'Mind Palace Technique,' other tips to prevent memory loss

MANILA, Philippines — Time and again, you’ve found yourself experiencing memory lapses. You have been talking to somebody you’ve known for a long time, but then you suddenly forget their name.

Another instance was when you were singing a song you had been singing since you were young, yet you found yourself struggling with the lyrics at some point. There were also times when you thought you had put your house keys in your bag after driving out of the garage and locking the gate to head for the office, but you realized that you had left your keys at home.

These can be cases of simple forgetfulness, or they can be symptoms of a more serious condition. For one, these could be early signs of Alzheimer’s disease.  

“Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia, which typically affects older people. The Philippines has the 172nd highest death rate of the disease in the world, with 2,010 people dying from it in 2022,” said Donnabelle Chu, MD, from the Department of Neurology of Makati Medical Center (MakatiMed).

Dr. Chu explained that Alzheimer’s disease typically gets worse over time, starting with mild memory loss and gradually declining to the point where those affectd cannot live independently anymore. Certain factors also increase the risk of developing the disease, such as age, family history, genetics, a history of head trauma, and more.

The good news is that you can take steps to reduce your risk of worsening memory loss and developing Alzheimer’s later in life.

Use the 'Mind Palace Technique'.

According to Dr. Chu, this technique used by famed fictional detective Sherlock Holmes should be very helpful.

“With the mind palace technique, you think of an imaginary location within your mind. The palace can be any space you’re familiar with such as your school or neighborhood. You then associate specific pieces of information with different locations or objects within the mental palace,” explained Dr. Chu. “As you move through the palace, you can effortlessly retrieve the information by recalling the corresponding location or object.”

For example, you might picture leaving a loaf of bread on a sofa in your mental palace. As you walk through your mental palace, seeing your sofa reminds you to pick up bread from the grocery.

But that is not all MakatiMed recommends you do to stave off memory loss.

Add aerobic exercises.

These include running, jogging, Zumba, ballroom dancing and biking. It is better if you can include one or two of these to your daily routine. 

Regular aerobic exercises boost blood flow to your brain and increases the hippocampus, which is the part of the brain involved in verbal memory and learning, and these benefits accrue no matter what age you start. 

Get enough sleep. 

This is crucial in strengthening memory. The NREM or non-rapid eye movement sleep cycle stage aids in the transfer of facts and concepts to long-term memory, while the REM or rapid eye movement sleep stage enhances procedural memory and the integration of learned skills. Both stages of sleep play essential roles in memory processing and retention.

Play board and card games.

Time to take out your like chess and checkers boards. These games force your brain to work and exercise your memory while you are having fun.

Even simpler games like 20 questions (where one player asks another to guess the person, place, or thing that they’re thinking of) provide the same benefits.

Read.

Reading books, doing crossword puzzles or word search games, and pursuing interests can also help slow down memory decline, as these are activities that encourage you to pay more attention to information and require you to understand and analyze them quickly.

Socialize.

Social interaction can help prevent Alzheimer’s. By simply listening to information or analyzing cues when communicating, your brain requires you to think and respond, supporting a healthier mind that has the capability to connect with other people. Aside from this, bonding with friends and loved ones can help you de-stress.

 “One does not have to resign oneself to memory loss and equate older age to dementia. With a healthier lifestyle and creative techniques like the Mind Palace, a lot can be done to protect your brain health and stay mentally sharp for as long as possible,” shared Dr. Chu.

She added: “If your memory lapses have become more frequent and are interrupting your daily activities, it is best to consult with a health professional as soon as possible.”

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