Retiring is a wonderful thing! What do you envision doing in your retirement? Spend time with your children and grandkids? Travel? Read? Take a course you always wanted to take? Play bridge? Be more social? Garden? Move to a quieter place? Most folks carefully plan and assess their finances to determine when they can retire and what they can afford so they can retire comfortably. But do you also prepare for your memory? Many people don’t think about this until it’s too late. Planning for your memory is just as important as planning for your retirement.

Why You Should Plan For Your Memory

You worked hard all those years so that you can relax and enjoy your ‘golden years’ and do what you enjoy. However, as we age, our memory often starts to fade away. Even if you have enough money to do what you want during your retirement, without your memory, your golden years will be far from golden. You may find yourself in undesirable situations if you have a poor memory. 

Do you want to stay social? As you age, your ability to remember information, like names and other important details about family members or friends, declines. This can make socializing difficult or even embarrassing. You want to stay connected with people who matter most in your life but struggles to recall names or other details can hurt others feelings and make us want to withdraw socially. A Whitehall II study tracked the participants’ cognitive performance 14 years before and 14 years after retirement. The study found that all cognitive domains (verbal memory, abstract reasoning, phonemic verbal fluency, and semantic verbal fluency) declined over time. But their verbal memory, the memory or recall of words and other abstractions involving language, declined 38% faster than other cognitive domains as soon as they retired!  That is concerning! 

Do you want to travel? If you plan to retire and travel the world, but don’t take into account the fact that your memory and health might not be good enough for travel, then retirement could be quite stressful. How will you recall which restaurant you booked reservations with or remember where you put your passport? Your brain volume reduces overall with age, but the frontal lobe and the hippocampus – both responsible for cognitive functions – shrink more than other areas of the brain.

These are just some possible scenarios to consider why preparing your memory for retirement is essential. Optimal cognitive functioning plays an integral part in healthy aging and independent living.

Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late

Did you know that 10% of Americans ages 65 and older have dementia? That number increases to 33-50% of those ages 85 and older. These numbers are much higher for those experiencing the early stages of memory loss since it is a precursor to severe memory issues involved in dementia and Alzheimer’s. 

It’s crucial to start making changes now to help keep your brain healthy throughout your lifetime as early as possible. If you’re experiencing mild memory loss, now is the time to reflect on your lifestyle choices and do something about it. You can keep your mind sharp as long as you’re willing to put in the work. A study found that early retirement increased the risk of Alzheimer’s. Those who retired early showed signs of cognitive decline because their brains were not as stimulated as when they were working. On the other hand, those who retired at an older age exhibited better cognitive performance. This is in connection with the adage “use it or lose it,” showing the importance of being cognitively active in preserving your brain health. You can retire early as long as you keep your mind engaged.

Ways To Prepare Your Memory For Retirement

We want you to envision a wonderful retirement where you live out your dreams.  And we want you to have the best experiences during those senior years. Making your brain health a priority and preparing your memory is critical for living out your retirement dreams. There are many ways to help protect your memory as you age.

Exercise regularly. While you may think of exercise as a way to stay physically fit, it also significantly impacts brain health and memory. Doing physical activities improves blood flow throughout the body and the brain. This helps your neurons get the nutrients they need to function properly, which can help prevent cognitive decline and other severe memory loss conditions like Alzheimer’s.

Manage stress levels. Chronic stress can lead to cognitive decline. You can alleviate stress by practicing mindfulness, doing physical activities, meditation, breathing exercises, and starting a hobby. If you manage your stress levels well, you’ll be able to keep your mind focused and remember the things that matter most.

Eat right. A balanced diet can help keep your brain healthy by providing essential nutrients that support proper brain function while also helping reduce inflammation that can lead to cognitive decline or other health issues. And don’t forget about fish! Omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon are known to improve mood but also play an important role in preventing cognitive decline later in life when eaten regularly.

Create an environment that encourages recall and retention. This means making sure your living space has lots of visual cues (like pictures on the wall or mementos from vacations) so that when you look around, things trigger memories.

Stay socially active. The stimulation of attention and memory during social interactions strengthens neural networks. A boost in mental activity enhances your cognitive function. Socializing and building social networks are like brain exercises that keep the mind active. It can help you cope with life’s pressures by reducing stress and anxiety. When you have a good support network, you will feel a sense of belongingness, security, and safety, which in turn reduces loneliness and helps you cope with stress. 

Get enough quality sleep. Sleep helps your brain consolidate information from the day so that you can recall it later on. Studies have found that the brains of people who don’t get enough sleep shrink over time. Your brain is recharging and repairing while you sleep, so if you don’t get enough restful sleep, your brain can’t perform these functions as well as it should! Make sure to get at least 7-8 hours of restful sleep each night.

Stay mentally engaged. Challenge yourself with new experiences and learn new things. One way to do this is by reading books or taking classes or workshops on topics that interest you. If you find yourself bored with something, don’t give up—try something new! Another way to keep your mind engaged is by playing puzzles or brain games like crossword or sudoku.

Stay active in the community. Join a book club with friends or neighbors, volunteer at a local church or charity organization, and join a support group like our Maximize Your Memory Support Group. When you stay active in the community, you also help keep your memory active by constantly stimulating your brain.

Keep a journal. It gives you a place to write down everything you’ve learned and things that have happened in your life since your last entry. This will help you remember things better, leading to better retention. 

Take a brain supplement. An essential part of any memory health regimen is having the right, powerful memory supplement. Vivolor Memory Support provides 5-20 times more supplementation than any other brand. Each ingredient was selected because of its powerful effects on inflammation, oxidation, blood sugar, and lipids. Each ingredient has evidence that it effectively improves cognition, memory, attention, processing speed, and focus.

Other Helpful Resources

If you don’t take the time to consider all the factors that go into planning for your retirement, there’s a good chance you’ll have regrets down the road. Start with knowing what options are out there for you and what they mean for your future. Part of retirement also involves understanding your Social Security benefits. Most Americans are aware of Social Security and the fact that the US government makes payments to those who have retired based on the amount of money that person paid to social security during their working career and many other factors. But have you heard of OASDI? It stands for Old Age Survivor and Disability Insurance. You can learn more about this at https://learn.financestrategists.com/finance-terms/social-security/benefits-for-survivors-and-dependents/.

We love to help our audience in any way we can, and it is worth knowing that surviving spouses and dependents can sometimes collect these Social Security benefits. 

Key Takeaway

You may eventually retire, but your memory doesn’t have to! We encourage you to work towards good financial AND brain health to enjoy the freedom of retirement and have the future you’ve envisioned.