Isn’t it frustrating to walk into a room and wonder what you were going to do there? Or maybe you just can’t think of the name of that guy who you had lunch with only yesterday. He’s a good friend. You’ve know him a long time! Usually if you just relax your mind for a few minutes it will come to you. But what if it doesn’t? Are you in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease?

Although there are nearly 5 million people in the United States living with Alzheimer’s disease today, chances are that what you are experiencing is a completely normal memory lapse. Actually, it’s a good sign that you are worrying about your memory, because people with the disease can’t really put their finger on what the problem is. They try to hide their confusion and often experience changes in their behavior and personality as well as their memory.

Occasionally forgetting appointments, sometimes having trouble finding the right word, or losing one’s keys is often cause for frustration, especially if it seems to be happening more and more frequently. Luckily, there are thing that you can do to help relieve these annoying lapses in memory.

Make sure that you get a good night of sleep on a regular basis. Lack of sleep affects retention of memory because concentration is more difficult when you’re tired. A well rested brain can retain as much as 10% more information than a sleep deprived brain.

Learn something new. Read a book, listen to a book on tape, do a crossword puzzle or sudoku on a daily basis. The human brain is able to continually adapt and rewire itself. Even in old age, it can grow new neurons. Most age-related losses in memory result from inactivity and a lack of mental exercise and stimulation.

A good diet is very important to keeping your memory and your body healthy. A well balanced diet which includes plenty of protein can make sure that we are continually producing new brain cells. Foods such as eggs, beef liver, and peanut butter are rich in Choline, which can actually increase the membrane content of our brain.