Keep Your Mind Merry and Bright: Avoid common memory pitfalls this holiday season
The holiday season is often rich with opportunities to create new memories! This time of year makes us think of celebratory meals, bright decorations, and a time to “be jolly,” yet often the festive climate of the season can be anything but jovial for our brain health and our memory. Within the merriment of the holidays, the pace of the season can not only distract us from our ability to create new memories, but if we are not careful it can also can be detrimental to our brain health and ability to recall.
As we dust off our holiday décor and prepare our surroundings for the 2020 holiday season, let’s be proactive and prepared for the sake of our minds and our memory. By recognizing and avoiding some common memory pitfalls, along with some unique challenges this year’s holidays may pose, we can make this year as merry and memorable as possible.
Pitfall #1: Saying “yes!” to too much yuletide cheer
The holidays are known for eating, drinking and merriment! While some research supports that one drink (preferably of red wine) each day may be beneficial for brain health, the effects of more than a single serving will produce the opposite effect. Alcohol affects short-term memory in the brain by slowing down how nerves communicate with each other in the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for learning and memory.
Additionally, the effects of a few drinks can make it impossible to maintain our attention, preventing us from creating new memories of our special holiday moments. It’s important to note that the effects can even be more damaging to older adults. The brain not only becomes more sensitive to alcohol with age, it worsens any existing memory loss and can interact poorly with medications. Not to mention an increased risk for falls!
Keep it memorable:
Let’s raise our glasses moderate alcohol consumption and to creating healthy, happy and hydrated memories of the season! Find opportunities to stay hydrated with more water or to sip on green tea, a brain power ingredient.
Pitfall #2: Dimming the mind with too much décor
“The more the merrier” may be true when it comes to parties, but when it comes to your home environment, too much decor can create stress! Clean, uncluttered environments, serve our brains by creating feelings of calm. While the holidays are certainly “not the holidays” without the decorations, keep in mind that less is more when it comes to your brain health and your memory this year.
Keep it memorable:
Set an intention to give your mind space to reflect on your true meaning of the season this year. Choose your favorite decorations to honor your personal meaning of the season, and try to put one non-seasonal item away for every seasonal item you bring out. Wherever possible, reduce clutter and distraction so you can keep your focus on your intention this year.
Pitfall #3: Allowing Stress to steal the moment
While the holidays are ideally a time of peaceful reflection and connection, so often the pressure of gift giving, meal serving, and card writing can blow even the most serene of our intentions up and out the chimney.
It’s so important to note that the holiday season can be one of the most emotionally challenging and stressful times for so many who are grieving loved ones or feeling lonely. This year, social distancing may create even more feelings of isolation during this traditionally “together” time. Stress and feelings of depression dampen memory and cognition in many ways. Cortisol, the hormone released by our adrenal system in response to stress, makes it hard for us to pay attention, and over time, it can damage both short and long-term memory.
Keep it memorable:
Beat stress by keeping up your healthy habits for the holiday season! Exercise, eating well and getting enough sleep are important, and mindfulness exercises are powerful stress reducers as well.
Reaching out and connecting to others during this season is also key. Do you know someone who may be feeling lonely this season? Can you reach out, send a card, or include them in festivities? Are YOU feeling lonely this season? Please reach out to friends, family or neighbors. If you have not already, consider getting help setting up FaceTime or Zoom so that you can connect with friends and family safely and virtually this year. Your senior center, doctors office, or your local church can refer you to services available to help support you with loneliness and depression.
By avoiding some common memory pitfalls, it’s time to keep the season memorable by relaxing into those parts of this time of year that you love the most! I am wishing you a memorable, meaningful, and very merry holiday season!
Want to sharpen your memory, holiday style? Try out these simple and festive daily mind brighteners!