The strength of your memory is based on how healthy and active your brain is. Whether you’re a student getting ready for finals, a working professional trying to keep your mind sharp, or an elderly person hoping to retain and improve your grey matter as you age.
There are numerous things you can do to improve your memory and mental function.
Concentrate Your Attention
Attention is one of the most fundamental parts of memory. For information to move from your short-term memory to your long-term memory, you must actively attend to it. Try to study in an environment devoid of distractions such as television, music, and other diversions.
Reducing distractions might be difficult, especially if you live with raucous roommates or noisy youngsters.
Consume less sugar.
Too much added sugar consumption has been linked to various health problems and chronic disorders, including cognitive deterioration. A high-sugar diet has been related to impaired memory and decreased brain volume, particularly in the portion of the brain responsible for short-term memory.
Try taking a fish oil supplement.
The omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are abundant in fish oil. These fats are beneficial to overall health and have been found to lessen the risk of heart disease, inflammation, stress, and anxiety and slow mental decline. Many studies have indicated that eating fish and using fish oil supplements can improve memory, especially in older adults. A 2015 analysis of 28 studies found that when people with mild signs of memory loss took supplements high in DHA and EPA, such as fish oil, their episodic memory improved.
Exercise your mind
By reaching adulthood, your brain has formed millions of neuronal pathways that allow you to quickly receive and retain information, solve familiar issues, and perform routine actions with minimal mental effort. However, if you continually follow these well-worn roads, you must provide your brain with the stimulation it requires to continue growing and developing. You have to shake things up now and again!
Like bodily power, memory demands that you “use it or lose it.” The more you exercise your brain, the better you will be at processing and remembering information. However, not all activities are created equal. The best brain exercises shake things up by challenging you to use and develop new brain pathways.
Believe in yourself.
Beliefs about aging can lead to memory loss. When exposed to negative stereotypes about ageing and memory, middle-aged and older learners perform worse on memory tasks, while positive messages regarding memory maintenance in old age improve. People who feel they have no control over their memory are less motivated to focus on maintaining or improving their memory skills, which makes them more vulnerable to cognitive decline. If you can progress and apply that idea, you have a better chance of keeping your thinking fresh.
Repeat what you want to know again.
Please write it down or say it aloud to recall anything you’ve heard, read, or thought about. In this manner, the memory or connection is strengthened. When speaking with someone, for instance, if you have just learned their name, use it as follows: “So, John, where did you meet Camille?” Tell yourself aloud what you’ve done if you place one of your possessions somewhere other than its customary location. And don’t be afraid to ask for clarification when necessary.
Create a mnemonic
This is a novel method of remembering lists. Mnemonic devices can be acronyms (for example, RICE to remember first-aid recommendations for wounded limbs: Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation) or statements (for example, “Every good boy does fine” to remember the musical notes E, G, B, D, and F on the treble clef lines).
Obtain enough rest.
The general health of the brain depends on sleep. Disrupting the body’s natural sleep cycle can result in cognitive deficits because it disrupts the processes that the brain employs to form memories. The brain can form and store long-term memories when you get a full night’s sleep, which for an adult is normally between 7-9 hours.