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.
If you are having memory problems, try taking fish oil. Recent studies have shown a link between problems with concentration and memory and a deficiency in Omega-3 fatty acids. One of the best Omega-3 sources is fish oil. You can either take the oil in the liquid form by the spoonful, or opt for fish oil pills instead.
It’s a well known fact that stress is hard on a person’s body, but it is also very hard on a person’s memory. Chronic stress is detrimental to brain cells as it destroys them as well as the hippocampus, which is the part of the brain that retrieves old memories as well as makes new ones. Practicing stress reducing techniques are vital in maintaining a good memory.
If you need to remember a complicated piece of information, use the mnemonics technique. This is a way of associating the information with something that is common and familiar. When you make that association, you can think of the common item, and it will trigger your memory of the more complicated piece of information.
Avoid smoking cigarettes to keep your memory from being negatively affected. Studies have shown that the memory of smokers suffers more than compared to non-smokers. You probably didn’t need yet another reason to quit, but maybe this will be the one that lets you finally put down that pack.
It is important that you take steps to keep your memory in shape throughout the years. Diet is crical in this regard. It has been shown that getting enough folic acid in your diet can help fight memory loss. Foods rich in folic acid include many beans and legumes, leafy greens, fortified bread and cereals, citrus juices and more.
One good way to keep your mind limber is to stay active within your social circles. This will help keep your mind alert and focused, and your spirits lifted. If you’re feeling alone or downhearted, your mind isn’t as stimulated, and your brain doesn’t get the workout it needs. A strong mind leads to a better memory, so make sure to engage in active conversations with other people on a regular basis.
Exercise your brain frequently. Consider activities where you need to improve. Repeating what you already know will lead nowhere and will not create new connections among your brain cells. Break your routines frequently and find new ways of doing your everyday chores. Choose activities which are new, fun and challenging.
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.
If you are having issues with remembering things, you may want to try relaxing techniques like yoga or meditation. When your body is relaxed, so is your mind which allows you to easily learn and remember things. Working your mind and body to hard will make memorizing things much worse.
Improving your memory may be something as simple as going out for a jog or a bike ride. Recent studies have shown that aerobic exercises can actually cause the development of new neurons in the hippocampus of the brain, which is considered to be the memory store center of the brain.
As if you needed another excuse to exercise, physical activity enhances the effects of helpful chemicals within the brain and actually protects brain cells! Exercise is one potent weapon in improving your memory or maintaining more of it, as you get older. So keep active, keep moving and keep more in memory!
When you’re having trouble remembering something, like when you’ve been studying for too long and can’t focus on the information anymore, try getting outside and taking a walk or jog. This will help you clear your head and get more oxygen pumping to your brain, thus letting your brain work at a higher capacity.
Draw a picture! If you are having trouble remembering something – try doodling! Drawing relaxes your mind, opens it up. It doesn’t matter if you are a terrible artist. Just scribbling on a piece of scrap paper will do. Your thoughts will feel more organized and memories will come to you much easier.
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.