Most of us don’t have a flawless recall. Forgetting where you left your keys or the name of the person you met just last week, is all too familiar. Memory lapses happen to the best of us, but there are some ways you can sharpen your memory and boost brainpower.
How are memories formed?
Memory works through three key stages: encoding, storage, and retrieval. Encoding is when the brain processes information from your senses and turns it into a format that can be stored. Next, short-term memories are stored briefly, while long-term memories are kept in the brain called the hippocampus. Finally, retrieval is recalling stored memories, triggered by cues such as sights, sounds, or emotions. While memory helps us navigate life, it can sometimes be imperfect, influenced by a range of factors.
The good news is there are things you can do to help your brain stay sharp.
Tips to improve memory
Sleep: your brain’s power nap
We know that feeling when we’re sleep-deprived: foggy and wondering why we walked into a room in the first place. Well, there is a reason for that, your brain processes and stores new information while you sleep and deep sleep helps to consolidate memories, so the more restful your slumber, the better your memory.
Exercise: more than just physical gains
It’s not just your muscles that benefit from a good workout – your brain does too! Studies have shown that regular physical exercise can improve memory and cognitive function. When you move, your heart pumps more oxygen to your brain, and new brain cells are formed. Plus, exercise helps to reduce stress, which can negatively impact your memory.
But you don’t need to run marathons or lift heavy weights, a simple brisk walk can work wonders for your brain.
Stress less: your memory needs it
Stress disrupts your ability to think clearly, interferes with memory recall, and can even cause long-term damage to your brain. Chronic stress, in particular, can affect the part of your brain responsible for memory. Therefore, finding ways to relax wholy, like taking a warm bath, or practising deep breathing, can help support your memory.
Keep your brain engaged: never stop learning
Your brain functions similarly to a muscle – the more you use it, the stronger it gets. Keep your brain engaged; do crosswords and jigsaw puzzles. Learn new things, whether it’s a new language or a musical instrument to build neural connections and keep your memory sharp. The key is to continually challenge yourself. By the time you sound okay on that instrument, your brain is not working as hard, so step things up a notch or take on a new endeavour.
Memory techniques help
Did you know that ancient Greeks used to memorise long speeches using specific techniques? One popular method is called the memory palace technique. The memory palace technique is creating a vivid mental image of a place you’re familiar with, like your house, and mentally placing the things you want to remember in different rooms or corners.
For example, if you need to remember a list of groceries, imagine placing bananas in the kitchen, milk in the living room, and bread in the hallway. When it’s time to remember your grocery list, you just “walk” through your memory palace and pick up the items. It may sound a little unconventional, but it has been found to work!
Or, who better to look to for memory techniques than Dave Farrow, Guinness Record holder for memorizing 59 decks of shuffled cards, which is an astounding 3,068 cards. In addition to the memory palace technique, Dave uses a quirky trick: looking up. Nobody knows why looking up works when we are trying to recall something, but we do know that it sends more energy to your cerebral cortex and hippocampus, the memory centres of the brain.
Remember, your brain is your most valuable asset – treat it well and try some of these strategies. Before you know it, you might be impressing your friends with how sharp your memory is.
Next steps
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