A memory is made by linking two or more of the 100 billion nerve cells in your brain, called neurons, then solidifying the connection so you can use it later, said Neal Barnard, an adjunct associate professor of medicine at the George Washington University School of Medicine, in Washington, D.C.

These nine strategies will help you hone your memory today and keep it robust for years to come, Fox News reports.

1. Get More Sleep

 Experts agree that if you do only one thing to improve your memory, getting more sleep should be it.

“Sleep is key time for your brain to solidify the connections between neurons,” Barnard said.

In a study published in the journal Sleep Medicine, researchers asked subjects to perform some memory tasks and then either take a nap or stay awake. The people who napped remembered more of the tasks they had performed than did those who stayed up. Rule of thumb: Get seven to nine hours of sleep total each day.

2. Jog Your Memory

Running or biking or swimming or doing any other type of cardiovascular activity for 20 to 30 minutes three times a week help you remember things better.

3. Have Some Food (and Drink) for Thought

Your brain can’t function properly without essential nutrients and chemical compounds.

“Blueberries are the top source of substances called anthocyanins, which are brain-boosting antioxidants,” said Joy Bauer, a registered dietitian based in New York City.

Bauer also recommends fitting in leafy green vegetables as often as possible.

You might also want to start enjoying a drink with dinner. Research published in The New England Journal of Medicine found that women who had one drink a day were 20 percent less likely than teetotalers or heavier drinkers to experience a decline in their cognitive function.

The researchers believe this may be because moderate alcohol consumption elevates levels of HDL cholesterol (the good kind) and improves the condition of the blood that reaches the brain.

4. Choose Smart Supplements

The gold standard is fish oil, according to Lori Daiello, an assistant professor of neurology at the Alpert Medical School. Fish oil has been associated with lowering the risk of dementia because it contains DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid.

Increasing your consumption of fatty fish, like salmon, helps; or you can take a daily supplement containing at least 180 milligrams of DHA.

5. Get Still

 “Meditation improves your concentration and focus, which benefits memory,” said Dharma Singh Khalsa, the medical director and the president of the Alzheimer’s Research & Prevention Foundation, in Tucson.

6. Do Something Out of the Ordinary

New experiences, such as taking a different route to work, can also improve recall.

7. Check Your Medicine Cabinet

 A number of medications can affect memory, Barnard said, including antihistamines; antidepressants, like Prozac; antianxiety drugs, like Xanax; and sleep aids, like Ambien. Each has its own way of working in the brain.

Don’t stop taking any prescription drug without talking to your doctor, but bring up the subject at your next visit. An alternative medicine or treatment may be available.

8. Get Checked Out

 Two more-serious (but less common) issues could cause memory lapses: gluten sensitivity and thyroid disease.

“If you have an undiagnosed sensitivity to gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye, and you’re eating foods like bread and crackers, your memory could suffer,” said Stefano Guandalini, the medical director of the Celiac Disease Center at the University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital.

9. Challenge Your Head

 Go to a museum once a month, learn words in a new language, watch a documentary on a subject that fascinates you, or—yes—do a crossword or sudoku puzzle.