One of the most frustrating things in life can be losing your memory. Researchers have made great strides in learning how the brain retains information in recent years, however. Use some of the techniques and tricks presented here to improve your ability to recall the things you want to remember.
Your brain is similar to a muscle. It can become weak if you don’t exercise it often. People who do puzzles and play card games often have less problems with memory loss and senility.
Find ways to incorporate fish oil into your regular diet. If you are very forgetful, you may be forgetting to eat the necessary omega-3 fatty acids. Try taking it in a pill.
Social activity is critical for optimizing your memory. This will help you stay alert and happy. When you are lonely or depressed, your mind does not receive stimulation, and the brain cells do not get their exercise. Your mind stays strong when you are involved in stimulating conversations.
If you have trouble memorizing information, try making a mental picture of things you want to commit to memory. If you’re studying material from textbooks, try using charts and photos for visual cues to help you retain the information. If graphs, images or charts are absent, create your own.
When you are struggling to absorb new information, try associating it with information that is already well-known. This is how the brain recalls information. When it can draw a link to something familiar, new information is easily retained for longer periods. Plus, this relational exercise can speed up your memorization process.
Exercising on a regular basis will assist in improving your memory. Even a few minutes of exercise performed regularly can lead to improvements.
Teaching others goes a long way in helping improve your memory. Talking often about your special memories, such as those involving your children’s young lives, will help you to retain the memory longer. The memory will become more vivid, and remain in your memory for a longer time.
Don’t overload yourself with too much information at one time. If you have to commit something to memory, break the information into short, manageable sections, and schedule brief study periods for yourself each day. Learning a large amount of information at one sitting is not an effective method for long term memory. Your mind will become overwhelmed, and you will inevitably forget much of what you learned. Sit down for regular short sessions to allow your brain to get used to studying.
If you are trying to learn facts from someone else, rephrase the facts into a form that is easier for you to understand. Unless you fully understand an idea, you will not be able to successfully memorize it.
Use day planners and calendars. Purchase day planners and write things down. Build a schedule and keep an eye on it daily. Having these things written, and referring to them, will help your brain. There is less information you have to remember and it is convenient to have if you should forget something.
Use the information from this article so you can better your memory. Life will certainly become less frustrating and you will not feel so helpless, if you can retain what you have learned here and put it to work for you.
