Remembering things the way we used to is always a challenge. Like anything else, maintaining a good memory is only possible if you apply the right techniques and do the proper research. This article contains a number of suggestions on how to improve and maintain your memory for years to come.
A lot of the information we learn is very close to information we already know, so improving your memory can be as simple as playing an association game. Make sure that anything new you’re attempting to learn can tie in with someone you already know, and you will develop smooth transitions between one piece of material and the next.
Retaining knowledge is only hard when you start to doubt yourself, so always be sure that you’re as confident as possible when studying or attempting to learn anything. Doubt creeping in causes you to only recall the doubt. It doesn’t necessarily make you forget, but it certainly doesn’t help you to remember.
Protecting your cells is vital to keeping your brain healthy and active. Eating foods that are rich in antioxidants like blueberries, strawberries, and other fruits and veggies will give you a leg up in taking care of your brain. These antioxidants not only keep your brain working in optimum condition, they also may help slow the aging process.
It is important to get a sufficient amount of sleep if you are trying to improve your memory. Medical studies have shown that getting enough sleep every night can improve both short and long term memory. Your brain cannot absorb new information when your body has not gotten a lot of sleep.
If you find that your memory has deteriorated drastically in a short period of time, it is important that you see your doctor right away. Sudden memory loss could be a sign of a more serious medical condition, such as Dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease, which can effect people of all ages.
Staying active with a strong social circle of friends and family is beneficial to having a good memory. Remaining socially active will keep your spirits up, and help you stay alert. Your brain cells will not get stimulated when you are feeling lonely or depressed. When you have stimulating conversations with your friends, this keeps your mind strong, which leads to better memory.
Knowing what type of learner you are will enable you to reinforce your memory! If you know that you are a visual learner, for example, then keep a small notebook with you at all times to write down the information you need to remember, or if you are an auditory learner, use a small recorder. These small aids will be a big help when you need to call on your memory later!
Avoid cramming. Work in regular study sessions that you have set out on a schedule. Having a set time to study will help your brain remember the facts you present to it. Cramming simply presents your brain with too much information to remember at any one time, and so you will forget much of it.
If you need help retaining a difficult concept or remembering the massive amount of information you studied the night before that big college exam, get up and get moving. The brain, like other parts of our body, requires energy to work, and it gets that energy from oxygen and other nutrients carried through the bloodstream. Spending long, unbroken hours in a chair, pouring over books or staring at a computer screen, causes the blood to congeal and deprives the brain of that needed energy. So get up and go for a brisk walk or a swim, anything to get the blood pumping and moving through your body. It’s a proven fact that the more physically active you are, the smarter you will be too.
Use mnemonic devices to help you remember things. Mnemonic devices are sets of clues that helps by associating things that are usually hard to remember with things that are easier to remember. An example is using an acronym, rhymes, visual images, or even associating a funny story to whatever you want to memorize.
Here is a memory tip! Remember something by categorizing it in your mind. This will make recall much easier! As an example, if you are going to go food shopping; remember meat and that will remind you that you need chicken, beef and pork.
A great way to improve memory and brain elasticity is to read a large variety of books. Read novels from all eras and places as well as histories, self help books, nonfiction books, and anything else you can find. The different types of information you take in give your brain a workout.
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.
Learn how to use mnemonic devices. Mnemonic devices can be the association of a concept with a familiar object or remember acronyms or rhymes. Create your own mnemonic devices: you need to make sure they are meaningful and that you will remember what you associated the information with later on.
If you have trouble remembering things, don’t be afraid to take notes, make lists or use a day planner to keep track of your schedule. These helpful tools can take some of the stress out of trying to remember everything on your own. Once you have lowered your stress levels by writing everything down, you may even find that your memory improves, since too much stress can inhibit memory.
As this article has stated, memory is something that is very difficult to maintain, particularly as we age. However, memory maintenance and improvement is much easier for people who have educated themselves and listened to the proper advice regarding memory. Use this article’s advice and be on your way to a better memory.
