Put down that irksome, unsolvable crossword puzzle, and cut yourself some slack for blanking on the final round of Jeopardy.

There may be a simpler way to hone your mind. Try calling a friend. Staying in touch with friends and loved ones could slow the pace at which your memory dwindles with age.

Strong Connections
In a study of 16,638 older adults, people who were married, active in volunteer groups, and in regular contact with friends, family, and neighbors had slower declines in memory than their less social counterparts. In fact, declines in the most socially active types were about half of those in the least social group. (Social interaction can bolster this, too.)

Nurture Your Ties
How do social ties bolster a waning memory? Researchers aren't exactly sure, but it's possible the greater sense of meaning and emotional acceptance that social connections foster may support healthy brain chemistry. Now, check out these other strategies for staying sharp:

• Okay, maybe you like crossword puzzles. That's great, because they really do a mind good. RealAge has one that's updated daily.
• Test your ability to remember digits with this tool.
• Remember names, grocery lists, and to-do lists better with this mnemonic trick.

Check out these six foods the RealAge docs recommend to help keep your mind young.

Effects of social integration on preserving memory function in a nationally representative US elderly population. Ertel, K. A. et al., American Journal of Public Health. 2008 Jul;98(7):1215-1220.