Our relationships with others require us to remember past events and discussions with them. Memory loss is not something you need to live with. Use the following memory tips to improve your brain’s overall ability to easily retrieve information from its recesses.
Simply writing down information that you want to remember is good exercise for your memory. This process increases the flow of blood to the brain, particularly the areas associated with memory, and forces you to use it. If you write detailed lists or keep a diary, you can increase your short-term memory abilities.
Playing brain teasers is an excellent method of improving your memory. It is similar to exercising to keep the muscles in shape. Regular exercise of your brain helps it to become stronger, and will improve your memory, focus and concentration skills. Crossword puzzles, brain teasers, and word searches are all great memory-boosting games.
You should rest each hour for about 5-15 minutes during study or work sessions, so your brain has time to relax. Your brain will not be overstressed, and it will be able to better absorb the information.
If so, allow yourself a brief break, but no longer than 15 minutes, during every hour and use that time to rest your mind. This will then allow your brain to absorb the information better.
If you want to remember information for long periods of time, develop some association strategies, or mnemonic devices, to help you. Shorthand writing is to writers the way mnemonic devices are to memory. You take a bit of information and pair it with an everyday item or word, which creates a correlation that helps you better remember the information.
Mnemonic Devices
A hindrance that most people don’t think about when it comes to improving memory is the necessity to free your mind of clutter, especially thoughts that lead to anxiety. Studies show that people who are stressed or who have negative thoughts suffer more from memory loss than other people. Ask your doctor about what you can do to relieve your stress.
Creating mnemonic devices for improving your memory is an excellent method of retaining information for longer periods of time. Good mnemonic devices work in much the same way that shorthand works for stenographers. You associate a piece of knowledge with a common word or item and thus you have correlated a roadmap to grab that piece of memory.
Anything that exercises memory, such as crossword puzzles or games, can strengthen your ability to remember. There are various memory games that are enjoyable, and that can help better your memory. Along with memory, these games may better your attention and concentration. Do an online search for memory games that can be played for free online.
If you’re trying to study, moving to a new location may make your memory sharper. Changing your surroundings often keeps the mind alert, and improves recall from long-term memory. Your brain becomes radiant when it is exposed to new areas, allowing you to intake new information with ease.
Include fish oil in your diet every day, through supplements if necessary. If you struggle with remembering things, try consuming more Omega-3 fatty acids. Try taking it in a pill.
Staying active with a strong social circle of friends and family is beneficial to having a good memory. You will learn to stay alert, and have positive thoughts. Don’t let yourself get isolated and depressed. Your brain needs stimulation to work properly; depression, sadness and loneliness stop your brain from receiving that stimulation. Engaging in stimulating conversation with others will keep your mind going and memory better.
You should always try to learn more new things. If you do not acquire new knowledge, the memory-storing part of your brain isn’t stimulated. So, if a time comes that you are required to remember new things, you may find that it is much harder to do so.
A good way to seal in memories is to teach others about them. If you find you are forgetting an important memory, tell your story to someone. That way, you reinforce the thoughts and memories in your mind because you are accessing them more often, and they become harder to forget.
To remember something, say it aloud. As soon as you learn something like a name, repeat it out loud. When you say things out loud, you are helping ensure that the information sticks with you. Then, it is easier to remember at a later time. If at all possible, say the name out loud more than once.
Learning new things is an important lifelong activity, not just something you do in school. If you don’t study new ideas, you don’t exercise brain cells that contribute to memory. So, if a time comes that you are required to remember new things, you may find that it is much harder to do so.
Associate new information with familiar facts or objects to help you remember it. If you associate something you already know with something new you are trying to learn, you’re more likely to recall things quickly and store them in your long-term memory.
If there is a time when you have been given information that you do not remember, think of it your way to learn it. People often struggle to remember words or concepts that do not feel like their own.
An excellent method of improving your memory is to listen to some classical music. Music which causes you to relax your mind and body might also help improve your memory. A great time to use this kind of music is during relaxing baths, with scented candles burning on the side.
It helps to always think audibly. For example, when you learn something, such as a number, say it out loud a few times. Repeating things out loud is a good way to remember the information later on. You can say it loudly, when you are alone. If you don’t really care what people think, you can still repeat it in front of others.
The ability to recall things can become strained during times of mental stress. If you are learning something new or trying to recall the location of an object, try to relax first. Don’t become upset and impatient, just give yourself some time to remember what it is that you’re trying to recall.
Restful and regular sleep is essential to a good memory. Tests have shown that getting enough sleep is vital in retaining memories from one day to the next. Concentration is needed to push current events over to long-term memory.
You can help maintain or enhance cognitive abilities by taking a supplement of fish oil every day. The oils found in fish contain Omega 3 acids, an excellent tool for building your memory. Consulting a physician about dosing is important before you begin to use this supplement.
Term Memory
If it is hard for you to remember the names of new people, try to make an association in your mind. You could mentally connect the person with another person who has a similar name or with a word that is similar to the person’s name. Or, you can associate them with someone famous. Connecting the picture in your mind of the new person with a picture of a person with the same name should make it easy for you to recall what to say when you bump into them again.
When you have something that needs memorizing, relate it to a memory that you already have. The information your short term memory processes is more likely to transfer into a long term memory if you associate it with something you are familiar with.
You could improve your memory while you study by setting a consistent schedule as you learn the material through a variety of sessions. Taking breaks and staying consistent helps your mind retain information better. It has been proven that people who utilize this studying technique will more successfully remember the information compared to others who attempt to absorb all of the information in one quick session.
To help improve memory function and brain elasticity, try meditation. Not only is meditation great for improving memory, it is also a great stress reliever and an overall health booster. If you’d like to meditate, all you need to do is go to a quiet, relaxing place, paying attention to nothing but your breathing. Shoot for at least half an hour a day to help your brain stay fit.
Make a memory tree. This is for larger things you are trying to recall; you can retain a lot of information when you do this. Allow limbs – crucial details – to branch off of that. For very specific information, picture these as the the “branches” of the tree. Organizing and visualizing information in your mind like this can be very helpful.
The very idea that you could forget something very important like your anniversary or birthday seems funny until it happens to you. These minor instances may be the beginning of your memory fading away. Use the ideas you read about here and help yourself retain precious memories.
Strengthen your memory by doing regular exercise. The more fit you are, the better you will be able to remember and process facts. Exercising helps your blood flow and oxygenate your brain. This reduces your risks of getting a disorder related to memory loss. Exercise will enable brain chemicals to activate that could protect brain cells.