Hacks for sharper thinking

When it comes to keeping your brain agile for years to come, some of the most effective techniques are refreshingly unconventional. And exciting new research reveals a few unusual tricks that can help keep you on your toes and boost your memory fast.

- —BY ANN GREEN

Dodge forgetful moments with a pilot's trick

Sometimes worry that you left the oven on or forgot to close a window? A creative “point and name” technique used by aircraft pilots might help. Before leaving the house, point at what you need to check and say it aloud (“Oven off? Check! Window closed? Check! Keys in bag? Check!”). This simple strategy reinforces your actions, linking thought and movement and locking them into your memory. Indeed, research cited by the Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society found that when Japanese workers adopted the technique, they were less forgetful and made fewer errors.

Banish brain fog with a leafy view