• Online Scheduling | Careers

Merit Health Central
  • Quick Links
    • Find a Doctor
    • Services
      • Services

        • View All Services
        • Behavioral Health
        • Cancer Care
        • Critical Care Medicine
        • Diagnostic Imaging
        • Emergency Services
        • Heart Care
        • Kidney Disorders
        • Laboratory Services
        • Maternity Care
        • Men's Health
        • Neurology
        • Primary Care
        • Rehabilitation Services
        • Respiratory Care
        • Stroke Care
        • Wellness Services
        • Women's Health
          • Patients & Visitors
            • For Patients

              • Patients & Visitors
              • Admissions
              • DAISY Award Nominations
              • Events
              • Financial Information
              • Going Home
              • Health Library
              • Online Scheduling
              • Patient Portal
              • Request Medical Records
                • Careers
                • Locations
                  • Hospitals
                  • Merit Health Medical Group
                  • Merit Health Network
                • About
                  • About

                    • About Us
                    • Careers
                    • Community Benefits
                    • Contact Us
                    • History
                    • Leadership
                    • Mission, Vision & Values
                    • Newsroom
                    • Phone Directory
                    • Quality & Safety
                    • Volunteer Opportunities
                      • mymerithealth.com
                      • Merit Health Network
                        • Merit Health Central
                        • Merit Health Natchez
                        • Merit Health Rankin
                        • Merit Health River Oaks
                        • Merit Health River Region
                        • Merit Health Wesley
                        • Merit Health Woman's Hospital
                      • (601) 376-1000
                      • Online Scheduling
                      • Bill Pay
                      • Events
                      • Contact
                      • analog clock icon
                      • Avg ER Wait:
                        6 Min

                        About ER Wait Times
                      Home/Patients & Visitors/Health Library/Four Brain Boosters to Combat Memory Loss

                      Refine Results

                      About Us
                      eNewsletter Redirect
                      Events
                      Events
                      Find a Doctor
                      Locations
                      Notice of Non-Discrimination
                      Orthopedic Center
                      Patients & Visitors
                      Admissions
                      DAISY Award Nominations
                      Events
                      Financial Information
                      Billing & Insurance
                      Billing & Registration FAQ
                      Eligibility Services
                      Financial Assistance Program
                      Medicare
                      Online Bill Pay
                      Patient Protections Against Surprise Billing
                      Price Information
                      Your Right to a Good Faith Estimate
                      Going Home
                      Health Library
                      Online Scheduling
                      Online Check-In FAQ
                      Patient Portal
                      Patient Portal FAQ
                      Request Medical Records
                      Services
                      • information
                      • news
                      • Avg ER Wait:
                        6 Min

                        About ER Wait Times
                      • Directions

                        Find Our Location
                      • Dr. Allen Sheely Joins Primary Care Team in Madison

                        05.13.2025

                      • Merit Health Celebrates National Hospital Week

                        05.12.2025

                      • See All News & Press Releases
                      • Sign Up For Our E-Newsletter

                        Sign Up For Our E-Newsletter

                        Featuring a monthly dose of information and inspiration for living well.

                        Learn More
                      • Mobile Device

                        Online Scheduling

                        Free, convenient online check-in services.

                        Learn More
                      • Nurse and Patient

                        Patient Portal

                        Access your medical information
                        on demand.

                        Learn More

                      Four Brain Boosters to Combat Memory Loss

                      It can be frustrating to misplace your car keys or forget why you walked into a room. It's no secret that as we age, our brains age, too—making it harder to concentrate and retain new information. What you might not know is that age-related dementia isn't the only culprit. Memory loss can also be brought on by:

                      • Alcohol use
                      • Anxiety, depression and other mental health issues
                      • B vitamin deficiencies
                      • Cancer treatments
                      • Epilepsy
                      • Head trauma or brain infection
                      • Hormone imbalance
                      • Medications like antidepressants
                      • Sleep deprivation
                      • Stroke

                      However, there are four big ways to boost brain health.

