How to Improve Working Memory as You Age: 12 Science-Backed Ways to Stay Sharp

As we age, it’s natural for our cognitive abilities to shift. One of the most noticeable areas is in our working memory. Learning how to improve working memory can help you maintain mental sharpness, tackle everyday tasks with confidence, and stay engaged in the activities you enjoy.

Working memory holds and manipulates information so we can carry out complex cognitive tasks. However, its limited capacity means we can only manage a certain amount of information at any given moment. 

The good news is we can adopt various strategies and techniques to enhance our working memory and maintain optimal mental performance as we age.

At Aviv Clinics  our medical team combines evidence-based exercises and personalized cognitive training with targeted therapies to help adults preserve and enhance working memory. With the right approach, you can take proactive steps to support your brain’s performance every day.

Let’s explore effective methods  to improve working memory, boost cognitive abilities, and stay sharp. While we cannot control time and aging, we can control the daily habits and activities we decide to pursue.

What Is Working Memory and Why It Matters as You Age

Working memory is a cognitive system that allows us to temporarily hold and manipulate information while performing mental tasks. It plays a crucial role in various cognitive processes, including: 

• Reasoning
• Problem-solving
• Language comprehension
• Learning
• Decision-making

Think of working memory as the brain’s “workspace,” where information is actively processed and manipulated. This mental “sticky note”  helps your brain hold improtant information in place so that it can link those details to other knowledge. Strengthening this skill can help you stay mentally sharp as you age.

4 Main Components of Working Memory

Working memory has four key components:

1. Central Executive: How the Brain Controls Attention and Memory

The central executive is the control center of working memory. 

Central executive: 

• Allocates attention to different tasks
• Coordinates the interaction between the various components
• Decides how to process and manipulate incoming information
• Plays a critical role in directing attention and managing cognitive resources

Example: You are going for a morning run when your phone rings. You engage in the conversation; the central executive helps you focus on the road ahead more than the conversation. 

2. Phonological Loop: Remembering Words and Sounds

The phonological loop is responsible for processing and temporarily storing auditory and verbal information. It is divided into two subcomponents: 

• The phonological store (where sounds and speech-based information are held for a few seconds) 
• The articulatory rehearsal process (which silently rehearses verbal information to prevent it from decaying).

Example:  Continuously repeating an address or phone number aloud to help you remember the information. 

3. Visuospatial Sketchpad: Managing Visual and Space-Related Information

The visuospatial sketchpad handles visual and spatial information. It allows us to: 

• Mentally visualize objects, scenes, and spatial relationships
• Solve visual and spatial problems, supporting activities like mental imagery and navigation

Example: When you are walking around in the dark, your visuospatial sketchpad pulls up a visual image of your home. This helps you avoid bumping into the table. 

4. Episodic Buffer: Linking Working Memory to Long-Term Memory

The episodic buffer is a relatively new addition to the working memory model. It serves as a temporary storage system that integrates information from different sources, combining visual, auditory, and spatial information. 

The episodic buffer links working memory with long-term memory. This facilitates a cohesive mental representation of events or experiences.

Example: The episodic buffer can also help you associate specific buildings with locations, which helps you remember a route. 

Working Memory and Aging: How Your Brain Changes Over Time

As we age, the brain undergoes structural and functional changes that can affect working memory processes:

• The prefrontal cortex, responsible for working memory, experiences a decline in volume and connectivity.

• Neurotransmitter systems essential for working memory, such as dopamine (a chemical messenger that allows you to feel pleasure, satisfaction, and motivation), may decrease with age.

• Oxidative stress and cellular damage can impair neuronal function (the ability to carry information between brain cells).

• Vascular system shifts can limit the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to brain regions involved in working memory.

Working Memory Exercises for Older Adults: 12 Ways to Boost Cognitive Function

Cognitive exercises specifically designed to target and preserve working memory can be valuable in enhancing your mental performance. 

Here are 12 effective exercises you can try:

• N-Back Training:

  N-Back is a popular working memory exercise where you recall a sequence of stimuli. Start with a 2-back task, where you identify if the current stimulus matches the one presented two steps back in the sequence. As you improve, increase the difficulty to 3-back, 4-back, and so on. N-Back training strengthens working memory and focus.

• Dual N-Back:

  Challenge your memory and attention with this exercise. It combines the N-Back task with a second task, such as tracking visual or auditory patterns while remembering the sequence of stimuli.

• Digit Span Test:

  Improve short-term memory recall by listening to a series of digits and try to repeat them in the correct order. Increase the length of the digit sequence as you improve.

• Letter-Number Sequencing:

  Given a mixed sequence of letters and numbers, repeat the numbers in ascending order and then the letters in alphabetical order. This enhances memory and organization.

• Spatial Memory Games:

  Play memory games that involve remembering the location of objects on a grid or in a scene to boost visual and spatial working memory.

• Card Pairs Game:

  Play a classic card matching game where you need to remember the positions of cards and match pairs.

• Sudoku:

  Solve Sudoku puzzles to exercise your working memory and concentration.

• Chess or Strategy Games:

  Engage in chess or other strategy games that require you to plan ahead and remember previous moves to strengthen cognitive skills.

• Dual Tasking:

  Combine different tasks, such as listening to an audiobook while doing household chores. This exercise challenges your ability to multitask while still retaining important information.

• Recite Backwards:

  Practice manipulating your memory by reciting strings of numbers or letters backward. This exercise requires active manipulation of information in your working memory.

• Memory Palace Technique:

  Practice the memory palace technique, a powerful method to remember information. Also known as the method of loci, the memory palace encourages you to remember lists of items by associating them with specific locations in your mind.

• Verbal Memory Exercises:

  To improve recall and comprehension, read a paragraph or a short passage and then try to recall the key points or details without looking back.

Remember to start with exercises that match your current skill level and gradually increase the difficulty as you progress. Consistency is essential, so incorporate these exercises into your daily or weekly routine. 

Enhancing Working Memory: Cognitive Training and Evidence-Based Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) 

A number of lifestyle interventions are integral to maintaining cognitive function. A healthy diet, quality sleep, and physical and cognitive exercises are all tied to improved brain function. Peer-reviewed, published scientific research shows that a specific hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) protocol can improve memory function. Participants in the study who received the HBOT regimen, which involved fluctuations of oxygen levels within a safe range, exhibited higher memory resilience.

Another study examined the impact of the HBOT protocol on post-stroke patients. HBOT protocol produced statistically significant improvements across all measures of memory in the patients.

Learn about the unique HBOT protocol

Real-Life Memory Success: How Aviv Clinics Helped Clarissa Improve Working Memory

Rodeo roping and penning champion Clarissa Rainey sustained multiple concussions on horseback, then received an additional concussion in a car accident. She experienced memory loss, which made navigating the ins and outs of her career challenging. For example, tracking the numbers on her horses was difficult. As a real estate agent, she struggled to remember house numbers and addresses, which made her frustrated when doing her job.

Fortunately, she was introduced to Aviv Clinics. Learn about her story. 

How to Maintain and Improve Working Memory for Long-Term Brain Health

Aging doesn’t necessarily mean inevitable memory decline. By incorporating working memory exercises, cognitive training, a healthy lifestyle, and evidence-based therapies, you can preserve and strengthen your brain’s performance.  While biological changes can affect working memory, the brain retains plasticity. Proactive measures can be taken to improve and maintain working memory and overall cognitive function. 

At Aviv Clinics, our multidisciplinary clinical team works with clients to develop personalized plans to improve cognitive resilience, including working memory. Learn more about enhancing your performance by contacting Aviv Clinics today.

 

Last Update: November 25, 2025