Improving Memory: Lifestyle Changes Sleep And Memory
Research has long indicated that sleep is essential to a well-performing memory. And scientists have long suspected that a lack of sleep is detrimental for reasons beyond the effect it has on a person’s alertness and ability to focus during the day. What hasn’t been clear is what other role sleep actually plays in memory and during what sleep phase essential memory processing occurs. For example, one long-held theory was that dreams are the brain’s way of processing the day’s memories and impressing traces of them on the brain’s neural pathways . And research from the 1960s showed that people who don’t get enough REM sleep experience memory problems when they wake up.
Certainly, additional study is needed to confirm these latest suspicions and to help fill in the many blanks in science’s understanding of the link between sleep and memory. But scientists generally agree that one important way to help your memory work at full power is to get quality sleep on a regular basis. The amount of sleep needed for performing well mentally seems to vary among individuals but typically falls in the range of seven to nine hours each night. You may need to do some experimenting to determine the amount that seems to give you that edge. Then you need to give sleep time the importance in your schedule that other essential bodily functions require.
So here are some drugfree tips to help you get the shut-eye your brain needs:
On the next page, learn about diet and its effect on memory.
How Food Allergies Can Cause Brain Fog
If you have brain fog after eating a certain food, you may be allergic to it.
Heres a list of the top allergenic foods known as The Big 8:;
- dairy
And while the foods in the top 8 list account for 90% of food allergies, its possible to be allergic to almost any food.;
Some people are allergic to just one specific meat, fruit, vegetable, seed, and even spice.
Improving Memory: Lifestyle Changes Exercise And Memory
Research suggests that regular exercise can prevent some of theeffects of age on memory.
Exercise can help you improve just about every aspect of your health, from boosting your cardiovascular fitness to lowering your risk of certain cancers. And now we know that it can also help improve your memory. Studies have found that people who exercise frequently have a distinctive brain-wave pattern, characterized by steep peaks and valleys, that is associated with alertness. These high-exercise folks are better at blocking out distractions and focusing, which means that they are better at paying attention to material that they want to remember and better at retrieving those memories when needed.
Research has also found that aerobic exercise can help maintain short-term general and verbal memory. This type of memory is especially important when you want to recall names, directions, and telephone numbers or match a name with a face.
On the next page, learn about how sleep affects memory.
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Why Alcohol Consumption Guidelines Differ For Men And Women
Youll notice that the alcohol guidelines for men and women;are different.
This is not just because men, on average, are larger.
Due to gender differences in hormones and body composition, women metabolize alcohol more slowly and consequently get drunk on less alcohol.
A;woman absorbs roughly;30% more alcohol into her bloodstream than a man of the same weight who has consumed an equal amount of alcohol.
In addition, magnetic resonance imaging reveals that womens brains are more vulnerable to alcohol-induced damage than mens.;
Foods That Induce Memory Loss
Unfortunately, the foods that hamper memory are common staples in the American diet. White breads, pasta, processed meats and cheeses, all of these have been linked to Alzheimers disease. Some experts have even found that whole grain breads are as bad as white breads because they spike blood sugar, which causes inflammation.
Heres a list of foods linked to increased rates of Alzheimers disease:
- Processed cheeses, including American cheese, mozzarella sticks, Cheez Whiz and Laughing Cow. These foods build up proteins in the body that have been associated with Alzheimers.
- Processed meats, such as bacon, smoked turkey from the deli counter and ham. Smoked meats like these contain nitrosamines, which cause the liver to produce fats that are toxic to the brain.
- Beer. Most beers contain nitrites, which have been linked to Alzheimers.
- White foods, including pasta, cakes, white sugar, white rice and white bread. Consuming these causes a spike in insulin production and sends toxins to the brain.
- Microwave popcorn contains diacetyl, a chemical that may increase amyloid plaques in the brain. Research has linked a buildup of amyloid plaques to Alzheimers disease.
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Getting Help For Memory Blackouts Caused By Alcohol
There is no way to prove that blackouts lead to alcoholism. Or, that all alcoholics experience blackouts. But, if you experience blackouts and consequences ensue because of them, yet you still cannot stop drinking alcohol, the chances are high that you have an addiction to alcohol.
Fortunately, with dedication and commitment, treatment for alcoholism is successful. Not only is treatment successful in eliminating addiction from lifestyles, but it can also give your body time to heal from the imminent symptoms of memory blackouts. If you decide to go to treatment for your alcohol abuse, you will find that you will wake up with a clear head. Youll even be sure of what you have done the night before. You will no longer have to wake up with a blistering headache. Or, have to wonder what horrible things you may have said or done the night before.
