Dear doctor;

I have discovered that of late I take a longer time to memorise what I read. How can I improve my memory and absorption capability?

Jim 33

Dear Jim,

You have not specified whether there has been increased work load or stress at work or some personal problem bothering you. Normally when one has many things occupying their mind, it takes some time to register something new. The memory also gets somehow affected. Insomnia and even sleeping pills can impair cognitive functions including memory. A young adult can have memory loss due to severe depression causing apathy to everything around.

Excess use of alcohol can blunt intellect as well as memory. Life style factors like obesity, lack of exercise have been confirmed to cause memory loss along with other diseases like hypertension, diabetes, etc. A young adult who develops memory loss due to life style factors is more likely to develop Alzheimmers disease as he grows older. A diet deficient in essential vitamins, particularly vitamin B12 impairs brain activity.

Relying much on technology to remember things also tends to blunt one’s intellect and memory. Overuse of mobile phones is implicated in causing loss of memory.

But one can rectify this problem by embracing healthy life style measures. First and foremost it is important to keep the mind and body relaxed. Try to work in a focused manner. With clear priorities in mind, first finish one task and then start another. If there is something you find difficult to do, take help of colleagues without hesitation. This helps in decongestion of the mind and keeps it clear.

Avoid watching television or using Internet till late in the night. Practice to memorize some topic, telephone numbers or some other information everyday instead of putting it in the computer.

Whenever possible during your free time, on an empty stomach, try to do some deep breathing. Breathing exercises of yoga and meditation are also very useful in this regard. Counting from 1 to 100 forwards or vice versa helps to concentrate and also sharpen memory.

Balanced nutritious diet, avoiding alcohol, along with regular physical activity is very beneficial in helping one to remain healthy and also improves memory.

Dr Rachna Pande is a specialist in internal medicine at Ruhengeri Hospital