Having a strong memory is an important piece of being successful in your life, in school, and at your job. It improves your ability to learn new information, can advance your career and enable you to generate more income. All you need to improve your memory is the willingness to study memory strategies and apply a few basic lifestyle adjustments.
If this is happening, take around a five or fifteen minute break every hour when working or studying, so that your mind can relax and rest. You can just let your brain absorb more information this way.
Using mnemonic devices is an excellent strategy for improving your ability to retain new information for a longer period of time. Mnemonics can be used in a similar way to how writers use shorthand. By associating a bit of information with a word or item, you can make the correlation that helps you recall it at a later time.
To improve your memory, get rid of negative or unpleasant thoughts. Research has shown that negative thoughts and stress can contribute to memory loss in people. Speak with your doctor about stress-relieving strategies.
Fatty Acids
Increase your intake of fish oils! If you have difficulty retaining information, you might be deficient in Omega 3 fatty acids. These fatty acids are available in prescription form or over-the-counter. Most are in capsule form.
You can improve your memory while studying if you change the environment that surrounds you while you are studying. Changing your surroundings often keeps the mind alert, and improves recall from long-term memory. The change in routine or surroundings will help keep your brain alert, and therefore ready to absorb new information and ideas.
Stay socially active if you want to keep a strong memory. You will learn to stay alert, and have positive thoughts. Your brain is not stimulated if you are depressed or lonely, and the cells in your brain aren’t getting any exercise. Engaging in stimulating conversation with others will keep your mind going and memory better.
When you have to remember something, try using silly phrases, images or songs to memorize it. Jokes and humor make things easier to remember in your mind, as the area reserved for humor in the brain is the same area used for learning.
A good way to have a good memory to recall information is to picture the things you want to remember and then recall them. When studying for a class, for instance, pay special attention to the charts and graphs in the textbook. Also look at the photographs. A great way to get visual aids is to actually draw up your graphs, charts and other images to help you remember.
Allow your brain to conjure up information that is permanently stored in your mind, and then associate it with new thoughts that you wish to retain. Tying this new information with something already learned forms a connection between the new and old ideas. This gives you a much better chance of recalling it later. These exercises also make it faster and easier to create new memories.
If you’d like a better memory, try researching memory aids at the library. A lot of books for improving brain function have been written by well known authorities, and they can provide you with some good techniques for remembering.
One way to significantly improve your memory is to teach others. For instance, if you are having trouble recalling a particular anecdote, try to relate it to a wider circle of individuals. Doing so will force your mind to review the facts involved, making it harder for the story to fade away.
When you’re trying to commit information to memory, it’s best not to cram. Spread your time studying over several sessions, when you need to learn something new. Learning a large amount of information at one sitting is not an effective method for long term memory. Your mind won’t be able to keep track of everything, and before long, you’ll forget the things you worked to learn. Schedule study sessions for yourself often so that you can train your brain on a regular basis.
If you are having trouble remembering what someone has told you, try to rephrase what is being said. As long as you are keeping the original meaning alive, it can be very helpful for remembering the information. Unless you fully understand an idea, you will not be able to successfully memorize it.
Utilize calenders and planners. Buy a day planner and jot things down. Use your schedule not just to jot down upcoming commitments, but also to check daily to make sure you know what’s coming up. The act of recording this information and recalling it will improve your memory. Your brain won’t have to remember as much and it’s convenient if you ever forget something.
Armed with several new ways to strengthen your memory, it should now be easy for you to recall your grocery list, or key dates in your family history. If you implement some of the tips mentioned earlier in this article, you can gain improved memory function and ability.