HOW TO remember things better

The science of why we lose stuff and forget stuff- and simple ways to boost your brainpower.

- LISA BAIN

OH, HOW familiar it is:

YOU PUT YOUR PHONE DOWN, AND A FEW MINUTES LATER you're looking for it everywhere...in the kitchen, in your purse, on the floor Did I leave it in the car? Or you run into a neighbor and while you chat about their dog's cuteness, you're frantically searching your brain for their name. Or you head to the store to pick up just five simple items and wander the aisles trying to remember three of them.

When this happens, you might wonder whether it's the start of a brain decline that's going to cascade into dementia or Alzheimer's disease. The reassuring news is that there are many reasons-everyday, non-scary reasons why we forget things. And there are tips and tricks, as well as solid lifestyle changes, that can help you bolster your brainpower and strengthen your memory overall.

First: how memory WORK

Here's a clear explanation Genova, a neuroscientist from Lisa and the best-selling author who wrote Remember: The Science of Memory and the Art of Forgetting. "Our senses are exposed to a lot of information, emotions, and language over the course of a day," she says. "But the brain is not a video camera, recording everything. To make a memory, your brain takes in what you perceive and pay attention to, and it translates that into neurological language. Your brain weaves all that into a single pattern of associated connections, which is then stabilized as a neural circuit.