Stress and Your Memory

Feeling stressed out? Having trouble remembering things like names, dates, appointments, assignments, etc.? You've probably heard me say that stress can cause everything from a hang nail to cancer and I do believe that's true. And one of the main symptoms of stress is memory problems. I talk to people every day who think they must be in the early stages of Alzheimer's because they forget names, faces, places, their keys, their sunglasses, etc. There are some fun and easy memory games that you can play either alone or with a friend or spouse. For example, think of 20 words that begin with K within 30 seconds or think of 10 words and find their opposites within 60 seconds. You can help sharpen your brain by making up other games too! It may now sound that amazing but testing has shown over the past several decades that this sort of thing can not only sharpen your memory, but also destresses you by taking your mind off your problems for a few minutes. Give it a try!