A desire to improve memory is common for us all. From a student preparing a written academic assignment to a professional looking to do their job more quickly and efficiently, we could all use the boost that can help our brains keep as many information at our disposal as possible.
Whether you are naturally good at memorizing or you often struggle to remember where you put your keys, here are the top ways that will help you improve your memory. A few meaningful changes in your lifestyle can really make a difference, and here is all you need to know.
Physical exercise for body and mind
Believe it or not, regular physical activity can do a lot more than just help keep your body in good shape. If you’re having a tough time waking up in the morning, rather than grabbing a strong cup of coffee, opt for a short workout instead. Whenever you feel overwhelmed at work or at school, take a break to do a couple of exercises to improve the blood flow and refresh your mind.
Superior essay service writer Brad Simmons suggests focusing on performing exercises that help improve complex motor skills and hand-to-eye coordination. These workouts include activities such as juggling, target practice, toss and catch, and exercising your eyes by changing focus.
Stress management and sleeping habits
Chronic stress can cause more than a bad mood: it can inflict damage to the hippocampus and even destroy brain cells. We can’t cut stress out of our lives completely, but we can learn to manage its influence on our minds. Don’t overwork yourself, set realistic goals and boundaries, don’t let bad emotions bottle up, and try meditation to relax your body and your mind.
Sleeping habits can also influence our mood and memory capacities, so make sure to avoid sleep deprivation and looking at computer or smartphone screens at least an hour before bedtime.
A healthy diet for a brain boost
One of the best ways to help improve your memory is to create a custom, tailor-made diet plan. It will provide your body with all the ingredients it needs to be healthy, while also helping set your mind free.
There are a lot of affordable foods that help keep your brain healthy and in good shape, from vegetables, whole grains, and fruits, to lean protein and healthy fats present in fish, olive oil, and nuts. Green tea and red wine are also good for your brain health, but make sure to consume the latter moderately.
A few practical pieces of advice
Improving your memory is a process, and there are several practical steps you can make to ensure you’re helping your brain develop and retain important information. According to Custom writing experts, these are the best ways to improve your memory. A student who needs to write an essay or study for an exam may find these guidelines particularly useful.
- Get rid of the distractions. Trying to memorize the information you’ve read in a printed publication or online while sitting in a crowded, messy, loud place will be very challenging. When you need to focus, find the space that’s free of distractions – your brain will be grateful for it.
- Cramming is your enemy. Although a lot of people tend to leave work for the last moment, such a practice seldom leads to long-lasting positive results. In addition, it strains your brain, and what is remembered this way rarely stays preserved in your long term memory.
- Use the help of visual stimuli. Making a connection between the information we need to remember and visual stimuli such as illustrations, colors, and mind maps can do wonders in the long run. Whether you are a visual learner or not, this technique will surely help you memorize more and remember it for longer.
- Study or work with a partner. Even if you are a type of person who usually prefers to work alone, you might want to try this method. Along with many other benefits, learning and repeating with a partner will help you both understand and retain information.
- Try the chunking method. This method is based on separating, recognizing the connections between information, and “chunking” them into groups, making them easier to comprehend and remember.
Conclusion
Memory is a stunning cognitive process. It represents our capacity to encode, collect, retain, and recall information and experiences from our past. Memory is a process indispensable to learning, while at the same time it also depends on learning, as the information collected in our memory serves as the basis for linking new knowledge by association.
Not all people were born with equal capacities to memorize and recall facts and experiences. With a few lifestyle changes, however, you can make a significant difference in the way your brain processes and retains information. Try out the above-mentioned tips and techniques, and let us know which ones worked the best for you.
