Memory is a wonderful attribute of being human. It makes us who we are since we use it to retain knowledge about our past experiences. Without it we would not be capable of learning new skills and retaining information necessary to become a productive member of our world. To help deal with the frustrations that come with a declining memory, we have provided some practical and easy tips to follow.
One fun way to improve your memory is by playing games designed to challenge your brain. It’s similar to how you keep muscles in shape by exercising. This brain exercise can improve many mental skills, including attention span, concentration, and of course, memory. Crossword puzzles, scrabble or word searches are just a few examples of fun ways to give your brain and memory a little workout.
It is easier to remember information if you organize the material into related groups, before trying to commit it to memory. Making an outline is another good way to organize the material to be studied. This is similar to how your brain organizes information and will make recall simpler.
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.
Becoming a teacher to retain knowledge as a student is a fantastic way to improve upon your memory. For example: Giving your friends a pop quiz and/or attempting to teach them new material will help you to learn it better yourself. Try this tactic when you need to study and you’ll be surprised at how much you remember.
Organize the information you’re trying to study. Studies have shown that your brain stores similar information in the same spot. So to maximize your studying effort, you want to try and group similar things together when you’re studying. Using an outline to group subjects or sub-topics together can be beneficial in the long run.
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.
In order to improve your memory, you may want to consider taking ginseng. Ginseng will help your brain better absorb information. It’s also positive for your health overall. Green tea is another natural ingredient that has been proven to assist in improving memory loss.
Make your memorization easier by using mnemonic devices. The easiest one is to associate a visual image with the word or name you need to remember. Life like, vivid images linked to hard to memorize or understand concepts can help to speed up the learning process significantly. Think of images from your everyday life to make the process easier and faster.
Try meditating. Meditation can help you against anxiety, depression, and stress. Studies show that regular meditators have much more activity in the the left pre-frontal cortex. This special area of the brain is associated with feelings of joy and equanimity. This also allows the brain to make more connections with brain cells, increasing memory and mental sharpness.
If you have trouble remembering words or names, try repeating them out loud. For instance, if you are introduced to a new person, repeat their name back to them by saying something like “Nice to meet you, Susan.” This simple tip will help to cement the word or name in your mind, so you can easily recall it when you need to.
Eating food that enhances brain function can help you remember what you need to. Your brain benefits from the intake of healthy fats. Stay away from trans fats. Instead, consume fish, walnuts, and oil from flax seeds.
If you are a person who easily forgets things, make a mental checklist before leaving your home. Ask yourself what you usually bring with you and check to make sure that you have it. By doing this, you are reducing the risk of going somewhere without something you may really need.
We all want to have the most accurate memory possible, but as time goes by some of us are affected by memory loss. In addition, Alzheimers disease has become increasingly common, and there does not seem to be an effective treatment at this point. Research has made some advances, but the exact cause is still unknown. Whether you have lost some of your memory as a symptom to an illness or just due to the natural aging process, the above-mentioned tips will help improve or even sharpen it.
