Keep Your Memory Sharp
A common side effect of aging is a weakening memory. You may wonder what can be done to maintain a sharp memory. Enjoy the following article and the advice it contains to aid you in strengthening your memory.
If this is the case, you should take about a 5-15 minute break each hour during your work or study session to give your mind some time to rest and relax. Once you resume your task, your brain will be alert and ready to go.
Whenever you find yourself needing to remember key facts or figures, you may find it helpful to use mnemonics. Mnemonics are word tools that help you quickly memorize and recall information. It is especially helpful if you have trouble with remembering names. As an example, use M & M candy to associate with the names of the new folks on the block, Michelle and Mike.
Creating new memories can also help you to hold onto old ones. Learning something new actually triggers the development of new pathways in the brain, allowing you to make unique, new connections that you previously couldn't.
Visualization can be a very helpful technique when you are try doing a task that involves memorization and recall skills. If you're studying information from textbooks, charts and photographs can act as a good visual cue to aid you in storing the information into your memory. If necessary, you can create charts and grafts of your own to make things easier to memorize.
Drink plenty of water. The brain is mostly water, and if it dehydrates, you'll start to feel drained and unfocused. You may struggle with remembering old information and retaining new information. Attempt to drink 8-10 full glasses of water every day.
If someone around you is suffering from memory loss, it is best to be as patient and understanding with them as possible. Memory loss is difficult, and they certainly don't need people who aren't understanding towards their issues. Showing patience will demonstrate that you still value them as a person.
Attempting to remember an idea or statement verbatim is extremely difficult for even the sharpest minds. Instead, it is much easier to restate the idea in a different way with your own words. It's often easier for people to remember something if they've worded it in their own unique way.
If you are trying to learn a great deal of information, studying in many different spots will help your brain hold into your memory. When you study in one spot, the knowledge can be thought to be location specific to your brain. Mixing the geography makes it more general and a part of you. You will make the information something you will remember forever if you make a conscious effort to study in a variety of places.
Scheduling regular study sessions over a period of time can increase the amount of information you remember. This allows you to have time to think through and retain the information. Studies have proven that a subject who divided their study time in different sessions memorized the information more efficiently than a subject who crammed the information in one session.
Imparting memories to other people can actually help you to remember them yourself. For example, if you are forgetting a story about when you taught your grandson to swim, talk about it to more people. Telling other people about events helps strengthen your memory of the event, so that you're less likely to forget it.
Repeat the things you'd like to remember out loud. When you are introduced to a person, repeat their name out loud if you can. Repeating to yourself facts or information in a place you can hear yourself saying it is a successful tactic in being able to recall it later. Find a way to sneak your repeat of the information into casual conversation, it does not need to be obvious you are practicing a memory trick.
You should always be learning, even if you're well out of school. If you aren't learning new things, you're not using an essential part of your brain that will help strengthen your memory. The time may come when you will find it hard to remember some important information if you neglect the need to "exercise" your memory.
Deep breathing can aid memory by better oxygenating your brain. Every hour, take a few deep breaths by just breathing through your nose. This gives your brain more oxygen, and relaxes your body. The extra oxygen will fuel your brain, making it sharp and therefore improving the chances of you being able to recall and remember information.
Remember, although gaps in memory and general forgetfulness can be extremely frustrating, you can work to overcome these annoyances. Make sure you stay focused on the advice you read in this article, as it can help you with your memory recall. With just a little effort, you may find that your memory is better than it ever was before.
