As people age, one of the first things they may encounter is the loss of short-term memory. It may be more difficult to remember daily tasks, or to locate your keys. In order to make sure your memory is as sharp as it can be, read the tips in this article.
Make sure that your diet has good sources of Omega-3 fatty acids. Most commonly found in fish, these fatty acids do a superb job of keeping your brain on its toes. Numerous studies have shown a positive benefit to the brain when the diet contains omega-3’s. Try adding pink salmon, walnuts and flax seed, so you can get this essential fat.
Use regular study sessions over a period of time rather than a single cramming session. Studies have shown that if you study material over a course of a few days, you have a better chance of remembering it than if you cram in a single night. So instead of cramming the night before a test, establish a regular study time each night or every other night.
One of the most beneficial things you can do for your memory is exercising. Exercise floods the brain with blood and oxygen which allows your brain to function more effectively. Work on maintaining your body as a whole and your memory will benefit right in step. Exercising is also a good way to avoid getting certain conditions that affect your memory, such as diabetes.
If you are trying to remember a large list of items, try placing them in categories. For instance, if you are headed to the grocery store and have a number of items that you want to get while are there, mentally group them into categories such as meat, dairy, produce and grains. Breaking down big lists into smaller subcategories makes them far easier to remember.
Consuming foods that contain flavonoids has been proven to be an effective way to maintain your memory. This is because flavonoids interact with your body to improve the flow of blood to your brain, create new neurons, and benefit enzymes and proteins related to memory. Some examples of foods that include flavonoids are grapes, tea leaves, and cocoa beans. Incorporate some of these into your diet.
Pay attention when you want to memorize something. Clear your mind completely and focus on the subject and avoid outside distractions such as noises and images. Persons with focusing difficulties should find a silent, remote location to improve focusing and speeding up the memorization process. Use pleasant music to enhance your focusing.
If you are finding your memory is lacking it may be because of a lack of sleep. As such try getting more rest. Scientists believe that when we are asleep it is when our brain sorts through the events of our lives and files them away, like a librarian and a filing cabinet. They also believe this is why we dream.
Improving your memory may be something as simple as going out for a jog or a bike ride. Recent studies have shown that aerobic exercises can actually cause the development of new neurons in the hippocampus of the brain, which is considered to be the memory store center of the brain.
Take care of any chronic health conditions that you have in order to help with improving your memory. When you do not feel well, you can become depressed. A depressed state of mind adversely affects how your brain retains information because your brain will not be able to focus. So, taking care of your physical health is important in improving your memory.
Try to control the amount of stress in your daily life. Stress is one of the worst enemies for your brain. It destroys brain cells over time and hurts its ability to create new memories and retrieve old ones. Meditation is one of the ways that you can use to reduce the amount of stress in your life.
When you are trying to learn something new and you want to remember it, associate with something you already know. For instance, let’s say you are learning a new phone number, remember it by thinking of a similar phone number. You have a better chance of keeping new information this way.
The more healthy, happy relationships you have, the better your memory will be in the future. It has become apparent through scientific study that socializing with friends and family often helps keep the memory functions of the brain running smoothly.
Make a memory tree. The trunk of the tree symbolizes the core or main idea of the matter. Specific details become the limbs branching off the trunk. After this, assign the leaves, or less important details. Visualizing information in this way can help your mind stay organized, and make it easier to recall details.
Organize the information you are trying to memorize. If you structure your information efficiently, you should be able to recreate it later and easily remember the information. Organize your information into categories that make sense to you. Work on memorizing one category at a time.
This is a great tip that can help you retain information. When faced with new information that must be retained, associate it with something that is very familiar to you. By creating a bond between two separate ideas, you are making the most of an already familiar concept.
When you need to memorize something quickly you need to have intense focus. Get rid of all distractions such as outside noises, email and cell phones and find a quiet, peaceful place. Finding an uncluttered place is helpful because you need your mind to help you concentrate and not to focus on the clutter.
Although memory loss is often part of the experience of aging, you don’t have to impede your progress due to a bad memory. By using the tips in this article, like making notes and reminders, you can ensure that you will be able to function as well as you always have.
