Forgot to return a phone call? Asking yourself why you went into a room? Follow this hour-by-hour plan

 

7:30 AM Toss a handful of blueberries (available at Hypercity outlets) into your cereal or in a bowl of yoghurt for breakfast. They are rich in flavonoids, which increase blood flow to the brain and can increase concentration power by 20 per cent over the day, scientists at the University of Reading found. Drink a glass of apple juice (fresh is always better than Tetra-pack because you skip the added sugar). It helps protect the brain from the effects of oxidative stress cell damage that contributes to memory loss, say researchers.
8:30 AM Do a puzzle on your way to and from work. Turn to Mirror's Chai Time (page 36) for challenging brainteasers. Small mental exercises done twice a day could help delay memory loss. 

10:00 AM Can't think of the name of that place you were telling a friend about, but it's on the tip of your tongue? Don't chase it. Instead, say aloud what you think it might be. It begins with an S or It's something to do with fire.
12:00 NOON If you struggle to remember your ATM PIN, choose a number you can visualise. For instance, 1379 becomes a Z shape on the keypad. Or try the number shape system devised by memory champion Dominic O'Brien. He translates numbers into images that resemble their shape, so 1 could be a candle and 8 a snowman. To remember a PIN of 1580, e.g. he says imagine walking into a bank carrying a candle, standing in a queue behind a snake, and seeing a snowman bouncing a football behind the counter.
13:00 PM Don't eat a heavy lunch it'll make you feel less alert in the afternoon. Research suggests food rich in B vitamins, such as chicken, potatoes and bananas, can improve your memory. 

14:00 PM Doodle. In memory tests, doodlers performed 29 per cent better than non-doodlers did when they were asked to recall certain names and places, according to researchers at Plymouth University.
14:30 PM Mid-afternoon slump? Keep sugar-free gum at your desk or handbag. Chewing gets oxygen flowing to the brain and can aid concentration.
15:00 PM Have green tea for your afternoon break: Chinese research suggests it could improve your memory, delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease and fight heart disease. It's also thought that the key ingredient is an antioxidant, which is called EGCG (epigallocatechin-3 gallate). 

17:30 PM Make time for daily exercise whether it's a short brisk walk or a gym session. Memory can be boosted by aerobic exercise as a person gets older, and dancing counts too. Studies show that older people who dance perform better at complicated cognitive tasks.
18:00 PM Need a few things from the market? You can't beat a shopping list for remembering things. But test your memory by trying to remember a virtual shopping list of five different items using images as triggers (the sun for oranges etc). Next time lengthen the list to eight items, then 10 and so on. 

18:30 PM When you get back from work or a day out, tell yourself out loud where you're putting essential items. For instance, My glasses are on the hall table. With some practise, it can become habitual to leave the item in that place.
19:00 PM Have mackerel (bangda), salmon (rawas) or sardines for dinner. Oily fish contains omega-3 and omega-6 fats, which play a critical part in the structure and function of the brain and have a powerful effect on mood, concentration and memory.
19:30 PM Can't remember why you went into the bedroom? Try visualising what it is you want or need before you walk in. 

21:00 PM If you meet new people at a party, make an effort to listen when you are introduced: take a good look at the person, repeat their name to yourself several times, then use it in conversation. For instance, So, Aditya, how do you know the host?
21:30 PM Turn off the TV. Couch potatoes watching television for seven hours a day have twice the memory problems of those watching less frequently, according to American research.
22:30 PM Get enough sleep. Disturbed sleep delays storage of memories and makes us forget sooner.
Daily Mirror