Have you ever left a pot on the stove and forgot about it? How about letting the dog outside and forgetting that he’s out there for an entire night? Yeah, it happens to the best of us. Memory lapses are all too common, but luckily there are some ways in which you can strengthen your memory. Check out this article.
To improve your memory, try to focus your attention on something by removing anything that can distract you from the task at hand. When you spend time to focus, the item of focus moves from short-term memory to long-term memory. Distraction adversely affects focus, and that results in poor memory.
Support your memory by eating more fruits and vegetables. Fresh produce is full of antioxidants, substances that have been shown to help prevent damage to your brain cells. Try eating richly colored fruits and vegetables such as broccoli, apricots, bell peppers and blueberries since they tend to have the highest concentrations of antioxidants.
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.
Try to avoid food high in salt and saturated fats, including fast food. It has been scientifically proven that these foods can lead to carotid artery disease, which cuts off the brain’s oxygen supply. Losing oxygen prevents the part of the brain that holds memory from learning and obtaining information.
When trying to commit information into your long-term memory, make sure you are in a location with zero distractions. It takes real attention to move information from short-term to long-term memory, and a distracting environment can make the task nearly impossible. Steer clear of areas where there are televisions, radios, crowds or lots of visual stimuli.
Add a fish oil supplement to your diet to sharpen your memory and concentration. Omega-3, found in fish oil, is a necessary nutrient for memory, yet many of us do not get enough in our regular diet. Adding a supplement can improve overall health while also improving memory and concentration.
When trying to commit a long list of information to memory, it is usually better to arrange the information in chunks or smaller units and categories to help make the information easier to remember. As an example, it is easier to remember a telephone number as three units of three, three, and four numbers rather than a long string of ten numbers. The same tactics work when remembering social security numbers and computer passwords.
When you are stressed out, it can be hard to recall things. If you are learning something new or trying to recall the location of an object, try to relax first. Take your time and allow yourself a while to recall the information. Try not to get anxious or lose patience with yourself.
Establish relationships with old and new information. To keep your memory in top form, keep information relevant in your mind. Your brain will automatically discard most facts it deems useless. It is often necessary to “update” memories. Think on them regularly and determine how they relate or hold up to new information.
Keep your memory sharp by playing brain games often. Crossword puzzles, number games, and trivia are great examples. Brain games keep your memory sharp. They also improve your concentration level and attention span. Use them as a fun way to greatly enhance your cognitive abilities.
A common trend today is something called “brain training” which is the equivalent of exercise for the brain. Give it a try to improve your ability to focus, remember, and solve problems. The three basics of brain training are memory, visualization and reasoning. Do things that practice those three concepts to improve your brain’s functioning.
When trying to commit an item such as study materials to memory, it is best that you focus on these in an environment which is free from distractions such as television or music. Items can only move from the short term memory into the long term memory if you actively pay attention to the topic on hand.
Find someone to work with. If you know someone who needs to remember the same information, take turn explaining it to each other. When you hear someone explain it to you, you will be able to make sure you understood the same thing. When you explain something to someone else, you are rephrasing the content.
One memory tip is learning how to keep yourself from being distracted. Such as walking into a room and forgetting why you went in there in the first place. The best way to do this is to visualize yourself going into the room first and getting what you need and then doing the actual physical movement to the room. The visualization will help your brain recognize a plan already in effect.
Exercise every day. When you engage in physical activity, your body circulates blood to your brain. This can help keep your memory intact. Even if you are not comfortable engaging in vigorous exercise, there are plenty of ways that you can get your blood pumping. Try walking or riding a bike.
A great tip for improving your memory is to make sure that you are devoting all of your attention to what it is that you are trying to take in. This is important because distractions can cause you to not be able to move information from your short term to long-term memory.
Your sense of smell can help your memory. Familiar scents can often bring back previously forgotten memories. This doesn’t have to be accidental. When learning something new, keep a scented marker close at hand. As you work, your brain will associate the information with the scent without you having to do any extra work.
As you can see, you can employ these small tips and end up with big results. The funny thing about losing your memory is that nothing’s actually lost. It’s all still in there. You just have to train your brain to access the memories correctly. You can do that by using the tips you have just read here.
