5 Life Hacks for Keeping Track of Your Supplements as You Get Older

As you get older, you might start to worry how the risk of memory loss might impact your quality of life. You want to prioritize your health and vitality by eating the right foods and taking all of the right supplements, but depending on how many you have, it can be hard to remember!

The last thing you want to add to your day is another thing you have to do, even if it’s for a good reason. In this article, we’re going to share five life hacks that can help you keep track of your supplements and medicines as you get older.

5 Life Hacks for Remembering Your Supplements

It’s normal to forget things every once in a while, and especially if you are stressed or have a lot going on.

Here are five life hacks to help you stay on top of your supplements without missing a beat.

1. Keep the bottles out where you can see them. If you are a really visual person and seeing something helps increase your chances of remembering it, then find a small bin, basket or even a lazy susan where you can nicely arrange your supplements out on a countertop such as the kitchen or bathroom where you will see them everyday. This way they are never out of sight or mind.
2. Invest in a good pill organizer.This can be really helpful especially if you dislike clutter on your countertops. Getting a good organizer that has slots for multiple times of day such as morning, noon, evening and bedtime can be a good idea if you have to remember to take multiple pills throughout the day. You might also need more space for your supplements so having just one slot for the entire day might not work. There are many options you can search for online or find in health stores. Make it a habit to fill it up on the same day each week to make it easier.
3. Print out your supplement list and dosing to hang on your fridge. This is an incredibly easy and effective way to remember your dosing especially if you have to take quite a bit of supplements each day. It can be hard to remember how many of what kind you need to take so typing or writing it out and hanging it somewhere you will see it (like your fridge) can be a good reminder and eliminate any unneeded stress.
4. Recruit an accountability buddy like a spouse, friend or practitioner. If you struggle with accountability or get down on yourself for frequently forgetting, it can be helpful to have someone in your corner who can help give you that friendly reminder. It’s best if it’s someone who lives with you such as a spouse, parent or sibling but it could be anyone who is willing to regularly check in with you and provide ongoing reminders to take your supplements. Sometimes all you need is a simple nudge.
5. Set reminders on your phone or calendar for when it’s time to take certain supplements.If you are someone who is technologically savvy, you can also rely on your cell phone to help remind you when to take your supplements. You could set up daily alarms or reminders or add tasks to your calendar app to alert you when it’s time to take those pills. The “set it and forget it” method is easy because the phone does all of the work. If you have a printed calendar, mark the day each week that you need to replenish your pill organizer. Establishing this as a routine and seeing it on your wall can be a great reminder.

Bottom line: there’s no shame in forgetting to take your supplements or medications every day. And stressing about it could only add to the burden you might be feeling. We all forget things. If you find yourself forgetting more frequently, try using some of the above strategies to help you stay on track!

Best Cognitive Health Support

There’s a lot that goes into supporting healthy cognitive functioning and reducing the risk of developing more serious conditions like dementia or Alzheimer’s. Some factors includehigh levels of copper¹ in your water, accumulated sleep deprivation, high chronic stress levels, a poor nutrient diet, build up of toxic chemicals like the pesticide glyphosate,low vitamin D levels², lack of regular exercise and certaindrugs that are linked to dementia³ such as Benadryl, Dramamine, and Advil PM.

To learn more, check out our brain support supplements.

Remember that prior to adding supplements to your daily regimen, it’s always best to consult your healthcare practitioner to determine the best way to incorporate these into your existing routine. Nothing in this article is intended as medical advice or diagnosis.

This blog was written by Nicole Cieslak, please click here to learn more about the author.

References:

1. Singh, I., Sagare, A. P., Coma, M., Perlmutter, D., Gelein, R., Bell, R. D., Deane, R. J., Zhong, E., Parisi, M., Ciszewski, J., Kasper, R. T., & Deane, R. (2013). Low levels of copper disrupt brain amyloid-β homeostasis by altering its production and clearance. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 110(36), 14771–14776.https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1302212110
2. Littlejohns, T. J., Henley, W. E., Lang, I. A., Annweiler, C., Beauchet, O., Chaves, P. H., Fried, L., Kestenbaum, B. R., Kuller, L. H., Langa, K. M., Lopez, O. L., Kos, K., Soni, M., & Llewellyn, D. J. (2014). Vitamin D and the risk of dementia and Alzheimer disease. Neurology, 83(10), 920–928.https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000000755
3. Risacher, S. L., McDonald, B. C., Tallman, E. F., West, J. D., Farlow, M. R., Unverzagt, F. W., Gao, S., Boustani, M., Crane, P. K., Petersen, R. C., Jack, C. R., Jr, Jagust, W. J., Aisen, P. S., Weiner, M. W., Saykin, A. J., & Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (2016). Association Between Anticholinergic Medication Use and Cognition, Brain Metabolism, and Brain Atrophy in Cognitively Normal Older Adults. JAMA neurology, 73(6), 721–732.https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaneurol.2016.0580