As you age, your memory is likely to suffer. As you get older, how do you maintain a sharp mind? The following article will introduce you to some strategies that will make remembering things as simple as it was when you were young.
You should keep a list of things that you need to get at a grocery store. By keeping a list you will know exactly what it is that you need to get. This will save a you lot of time from wandering, as well as money, once you are at the store. Once home, it will also help keep you organized since you will not have too many multiples of things you thought you needed.
To improve your memory, make sure to stay focused on what you’re studying. Distractions such as television or loud music can make it difficult to remember the subject at hand. Actively attending to the information will make you more likely to remember it, and retain it for a longer period.
Color-code information to help you memorize it. Color coding helps the left and right sides of your brain to work together, and better allows you to commit the material to your long term memory. The color also plays as an association to the word or phrase you’re working to memorize.
If you have noticed that your memory isn’t what it used to be, maybe you aren’t getting enough sleep. You need to be sleeping seven to eight hours each night to improve your memory. During your sleep cycle, your brain processes all new information to create these memories for you so you have them to recall later.
If you need to remember some information, study it regularly instead of cramming it in all at once. Research has shown that studying something in short, but frequent, sessions produces better results than spending one long period cramming it in. Shorter, more frequent sessions allow your brain time to process what it has learned and to commit the information to memory.
There is a ton of information you should learn and keep in mind, and it will help you study at a lot of different places. When you study in one spot, the knowledge can be thought to be location specific to your brain. Mixing the geography makes it more general and a part of you. Studying in different locations helps you integrate information into long term memory.
The more difficult the information is, the harder it’s going to be to retain, so you have to break down tough information into smaller tidbits. Breaking the whole down into segments and then reassembling them in your mind not only allows you to retain the memory, but it also creates a road map to allow you to recall the memory.
Sleep is an essential component of maintaining good memory and memorization skills. The reason for this is while you are sleeping, something known as memory consolidation occurs. Memory consolidation is the process by which acquired information is imprinted into the brain through the creation of neural links. This process affects not only the information that you have recently learned but also helps to maintain information that you acquired a long time ago.
It may sound silly, but one way to improve memory is to surround yourself with good friends and to maintain an active social life. A Harvard study suggests that those who had active and fulfilling social lives showed rates of cognitive decline significantly lower than their less socially active peers.
As if you needed another excuse to exercise, physical activity enhances the effects of helpful chemicals within the brain and 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!
Try to memorize things in sets of 7. According to studies, the human capacity for Short Term Memory, or (STM) is 7, add or minus 2. This is why humans memorize things best in groups of 7. This is also why, for example, your phone number is seven digits.
Pay attention to the environments that pop up in your memories. These locations may enhance your learning abilities. Return to these types of locations, or replicate their effects, to bring about the memory-enhancing effect of those places. Many people find that a certain level of background noise, for example, is vital to their learning.
Things are easier to remember if they have a special meaning to you. Think about why you need to memorize the information. For example, if you are going shopping, ask yourself why. It could be for your child’s birthday and thinking about that, will help you remember what you need to buy.
When trying to commit an item such as study materials to memory, you should focus on these in an environment that is free from distractions such as television or music. Items can only move from the short term memory into the long term memory if you actively pay attention to the topic on hand.
It is impossible to remember something if you have not first learned it. Focus your attention on the item and make an effort to learn it, and then review the information over and over again. Once you have done this a few times you should be able to remember the information without any problem, this tip works wonders for a lot of people.
A key component to memory is to give yourself less to memorize. Instead of having to remember where you put your keys, always put your keys in the same place so that you only have to memorize where you always put your keys, instead of where you put them this one time. This same principle applies to memorizing many things.
You may feel frustrated by memory failures, but you can easily overcome them. If you make use of the techniques this article has taught you, you should see a rapid improvement in your recall. With regular practice, you may find your memory is stronger than ever.
