Practically anyone can think of a time when their mind simply went blank, right in the middle of an intriguing thought or important sentence, often at the most inopportune time possible. With these tips and tricks to help improve your memory, you can get a head start on making sure that such an embarrassment never happens again.
Use mnemonic devices to help you remember information. The best mnemonics use humor and positive imagery to help you recall facts, so come up with a song, joke, poem or rhyme to help you memorize important segments of information. The simpler the mnemonic, the easier it will be to remember.
Stop telling yourself you have a weak memory. When you say these things you begin to plant the thought in your mind and it becomes a reality. Remind yourself constantly that you have a great memory and you can remember anything as long as you put your mind to the task. You will see an improvement in your recall ability.
Focus on anything or anyone you really want to remember. Sometimes you may think that you are listening, while your mind is wandering and letting important information slip through. Clear your thoughts and focus intently on what you’re being told or shown. Think hard about your subject and burn the information into your memory.
Just as you need to keep your muscles fit through exercise, so do you have to keep your mind sharp through constant use. Studies have shown that solving puzzles can help stave off senility.
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.
Exercise regularly as it can improve your memory functions and health. Physical exercises improve your physical look and they also increase the oxygen flow to the brain. A physically well kept body is less prone to catch memory loss causing illnesses and increases the useful brain chemicals’ presence in the blood.
To improve your memory for the item you are studying, make sure it has the full focus of your attention. Memory works by taking important items from the present and storing them for recall later. If you aren’t focused on what you’re trying to learn, your brain won’t deem those facts important and won’t store them.
Pay attention to your surroundings and live in the moment. The more attention you pay to what’s going on around you, the more likely you are to remember it later. You won’t be able to remember things that you never experienced. Try not to dwell on the past or future while creating new memories.
One tip for helping to remember things is to associate words and phrases with images. For example, let’s say you have to do something at three o’clock. It’s difficult to remember just three, but if you associate the memory with the three little pigs, you’re more likely to remember what time it was that you had something to do.
Eating foods rich in protein will actually help your memory as well as provide good fuel for your body! Foods like fish that have large amounts of protein are high in amino acids which aid your body in the production of neurotransmitters and these neurotransmitters are invaluable to brain performance so eat well to remember better!
A good tip if you’re struggling from memory loss is to consult with your doctor. If your memory loss is only getting worse, you need to see your doctor right away so they can run some tests on you. You shouldn’t feel embarrassed to ask for professional help.
Try exercise to improve your brain function. Some studies have shown that aerobic exercise can actually help you to grow brand new brain cells. These cells are grown in the brain’s hippocampus. Aerobic exercise can be as simple as going for a run. If you prefer a Zumba class that works too.
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. When you link the new name with familiar knowledge, it will help you remember the new name when you encounter your new friend again.
A way to improve brain function and memory is to mix things up in your daily routine. Humans get attached to routines and hobbies and doing the same thing repeatedly, but the more something is ingrained in us, the less effort it takes the brain to carry out. Try little new things like going to the store a different way or opening all doors with the wrong hand to keep your brain on its toes.
A key component to memory is to give yourself less to memorize. Instead of having to remember where you put your keys, always put your keys in the same place so that you only have to memorize where you always put your keys, instead of where you put them this one time. This same principle applies to memorizing many things.
When trying to memorize a large bit of information or a number which is long, you can retain the information by learning it in chunks. Take the information and group it into small segments that you are able to easily retain. When you have the small segments memorized, add the groups together two at a time until you have remembered it all.
Much like any new skill, improving your memory will take time and practice. Look for different ways to try out these suggestions and advice in your everyday life, whether you choose to practice them at work, home, or during a study session in school. An enhanced memory is a highly useful skill that you are sure to use over and over again.