Here at Wellness Retreat Recovery Center, we understand that addiction affects each person individually. So, we come up with a specific recovery plan for each individual who walks through our doors. To learn more about the programs that may help you rid your life of addiction, please visit our website to browse our list of services. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please feel free to call. For a confidential conversation with one of our addiction specialists, please call 1-855-762-3797.
How Much Is Too Much
Your body’s response to alcohol depends on many factors. These include your age, gender, overall health, how much you drink, how long you have been drinking and how often you normally drink.
- Those who drink occasionally tend to recover once they are sober. However, while their judgment is impaired, they may make poor decisions with lasting effects, such as driving under the influence.
- Those who drink moderately, one or two drinks per day, can have a higher risk for breast cancer. They may also be prone to increased violence or accidents.
- Heavy or chronic drinking occurs over an extended period of time. For women, this is more than three drinks per day or seven drinks per week. For men, it is more than four drinks per day or 14 drinks per week. For perspective, there are five drinks in a bottle of wine. Heavy or chronic drinking can cause lasting damage.
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Improving Memory: Lifestyle Changes Alcohol And Smoking And Memory
Go easy on the wine to preventmemory loss.
The detrimental health effects that can occur from drinking and smoking, caused by alcohol and tobacco, are now well known. But beyond producing ailments such as cirrhosis of the liver and lung cancer, overindulgence in these common substances can permanently damage your ability to remember everyday life.
What Is The Cause
It is currently unclear as to whether alcohol has a direct toxic effect on the brain cells, or whether the damage is due to lack of thiamine, vitamin B1.Nutritional problems, which often accompany consistent or episodic heavy use of alcohol, are thought to be contributing factors. Key parts of the brain may suffer damage through vitamin deficiencies, particularly marked levels of thiamine deficiency and the direct effect that alcohol has on the absorption and use of thiamine.
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Foodhow To Build The Perfect Cheese Board According To An Expert
Though the mechanisms for cheeses protective role remains unclear, other research has suggested that cheese is associated with lower rates of cognitive decline and better cognitive performance. One theory is that certain bioactive compounds in cheese lower damaging inflammation in the brain.
Dairy foods are also a staple of the DASH diet, which stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. High blood pressure has been linked with memory deficits and other mental impairments, so cheese might play its part by reducing the risk of this condition.
All of this is interesting news, but its important to remember that this study doesnt show cause and effect, so until we know more, we cant say that eating more cheese will help improve your brain power. On the other hand, theres evidence that the way we tend to eat cheese, say, paired with crackers, melted over a burger, or atop a slice of pizza, may flood our bodies with unhealthful substances, like salt and refined grains. Studies suggest that foods with refined grains and saturated fat from red meat promote inflammation that may accelerate cognitive decline.
Preventing An Alcohol Blackout
The easiest way to avoid blacking out is to limit how much you drink. If youre committed to drinking heavily or for long periods of time, then pacing yourself throughout the day or night will prevent your blood alcohol from rising too quickly.
To prevent blackouts you should:
- Drink slowly
- Avoid shots or drinking games
- Eat food before drinking
- Eat more food if youre drinking for a long time
- Stay hydrated with water
- Ask a sober friend to cut you off after a certain number of drinks
A good rule of thumb is to only consume one drink per hour and to have a glass of water for every drink you consume.
Be aware of blackout warning signs. If youre having difficulty concentrating, remembering recent events or keeping track of a conversation, you may be close to getting blackout drunk. If youre in that situation, find someone you trust and find a safe ride home.
If youre worried about how much a friend has had to drink, ask him about something that occurred 10 to 15 minutes ago. If he cant remember, he might be blacked out. The best option is get the friend home safely. If you see warning signs for alcohol poisoning or overdose such as vomiting, difficulty breathing, or cold or blue skin then get emergency medical help immediately.
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Do Women Black Out More Easily
Similar numbers of men and women report blacking out, but men drink much more often and more heavily than women. The logical conclusion is that women are at a greater risk for blacking out than men. Researchers theorize that women may black out more easily because of differences in the ways the bodies of men and women metabolize alcoholic drinks, but more research is needed to be sure.
We do know that women are more likely to experience other effects of alcohol, such as liver cirrhosis, heart damage, nerve damage and other diseases caused by alcohol. Research on brain damage isnt as conclusive.
Alcohol made her lose her job and friendships. Read about Kellys journey and how sobriety helped her find happiness.
A pair of studies one published in Psychological Medicine and the other in Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research found that men and women both experienced brain shrinkage and memory problems after heavy alcohol consumption. The latter study found that women experienced the side effects after drinking only half as much as men.
Ial Vs Complete Blackouts
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism defines two types of blackouts that occur as a result of alcohol.
The first is called a partial blackout, and this can happen with just a relatively small amount of alcohol. You may forget things like the names of people or information that you would ordinarily be able to easily recall.
