How To Boost Your Memory and Reduce the Risk of Dementia in Just 10 Minutes a Day
Experts say it's the small daily habits that really add up
Key Takeaways
- Just 10 minutes of very light exercise may give your memory a quick boost.
- Learning something new helps your brain practice forming and retrieving memories.
- Socializing and playing games can exercise your brain in just a few minutes every day.
Whether you’re blanking on the name of the character in your favorite Ann Patchett book or struggling to remember the name of your granddaughter’s math teacher, some amount of memory decline with age is normal. But the good news is that you can help sharpen your thinking—and research shows it could take as little as 10 minutes. Below, we take a look at how to boost your memory fast, plus help reduce your risk of dementia in the long term.
Why being intentional about improving your memory matters
We exercise to take care of our muscles and eat a nutritious diet to support our metabolism, but how do we support our brains? If you hesitated in answering that question, you probably approach brain health the same way many of us do: simply hoping your brain will be fine. But Michelle Seguin, MD, physician at Root Functional Medicine, says protecting our cognitive function must begin long before we notice a change in memory. And even when it comes to conditions involving cognitive decline, like dementia, our actions play a major role in safeguarding long-term memories.
“The 2024 Lancet Commission identified 14 potentially modifiable risk factors for dementia, including high blood pressure, elevated LDL cholesterol, physical inactivity, diabetes, hearing loss, depression, smoking and social isolation,” says Dr. Seguin. These factors account for 45 percent of global dementia cases, adds Dr. Seguin.
“To me, that’s a really encouraging message,” continues Dr. Seguin. “We can’t control everything about how our brains age, but there are many things we can influence. Many of the things that support brain health are wonderfully ordinary: move your body, eat a nourishing diet, get enough sleep, stay socially connected and keep learning.”
Mia Kazanjian, MD, a board-certified radiologist specializing in breast and body imaging, adds that supporting your brain health doesn’t have to be time-consuming or complicated. It just has to work for you.
“Quick habits add up,” explains Dr. Kazanjian. “Consistent daily efforts outperform single events. It’s all the little things, the puzzle pieces, that add up to make a big picture.”
How to boost your memory in minutes
Improving your cognitive function—both now and in the long term—is easier than you think. Try these expert-backed tricks:
Move for 10 minutes
We get it, an intense workout isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. But the good news is that this 10-minute hack may not even feel like exercise at all. A study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) found that participants who did just 10 minutes of “very light” exercise on a recumbent stationary bike (a bike with reclined seating) were better able to tell the difference between two very similar objects, suggesting sharper memory. Brain scans also showed increased activity in the hippocampus, a region of the brain critical for memory, suggesting improved memory function. And if cycling isn’t quite your thing, the researchers emphasized that the activity level was so light it was comparable to slow walking or even tai chi. The most important thing? Simply moving your body.
Learn something new
Dr. Seguin recommends spending just 10 minutes a day, or more if you feel up for it, learning something new or trying something outside of your comfort zone, such as practicing a new language, knitting or playing an instrument.
“Learning requires attention and active recall, giving your brain a chance to practice forming and retrieving new memories,” explains Dr. Seguin. “Lifelong learning and cognitive stimulation may help build cognitive reserve, which can make the brain more resilient as we age.”
Connect with others
Have a few minutes to spare? Even just a 5- or 10-minute call or text session with a friend could help boost your memory. What matters most is that you have social connections, even if it’s just a few minutes several times a week. “Conversation asks your brain to listen, remember, respond, interpret emotions and shift between topics,” says Dr. Seguin. “It’s a surprisingly complex cognitive workout. Social isolation is one of the modifiable risk factors for dementia identified by the Lancet Commission.”
“This also creates a network of support emotionally and physically in the event of a stressor,” adds Dr. Kazanjian. “Good friends and family generally reduce stress.”
Play a game
Yes, you read that right. One of your favorite pastimes as a child can support your brain health as an adult. Dr. Seguin says the key is picking a game that requires you to remember, problem-solve or plan, such as puzzles, chess or a crossword. “Games that require attention, working memory and strategy give your brain an immediate mental workout,” says Dr. Seguin. “Even better, play with another person.”
If you can spend 10 minutes a day playing a game, great. But Dr. Seguin says even just 15 minutes a couple times a week can make a real difference in boosting your memory over time.
The bottom line on how to boost your memory
Healthy aging requires intention, and our brains are no exception. While we can’t prevent all of the age-related memory changes we may experience in life, we can spend just a few minutes supporting the organ that does so much for us.
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