The human brain is like a huge university library that stocks its many shelves with memories as opposed to books. An area of the brain known as the hippocampus, the part of the brain in charge of memory, has the most responsibility in this mind library. It hops back and forth between the new releases of short-term memory, while cataloging materials for the permanent collection of long-term memory. With such a gigantic system, the brain needs a way to both store and retrieve memories. The brain has to be able to recall information immediately, whether it’s something on stand by (like where you last put your keys) or an old memory that’s been unthought-of for years (your first kiss). No one likes it when someone loses your books or puts them in the wrong place. Yet sometimes we find ourselves with a very poor memory on our hands, one that doesn’t allow us to recall memories when we need them. Whether you’re a student studying for an important test or an aging boomer worried about forgetting appointments, below are a few things we all can do to maximize the storage and recall of our own personal library of memories.
- 1. Drink Less Alcohol – too much alcohol consumption has been scientifically proven to inhibit memory
- 2. Use your Environment – associate everyday things around you with certain memories
- 3. Good Mental Health – stress and depression inhibit memory so ways to treat both will help greatly
- 4. Be Active and Eat Right - the brain’s health relies on a constant intake of fresh oxygen and nutrients
- 5. Method of Loci – attach new memories to memories that are nearly impossible to forget
- 6. Chunking - put smaller amounts of individual information together so you have less to remember
- 7. Pay Attention and Focus – sounds easy but this is something many of us simply do not do
- 8. Visualization and Association – attach memories to things you see around you
- 9. Name Game – when you meet someone or see something, repeat the name aloud often, along with any unique features
- 10. Work Out Your Mind – just like a good work out in gym makes you feel better, practice the above regularly and you will see results!
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