Your memory is something precious. Beyond being something that stores wonderful moments and pieces of your life, your memory is also a necessary part of functioning. You depend on your memory to make sure you remember to do things like pay your bills, or log into your email. And because your memory is so precious on a practical and sentimental level, it’s important that you preserve it as much as possible.

Unfortunately, as we age, our memories can start to decline as our brains get older. The good news is that there are ways to keep your brain young and sharp so that it continues to function well into your retirement years and beyond. To help you, here are some of the best tips for keeping your memory sharp.

Get Plenty of Sleep

Sleep is something that the average person doesn’t get enough of. After all, modern life doesn’t exactly encourage a solid 8 hours of sleep a night. Between rigorous work schedules, and stimulating brain activities like our phones, sometimes it’s hard to turn our minds off at bedtime, leaving us wide awake in bed well into the wee hours of the night.

However, your cognitive function significantly depends on the power of sleep. Every time that you sleep your brain regenerates its cells, making itself that much more capable of storing and accessing information. There are studies that show that adults who get at least 7 hours of sleep a night five days a week are much less prone to memory related issues like Alzheimer’s.

So, try to get yourself into a healthy sleep routine, by going to bed at a reasonable hour, and avoiding stimulants too close to bedtime.

It’s not always possible to fit enough sleep into your schedule, particularly if you’re still working a full time job and have social engagements or family to look over. However, if you can actively try to prioritize sleep, the more that you’ll benefit from it.

Move More

While physical activity may not be the first thing that comes to your mind as a way to keep your memory sharp, the truth is that it is. Physical activity increases blood flow to the brain, improving your overall cognitive function. Doctors recommend getting at least two hours of exercise a week in order to reap the full benefits and preserve a healthy brain.

Eat The Right Nutrients

Your brain is a direct result of what you feed it. So make sure that you’re getting the right kind of nutrients if you hope for your memory to stay sharp. In other words, if you’re eating heavy and greasy foods and you feel foggy or forgetful, chances are it probably has something to do with your nutrition.

Opt for a diet rich in lean proteins, nuts, and of course plenty of whole grains. The more you can do this, the more you’ll find that you efficiently retain information.