, Switzerland, found that chemicals in green tea can improve memory, because catechins and theanine contained in green tea can promote the formation and development of brain cells in hippocampus, which is the part of the brain used for short-term memory and learning new things.

XI。 take exercise

Regular exercise also helps to keep a keen memory; This is because exercise can improve mood and sleep quality, and then improve cognitive function and memory. In order to keep the best memory, experts advise people to do 45-minute aerobic exercise four times a week.

Twelve, the lack of vitamin B 12.

Vegetarians are high-risk groups lacking vitamin B 12, which helps to maintain the health of human nerves and blood cells and promote the formation of DNA. Vitamin B 12 exists only in natural form in animal foods, such as shellfish, meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products. Symptoms of vitamin B 12 deficiency include fatigue, loss of appetite, constipation and weight loss, which may also lead to memory problems. Not only vegetarians, pregnant women, the elderly, patients with pernicious anemia and patients with gastrointestinal diseases also need vitamin B 12.

Methods to improve memory

1. Use your brain actively.

The brain is not a muscle, but using it more is definitely good for the brain. Therefore, playing chess, bridge and crossword puzzles often is more beneficial than chatting all day.

2. Take an active part in social activities.

Research shows that if a person takes a part-time job after retirement or often participates in social welfare activities, it will help to maintain good brain function. If you are often busy with some clubs and community activities, this is also good.

3, often training inactive cerebral cortex.

Every time a person does an action, there is always a brain that gives instructions in the corresponding cortical area. So even if you change the arrangement of furniture, or you are used to doing things with your right hand now, you can look at the inactive cerebral cortex.

4. Keep learning and keep a strong thirst for knowledge.

Often going to lectures, or taking a class by yourself, visiting fairs and art exhibitions, and listening attentively to current events and news are all manifestations of curiosity. Reading is also a good study and pastime. In particular, reading story books aloud to children is a good way to activate thinking.

5. Exercise.

Physical exercise is not only beneficial to the heart and lungs of the elderly, but also can improve their brain function. The elderly don't need to take part in strenuous physical activities, but a six-month observation of the elderly aged 58-78 shows that the elderly who walk for 30-40 minutes every day are more likely to concentrate than those who don't.

6. Maintain a healthy diet.

Many foods such as blueberries, broccoli and green leafy vegetables are good for brain health. Blueberries, like other berries, are rich in antioxidants, which can neutralize the damage of free radicals to brain cells. Besides antioxidants, leafy vegetables also contain folic acid. Folic acid is a vitamin, which can help to decompose cis-cysteine in the body.

7. Listen to more music to improve your memory.

Foreign experts have found that the adagio movement in Bach and Handel's works can eliminate the tension of the brain and make people enter a state of meditation. Old people can improve their memory by listening to music in this way. Just as listening to music can help babies develop their brains, it can be seen that listening to music can help activate their brain cells and improve their memory.

8. Ensure effective sleep quality.

Insomnia is very common in the elderly, which is also one of the reasons that affect the memory decline of the elderly. Therefore, in order to effectively alleviate the symptoms of memory loss in the elderly, the elderly should improve their sleep quality. Sleep can give the brain time to code memory, and it can also relieve mental stress. The process of sleep can give the brain a rest, and in order to walk longer during the rest, the elderly can ensure enough sleep and give the brain a full rest before they have the energy to remember what they want to remember.

9. Deal with your emotions.

The elderly should try to avoid excessive tension, anxiety or excitement, and prevent bad emotions from causing strong damage to brain cells. At the same time, we should constantly adjust our psychological state, adapt to the changes of physiological, psychological, social status and economic conditions of the elderly to the maximum extent, improve our psychological quality, meet the challenges in our later years with an open mind, and then overcome all kinds of difficulties. Properly handle all kinds of relationships, treat people and things around you with a harmonious, relaxed and happy mood, and prevent the decline of intelligence and memory.

10, chewing more can improve memory.

Science has proved that chewing is one of the effective ways to prevent memory loss. Some people think that chewing can make people relax. If the elderly chew less, their blood hormones are high enough to cause short-term memory loss. If you observe the crowd, you will find that people who chew regularly have good teeth, eat more fragrant, and their learning ability and memory ability will also be enhanced.

1 1, often do three actions to enhance memory.

1, finger.

The action is simple. Finger extension and finger flexion alternate, or left and right hands alternate * * * fingertips, or you can always hold the fitness balls with your hands and let the two fitness balls rotate in your hands. Or mix rice and black beans, and then pick them out separately. Use these movements to exercise your hands and strengthen or maintain your brain memory.

2. Lift your legs.

The memory loss of some elderly people is caused by insufficient blood oxygen. The most common symptoms of hypoxemia are dizziness, lethargy, listlessness and memory loss. When the human body is standing, at least 2000 ml of blood flows to the lower body, and the blood flow in the legs increases by about 600 ml. Regular leg lifting can accelerate the return of these blood to the heart, realize the exchange of oxygen in alveoli through pulmonary circulation, and flow to the tissues and organs of the whole body, greatly improving the oxygen content in the tissues.

Leg lifts are simple. You can lie half or flat on the bed, lift your legs and put them on the back of the bed or above your heart, three times a day, each time 10 minutes. You can also put your legs on a chair or table for a few minutes at ordinary times.

3. Comb your hair with your fingers.

Good blood circulation in the head helps to improve memory and delay brain aging. Carrying a comb with you or combing your hair with your fingers can improve the blood flow of the scalp.

The specific method is to comb your hair from front to back, from top to bottom, and the rhythm is from slow to fast, for five minutes at a time. People with dizziness and post-headache can focus on combing the occipital part of the head to promote blood supply to the brain and relieve discomfort. It is best to comb your hair with natural materials such as horn comb or wooden comb. Plastic combs are prone to static electricity, and long-term use will make hair rough and fluffy.

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