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HOW MEMORY AFFECTS YOUR MOOD HOW MUCH DO YOU REMEMBER? The human brain has 10 times the capacity for memory that neuroscientists previously thought. The potential is in the petabyte range—as much as the entire Web! MEMORIES AND FEELINGS Well-being Depends on Sense of Self Well-being does not depend on how good your memory is, or even what you can remember. Rather, according to research, it depends on how you perceive your sense of self in the present moment. Remember the Good, Forget the Bad Being happier may be as simple as focusing on the good in your past and downplaying the negatives. Memory and Happiness One study showed that people with self-reported memory problems had a lower level of psychological well‑being. Identity Matters For people with dementia, loss of memory decreases sense of well‑being mainly because it is associated with a loss of their identity. [box] Hormones May Not Help Oxytocin, the hormone that fosters feelings of love and bonding, can also promote painful feelings. Research shows that it strengthens social memories—including being snubbed or bullied. HOW TO ENHANCE POSITIVE MEMORIES Reduce the Sting We often dwell on unpleasant emotions we experienced during past events. Researchers say that to lessen the sting of the memory, focus instead on context surrounding the event, such as: • A friend who supported you • The weather that day • Something beautiful you saw that day, such as a building or some flowers. [box]: Learn to Savor Savoring a memory can lead to happiness. Try this: Remember a good experience. For example, a beautiful hike you experienced, or a happy memory with a loved one. Try to recall what you saw, smelled, and felt at the time. What details do you recall? Notice what it brings up for you—joy, serenity, energy? Tune in to one of these feelings and linger on how good it feels. HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR MEMORY Pump it Up To improve your memory, put down the crossword puzzle and pick up the barbells. Research showed that resistance training improved memory performance (and well‑being) in elderly people, even a year after an 8-week training. Enlist Mother Nature Want to improve your memory? Brings plants to your workplace or do your workout in nature. Being around indoor plants helps people concentrate, while being in nature improves memory and attention span by 20 percent, according to one study. Music Helps Memory People with dementia showed a boost in memory and mood when they listened to music or sang. More Money, Fewer Problems When poor, elderly residents of developing countries got an increase in income, their memories improved, along with their general health. Practice Self-Care The more people practice healthy lifestyle practices such as healthy eating, not smoking, and exercising regularly, the fewer complaints they have about their memory, no matter their age. Rest and Recharge Moments of rest and self-reflection are critical to our emotional well‑being, and to our ability to learn and remember things. You Can Change More Than One Thing at a Time Research shows that we are capable of making several changes—reading more, focusing better, and getting more exercise, say—at once. So don’t feel like you have to limit yourself to one thing at a time! WHAT DOESN'T HELP Did that Happen? Mindfulness meditation has many health benefits, but could be a possible drawback when it comes to memory. Research shows that following meditation, people are less able to differentiate a true memory from an imagined one. Keep Extra Weight Off Overweight young adults are less able to recall specific events, according to research. Treat Depression Research shows that depressive thoughts have a negative effect on our memory capacity. Stay Even-Keeled On the other hand, being in a good mood also seems to cut down on working memory storage capacity, which explains why you may be less likely to remember the name of someone you met at a fun party. Further research is needed to determine why this is. [QUOTE] Man’s memory shapes its own Eden within. —Jorge Luis Borges SOURCES Aguila, E. et al (2014) Effects of income supplementation on health of the poor elderly: The case of Mexico. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Bartol, T. et al. (2015) Nanoconnectomic upper bound on the variability of synaptic plasticity. eLife. Bazargen, M. et al (1997) Self-Reported Memory Function and Psychological Well-Being Among Elderly African American Persons. The Journal of Black Psychology. Cheke, L. et al. (2016) Higher body mass index is associated with episodic memory deficits in young adults. The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology. Denkova, E. et al. (2014) Neural correlates of 'distracting' from emotion during autobiographical recollection. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience. Doxey, J. et al (2009) The Impact of Interior Plants in University Classrooms on Student Course Performance and on Student Perceptions of the Course and Instructor. HortScience. Guzmán, Y. et al. (2013).Fear-enhancing effects of septal oxytocin receptors. Nature Neuroscience. Howell, R. et al. (2011) Seeking happiness? Remember the good times, forget the regrets. Personality and Individual Differences. Hubbard, N. et al. ( 2015) Depressive thoughts limit working memory capacity in dysphoria. Cognition and Emotion. Immordino-Yang, M. et al. (2012) Rest Is Not Idleness: Implications of the Brain’s Default Mode for Human Development and Education. Perspectives on Psychological Science. Jetten, J. et al. (2010) Declining autobiographical memory and the loss of identity: Effects on well‑being. Journal Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology. Martin, E. et al. (2011) The influence of positive mood on different aspects of cognitive control. Cognition & Emotion. Mrazek, M. et al. (2016) Pushing the Limits: Cognitive, Affective, and Neural Plasticity Revealed by an Intensive Multifaceted Intervention. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. Niemiec, R. (2016) Being Positive: It’s Not Mindfulness, It’s Savoring. Psychologytoday.com. Paddock, C. (2015) Singing and music benefit memory, emotional well‑being in dementia. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. Perrig-Chiello, P. et al. (1998) The effects of resistance training on well‑being and memory in elderly volunteers. Age and Aging. Rathbone, C. et al. (2015) Autobiographical memory and well‑being in aging: The central role of semantic self-images. Consciousness and Cognition. Small, G. et al. (2013) Healthy behavior and memory self-reports in young, middle-aged, and older adults. International Psychogeriatrics. Wilson, B.M. et al. ( 2015) Increased False-Memory Susceptibility After Mindfulness Meditation.Psychological Science.

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