You might feel that you have so much information packed inside your brain (information overload) that some of it leaks out to make room for something new, resulting in memory loss.
You know there’s nothing wrong with your brain nor have you health issues that make you forget things sometimes. Nonetheless, you don’t like the times when you can’t always retain the information you want.
Information like retaining the names of new people you meet is one example. Wanting to make sure you retain information when studying for exams or learning about new aspects of doing your job is another. You usually have a great memory, but you want to learn ways of improving memory.
Slowing Memory
Although the brain has amazing abilities, it is limited by what we put into it or don’t put into it. No matter how much cognitive prowess you have, you can limit your brain’s ability to function by having poor health or by going too long without getting the proper amount of rest or sleep.
Sleep Effects
Sleep and diet do affect the brain’s ability to increase the memory. Did you know that certain foods can enhance the brain’s ability to remember things? Did you also know that when you sleep, your brain is busy working – much like a computer’s defrag tool? Your brain is still gathering your memories and combining them. Losing sleep can interfere with your brain’s natural defrag department.
How To Improve Memory
Speaking
Besides ensuring good health and plenty of rest for improving memory, social interaction helps the brain. Interacting with others one on one or in a group setting helps stretch and exercise the brain. This does not include emails, social media, or texting. An additional help is to make sure you have something new to learn on the horizon. When you accomplish something or master it, move on to something that offers your brain a challenge.
Observing
You can increase your brain’s memory potential by stretching your powers of observation. You can do this by watching people walk by and then writing down what you observed about them – their clothing, hair coloring, height, accessories, etc. One way sharpen the memory is to use a method of learning that makes it easy for you. For example, many children learned the alphabet thanks to the popular ABC song.
Visual Aids
Other ways of improving your memory include utilizing visuals – using photographs, charts, graphs, etc. to retain information. Another way is to assign information with keywords or phrases or even single letters of the alphabet.
For example, if you wanted to learn the seven continents, you could either use an acronym or assign the first letter of each continent in alphabetical order (A, A, A, A, E, NA, SA).
The foundation for having and maintaining a great memory is to use it every day. Memorize something new – always add to your memory bank and never stop learning. This does keep your memory active and growing.
