4. Not Drinking Enough Water
Dehydration is a major cause of decreased mental acuity and associated memory loss, especially as you age. Luckily, there’s a pretty simple fix for dehydration, as long as it’s not severe: drink more water. Researchers continue to argue about what, exactly, is the right amount of water to drink, and what drinks count towards your hydration, but the current consensus seems to be something like 6-8 glasses of liquid, preferably calorie-free water, per day for anyone at any age.
5. Not Getting Enough Sleep
We’ve covered the detrimental aspects of insomnia and sleep deprivation before, and memory problems are definitely on the list of things you can avoid by getting a healthy amount of sleep. The concentration and focus issues that arise from too little sleep don’t help, either. This is another area where the experts aren’t totally sure what the optimal amount is, so experiment to see how much sleep leaves you feeling clear-headed and sharp.