Keeping That Muscle in Your Head Flexible

Worried about losing your memory? You’re not alone, says Cynthia R. Green, director of the Memory Enhancement Program at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York.

Green, author of “The Memory Workout: Eight Easy Steps to Maximum Memory Fitness” (Bantam, $23.95), uses three guidelines to determine whether someone with memory problems should see a specialist for a full memory work-up:

* Has memory worsened over a period of time, such as the past six months?

* Do memory problems interfere with work performance or cause difficulties at home in managing finances, hobbies or other activities?

* Are family and friends concerned about your memory lapses?

If the answer to all of these questions is yes, Green advises seeing a health professional experienced in assessing memory, such as a neurologist, psychiatrist or psychologist.

Difficulties with memory can be caused by a wide variety of problems, including normal aging and stress. Here are some simple steps to help improve memory:

* Get a good night’s sleep. Evidence suggests that sleep deprivation can impair memory. Studies also point to sleep as an important way for the brain to consolidate what it has learned during the day.

* Exercise. Physical activity helps the brain as well as the body by improving circulation, lowering blood pressure and increasing blood oxygen levels.

* Eat a well-balanced diet. Vitamin B12 is just one of the nutrients necessary for neurological function. Depending on your age and general condition, doctors sometimes advise taking a vitamin supplement to help assure adequate nutritional intake.

* Don’t smoke. Cigarettes lower oxygen levels circulating in the blood and chronic smoking decreases blood flow to the brain. Neither of these effects is good for the brain.

* Go easy on the alcohol. Heavy, chronic drinking can cause significant neurological impairment, but even moderate drinking appears to interfere with working memory. And if working memory is damaged, information can’t be stored in long-term memory.

* Reduce stress. Being too busy can interfere with attentiveness, an important factor in retaining information.

* Keep your mind active. The latest research shows that the brain continues to grow and change throughout life, a feature called plasticity. The more the brain is stretched to do mental activities, the more it stays vital and healthy.