A complete blackout refers to a time when you forget everything from a period of time. This also means that your judgment and cognition are completely impaired. People may tell you what occurred while you were drinking and even then, you arent able to recall it.
The reason binge drinking has these effects on your short-term memory and creates blackouts is because your blood alcohol level rises too quickly. How much alcohol will lead to a blackout depends on many individual factors, including your weight, whether or not you ate before drinking, and how much you drink, among other factors.
When people blackout, its incredibly dangerous. It puts them at risk of being involved in violence, an accident, or being the victim of an assault.
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Increase The Risk Of Violence And Injuries
This is the last one out on the list of the worst side effects of wine consumption that we would like to reveal in the entire article today
If you get drunk, you may be likely to get into violence and injuries. This is because wine makes you unable to control your emotion and action. Getting drunk can lead drunken guys to fight and be vulnerable to injuries. This is a reason why people who get drunk must not drive.
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Wine, including red wine, contains many wonderful health benefits. But you should drink it in the moderation. It is important for you to be aware of negative side effects of wine consumption. Finally, I would like to introduce the article 25 Interesting Facts About Alcohol Use And Abuse to those who are interested in alcohol and wine. Alcohol is still a controversial topic in terms of laws, health, accidents and age. People consume alcohol in their life; however, not many people know any facts about it. In this article, the author shares 25 interesting unknown facts and the impacts of alcohols on a human. All those facts are proven by science with a lot of exact evidence so that readers should not look down yet watch them out for good!
Related article about alcohol and wine, side effects of abusing these drinks, as well as how to give up drinking them!
Determine The Source Of Your Brain Fog With An Elimination Diet
You may be able to figure out which foods are troublesome for you by keeping a food diary making note of everything you eat and how you feel afterward.
If that doesnt provide the answer, you can largely;rule out food intolerances with an elimination diet.
This involves avoiding a food for two weeks, then reintroducing it gradually and;noting your reactions.
For instructions, you can download the;elimination diet patient handout created by the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.
This includes a chart that you can use as a food diary.
Interestingly, doing an elimination diet usually works better than having food allergy tests done.;
Such tests often dont reveal food sensitivities even though they are much more common than true allergies.
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What Do Experts Say
Recognising that heavy drinking and being dependent on alcohol are going to increase the risk of developing dementia is important, they say.
Prof Tara Spires-Jones, from the Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, said: “It is crystal clear that alcohol abuse is bad for your brain.”
But there is also agreement that more research is needed to work out the role played by the volume of alcohol consumed against how often alcohol is drunk – and how this affects the risk of early-onset dementia.
Most cases of Alzheimer’s disease, the most important cause of dementia, happen after the age of 65 and rise dramatically as people age. Discovering how to prevent those would be particularly useful.
Dr Doug Brown from the Alzheimer’s Society said that “alcohol abuse disorders may be responsible for more cases of early-onset dementia than previously thought”.
But he said the Lancet research did not change the current advice and did not suggest that moderate alcohol intake could cause early-onset dementia.
And there is a warning from Dr Sara Imarisio, head of research at Alzheimer’s Research UK.
“People shouldn’t be under the impression that only drinking to the point of hospitalisation carries a risk.”
She said there were steps everyone could take to improve brain health.
Symptoms Of Memory Blackouts
There are no known symptoms of blackouts, except that the person experiencing them will be showing the same symptoms of overdrinking. Slurred speech, impaired judgment, and impaired coordination may all be a warning sign that someone is experiencing a memory blackout. Many that drink may think that experiencing blackouts are a laughing matter, but, they are not. Studies show that drinking enough to raise the blood alcohol content level high enough to induce memory blackouts can lead to both short and long-term physical, mental, and emotional consequences. Most terrifying, those that experience frequent memory lapses as a result of abusing alcohol may even experience brain shrinkage.
Additionally, those that experience memory blackouts commonly from excessive drinking are more likely to participate in behaviors that could lead to other consequences. Drunk driving, unprotected sexual activity, crime, and violence are to be expected of those that have a blood alcohol content level high enough to induce memory lapse. Also, those that commonly experience memory blackouts from alcohol are at a higher risk of using other drugs and developing other addictions.
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So What’s The Link With Dementia
Research shows that heavy drinking can increase the risk of developing dementia.
Alcohol abuse is toxic to the brain and can damage memory. It has also been shown to accelerate vascular brain damage. In other words, it’s bad for your brain.
The Lancet Public Health has published new research from France on more than one million adults with dementia. Researchers found that being hospitalised with alcohol dependence or a health issue caused by continuous heavy drinking was a strong risk factor for the progressive brain condition, especially in the under-65s.
Their risk of dementia was three times greater than other people’s.
But it’s difficult to know whether it was a direct cause or just one factor among many.
Heavy drinkers are more likely to be smokers, have depression and lead unhealthy lives, which increases the risk of dementia.
