Boost Your Memory

Physical exercise is known to improve your health and wellbeing but as Adele Trathan explains, giving your grey matter a workout can help improve brain power

Your brain may not in fact be a muscle, but it does work in much the same way as those in your body – the harder you work it, the stronger it gets and the better it performs.

Here are four exercises that you can carry out over a four-week period – try them and see if you start noticing the results.

EXERCISE 1: SLEEP TREAT Just as you’re ready to go to sleep, think over what you did that day from the time you got up until you got into bed. Follow your entire day step-by-step, visualising each and every step.

Don’t worry if in the beginning you can’t remember much detail – you’ll probably move rapidly from task to task or think of the day in larger, broader sections. It’s important to really try to slow down and remember as much as you can, and with time and practice, you will soon start to notice significant improvement in your recall of events and details. EXERCISE 2: MAP ATTACK On a piece of paper draw a small square for where you live, and begin to add in roads around you. Gradually build a map of your square mile until you reach the edge of the paper.

This is a great exercise as it promotes an ability to picture an environment, factoring in scale and perspective, and boosting rapid recall of memories attached to places. Compare side-by-side to a real map and see what you included and missed.

EXERCISE 3: NON-DOMINANT HAND Testing the efficiency of tasks with your ‘wrong’ hand is a great way to get brain activity increasing as it aims to focus harder and find solutions to what are, in fact, regular jobs.

Moving your brain out of its comfort zone in this way is a great way to stimulate it, all the while encouraging it to reach out further in the pursuit of other tasks, at other times. EXERCISE 4: SOCIALISING Perhaps the most satisfying task of them all! Experts say the brain is at its most challenged when in a social or party situation, particularly when around strangers. In simple terms, the more we interrelate with others, the better. l

HOW BRAIN EXERCISES HELP YOU:  Improve your memory  Aid your ability to visualise things  Help improve your concentration  Boost perceptiveness at every point throughout the day  Improve powers of observation  Reduce stress  Help us live in the moment  Help you fall asleep faster because your mind is exercised

Your Loved One’s Funeral is in Safe Hands

Safe Hands is an independent, funeral directors covering Sussex which opened its doors in Storrington two and a half years ago. Owner Penny Strachan is pleased to offer families choice whilst being mindful of costs, but still ensuring care without compromise. Situated in The Forge on West Street, Penny has created a warm, welcoming environment, complete with its own service chapel.

Penny wanted to make the premises calm and relaxed, and doesn’t wear a uniform (apart from when conducting a funeral) as she wants people to feel comfortable when they come in. She prides herself on offering a fresh, open and caring approach to funerals.

Penny explained how she became concerned at the increasing (and often hidden) costs to the bereaved. “I’m more about people than profit,” she said. “I want to make a difficult time as easy as possible, and treat everyone with kindness and compassion. Price is important, but the service they are getting is even more so. A funeral has to run smoothly and be a fitting farewell for the individual.

“I’m always happy to sit and chat and take time to listen to your story, your thoughts and wishes, so that we can plan together a truly memorable and fitting funeral. Whether that is a full traditional cremation or burial, a natural burial, a private cremation with no mourners attending or something completely different such as a service in a barn or woodlands or at our chapel here at Safe Hands.

“I try to keep my costs as reasonable as I can, after all, if you have just lost someone you love and care deeply for, the

★★★★★

“We can’t rate Penny and her team highly enough. From start to finish of what was a desperately sad time for our whole family, Safe Hands took care of everything with a wholly professional and deeply personal approach.”

J. Atkinson

last thing you need on top of that is the worry of how you will afford to pay for the funeral. A private cremation costs £1,495 fully inclusive of all fees. But rest assured there will be no compromise on care, with everyone receiving the same level of professionalism, respect and gentle care, regardless of the type of funeral.”

Safe Hands’ Forge chapel can accommodate up to 20 people, it is fully air-conditioned with a TV screen for displaying a slideshow of favourite photographs.

"We have a large choice of coffins, from our standard elm veneered to eco-friendly cardboard, bamboo, seagrass, willow and even woollen! Being able to help people when they are going through a diffcult time in their lives to ensure they have a funeral that is personal and right for them and their loved one.”

Penny is happy to go out to people’s homes to discuss arrangements and is able to offer pre-paid funeral plans through Golden Leaves, a trusted funeral plan provider.

To find out more call 01903 741444 or email: info@shfsltd.co.uk

Not connected to Safe Hands Plans – We are independent family owned Funeral Directors

The Forge, 38 West Street, Storrington, RH20 4EE Tel: 01903 741444