Anyone that has ever lost their keys, forgot what they were supposed to get at the grocery store or arrived at the wrong time for a doctor appointment knows that memory can be tricky. You may always be able to recite all 50 American states, what year your children or siblings were born and what you had for dinner last night, but can you remember how many cars you passed on your drive home? Or how many emails you’ve read in the past week? In this article, we’ll give you a few strategies to improve your memory and help you do just that.
If you have noticed that your memory isn’t what it used to be, maybe you aren’t getting enough sleep. You need to be sleeping seven to eight hours each night in order to improve your memory. During your sleep cycle, your brain processes all new information to create these memories for you so you have them to recall later.
The more difficult the information is, the harder it’s going to be to retain, so you have to break down tough information into smaller tidbits. Breaking the whole down into segments and then reassembling them in your mind not only allows you to retain the memory, but it also creates a road map to allow you to recall the memory.
One method you can use to help you commit things to memory is to use mnemonic devices. A mnemonic device is a simple technique to aid recall of information you are trying to remember. You might develop a rhyme, a joke or a joke to help you remember a piece of information. An example of a common mnemonic is “1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue”. You can utilize this same type of rhyming scheme to help you remember a specific date or term.
Keep your social life active. It is proven that those with an active social life have a better memory. Talk to your friends and family, either in person or over the phone, because it will stimulate your brain. Having an active social life will slow your memory from fading.
If you constantly have trouble remembering certain things, find ways to eliminate the problem once and for all. For instance, if you can never remember where you placed your car keys, put a peg by your front door where you can hang your keys the minute you enter your house. Make a list of the items you most frequently forget and then figure out a simple way to remember each of the items on your list.
The best way to improve your memory is to have healthy habits, such as eating nutritious foods, sleeping plentifully and exercising. Just as athletes need these things, your brain also needs to be cared for in order to perform well. Physical exercise is effective because it increases the oxygen flow to your brain.
When learning new information, try forming a visual image of it in your mind. When your brain is forced to come up with a picture to go along with the information, it has to analyze it more carefully that it otherwise would have. This attention to detail can help cement it in your mind. Not only that, but you can use the mental image that you formed to help you recall the information at a later date.
A great tip that can help you improve your memory is to seek help if you’re suffering from depression. Depression can do a number on your brain. It can make it hard for you to concentrate and remember things. Getting proper treatment can help you improve your memory.
Reduce stress in your life to improve your memory. Unrelieved stress can cause your body to produce so much cortisol that it permanently damages your hippocampus, which is the memory center of the brain. Other stress chemicals can interfere with your ability to store information, concentrate, or recall memories from earlier.
Associate things you want to learn with things you already know in order to facilitate memory. If you associate a short term memory with something you thoroughly know, you will better remember things and even accelerate the process of turning short term to long term memory.
Before you make a commitment to improve your memory, be sure you are all ready to do so and keep an open mind. Some people’s memories will not improve because they are not willing to try certain techniques given to them. Tell yourself that with enough hard work, your memory will work fine in no time!
Now that you have these strategies, try using them every day and see how your memory improves. Chances are you’ll still remember all 50 states and you won’t know the exact number of cars that you passed on your drive home but can you remember what you had for dinner now?