                      1. Be social. A 2021 study found that good relationships really can be a lifeline. Older adults with larger social networks and who interacted daily with family and friends retained better cognition over five years than those with smaller networks. In addition, they scored better on memory and cognitive tests.
                      2. Diet. Studies agree that antioxidant-rich foods like berries and chocolate foods increase brain blood flow, oxygen levels and cognitive function. A 2020 study found omega-3 fatty acids in fish like salmon and tuna can also improve mood and boost gray matter—the brain's control center for movement, memory and emotion.
                      3. Get some shut-eye. Scientists have noticed a link between memory and sleep. They theorize that the hippocampus and neocortex replay our days and store those memories during our sleep cycle. However, according to the Sleep Foundation, lack of sleep can lower learning ability by 40%.
                      4. Sensory stimulation. One common theory is that more effective learning takes place during sensory stimulation. A 2021 study in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease found music, light, virtual reality and aromatherapies can reduce the effects of dementia. These therapies also improve memory, cognition, enhance brain plasticity and regulate blood flow.

                      If your memory loss disrupts your daily routine or gets worse, make an appointment to see your doctor.

                      Want More Health Tips?

                      Sign up for our e-newsletter, Live Healthy, to receive a monthly dose of information and inspiration for living well.

                      Back

                      Merit Health Central

                      • 1850 Chadwick Dr
                      • Jackson, MS 39204
                      • P: (601) 376-1000

                      • ADA Accessibility Policy
                      • Terms & Conditions
                      • Privacy Policy
                      • Change Your Privacy Choices
                      • Notice of Privacy Practices
                      • Patient Rights & Responsibilities
                      • Price Transparency

                      Copyright ©2025. All rights reserved.

                      An AllianceHealth Oklahoma® hospital

                      Services

                      • Behavioral Health
                      • Cancer Care
                      • Critical Care Medicine
                      • Diagnostic Imaging
                      • Emergency Services
                      • Heart Care
                      • Kidney Disorders
                      • Laboratory Services
                      • Maternity Care
                      • Men's Health
                      • Neurology
                      • Primary Care
                      • Rehabilitation Services
                      • Respiratory Care
                      • Stroke Care
                      • Wellness Services
                      • Women's Health

                      Patients & Visitors

                      • Admissions
                      • DAISY Award Nominations
                      • Events
                      • Financial Information
                      • Going Home
                      • Health Library
                      • Online Scheduling
                      • Patient Portal
                      • Request Medical Records

                      About Us

                      • Careers
                      • Community Benefits
                      • Contact Us
                      • History
                      • Leadership
                      • Mission, Vision & Values
                      • Newsroom
                      • Phone Directory
                      • Quality & Safety
                      • Volunteer Opportunities

                      Notice of Nondiscrimination
                      • English,
                      • አማርኛ,
                      • العربية,
                      • বাংলা,
                      • ျမန္မာဘာသာ,
                      • tsalagi gawonihisdi,
                      • 繁體中文,
                      • Chahta,
                      • Oroomiffa,
                      • Nederlands,
                      • Français,
                      • Kreyòl Ayisyen,
                      • Deutsch,
                      • ગુજરાતી,
                      • हिंदी,
                      • Hmoob,
                      • Igbo asusu,
                      • Ilokano,
                      • Italiano,
                      • 日本語,
                      • 한국어,
                      • Ɓàsɔ́ɔ̀‑wùɖù‑po‑nyɔ̀,
                      • ພາສາລາວ,
                      • Kajin Ṃajōḷ,
                      • ខ្មែរ,
                      • Diné Bizaad,
                      • नेपाली,
                      • Deitsch,
                      • فارسی,
                      • Polski,
                      • Português,
                      • ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
                      • Română,
                      • Русский,
                      • Gagana fa'a Sāmoa,
                      • Srpsko‑hrvatski,
                      • Español,
                      • ܣܘܼܪܸܬ݂,
                      • Tagalog,
                      • ภาษาไทย,
                      • Türkçe,
                      • Українська,
                      • اُردُو,
                      • Tiếng Việt,
                      • èdè Yorùbá,
                      • עִברִית
                      Loading... Loading...

                      Cookie Consent Policy

                      This site uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance and personalize your experience, support key site functionality, provide website usage metrics, and support marketing efforts. To learn more about what information we collect from you, please click Configure Cookies.

                      Accept All Configure Cookies Privacy Policy