The Easy Way to Boost Your Memory

Who did you have dinner/breakfast/a nice, chatty phone call with last week? The more people you can list, the more likely you may be to remember the answer to that question. In other words, the better your network, the more airtight your memory is likely to be.

Researchers looked at people whose brains functioned fairly normally, even though the physical signs of Alzheimer's were present. When they also looked at people who weren't so lucky, they saw that having lots of close friends and family -- the kind you can call on for help or to confide in about private matters -- appears to help shore up the brain's ability to keep working even though it's physically injured. This capacity is referred to as "neural reserve." It's somewhat like the extra gas in the tank that doesn't register on the fuel gauge. The details of how friends might bolster it are postulated only -- that means they are really still mysterious. But no matter the mechanism, the joy of friends works for you.

So if you've been wavering on what to do next weekend, it's a good time to plan a social outing. Go out and take a class or a hike, or invite your friends over for game night, all of which also bolster your neural reserves. Not only can it help you remember what you learned in those classes or even win at Clue or Ping-Pong, but a strong social network can also help you live longer -- and happier -- than your loner peers.