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How to Improve Your Memory Capacity

Brain Power

By eBook BasketPublished 2 years ago 11 min read
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These suggestions can help you sharpen your intellect, improve your mental performance, and maintain your memory as you become older.

How to boost brain power at any age?

A strong memory is dependent on your brain's health and vitality. Whether you're a student studying for finals, a working professional looking to stay mentally sharp, or an elderly person looking to preserve and improve your grey matter as you age, there's a lot you can do to improve your memory and mental performance.

When it comes to the brain, scientists have discovered that the old adage "you can't teach an old dog new tricks" simply isn't true. Even in old age, the human brain has an amazing ability to adapt and change. This ability is referred to as neuroplasticity. Your brain can form new neural pathways, alter existing connections, and adapt and react in ever-changing ways with the right stimulation.

When it comes to learning and memory, the brain's incredible ability to reshape itself holds true. At any age, you can use the natural power of neuroplasticity to boost your cognitive abilities, improve your ability to learn new information, and improve your memory. These nine-pointers will show you how.

Tip 1: Give your brain a workout

By the time you reach adulthood, your brain has formed millions of neural pathways that allow you to quickly process and recall information, solve familiar problems, and perform habitual tasks with minimal mental effort. However, if you always follow these well-worn paths, you are not providing your brain with the stimulation it requires to continue growing and developing. You have to shake things up now and then!

Memory, like muscular strength, is something that must be "used or lost." 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.

Four key elements of a good brain-boosting activity

It teaches you something new. If you're already good at something, no matter how intellectually demanding it is, it's not a good brain exercise. The activity should be unfamiliar and outside of your comfort zone. To strengthen the brain, you must continue to learn and develop new skills.

It’s challenging The best brain-boosting activities necessitate your complete and undivided attention. It's not enough that you found the activity difficult at times. It must still be something that necessitates mental exertion. Learning to play a difficult new piece of music, for example, counts; playing a difficult piece you've already memorized does not.

It’s a skill you can build on Look for activities that allow you to start at a low level and work your way up as your skills improve — always pushing the envelope to keep your capabilities stretched. When a previously difficult level begins to feel comfortable, it is time to move on to the next level of performance.

It’s rewarding. The brain's learning process is aided by rewards. The more interested and engaged you are in the activity, the more likely you are to continue doing it and reap the benefits. So, choose activities that are both challenging and enjoyable and satisfying.

Consider learning to play the guitar, making pottery, juggling, playing chess, speaking French, dancing the tango, or perfecting your golf swing. Any of these activities, as long as they keep you challenged and engaged, can help you improve your memory.

Tip 2: Don’t skip the physical exercise

While mental exercise is beneficial to brain health, it does not negate the need for physical activity. Physical activity keeps your mind sharp. It improves brain oxygenation and lowers the risk of memory-related disorders such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Exercise also boosts the effects of beneficial brain chemicals while decreasing stress hormones. Most importantly, exercise promotes neuroplasticity by increasing growth factors and stimulating new neuronal connections.

Brain-boosting exercise tips

• Aerobic exercise is especially beneficial to the brain, so choose activities that get your blood pumping. In general, anything good for your heart is also good for your brain.

• When you wake up, does it take you a long time to clear your mind of the sleep fog? If this is the case, you may find that exercising in the morning before you begin your day makes a significant difference. It not only clears the cobwebs, but it also prepares you for learning throughout the day.

• Physical activities that require hand-eye coordination or complex motor skills are especially good for brain development.

• Breaks for exercise can help you overcome mental fatigue and afternoon slumps. Even a short walk or a few jumping jacks can help your brain reboot.

Tip 3: Get your Zs

There is a significant difference between the amount of sleep you can get by on and the amount required to function optimally. To avoid sleep deprivation, over 95 percent of adults require between 7.5 and 9 hours of sleep per night. Even a few hours saved makes a difference! Memory, creativity, problem-solving abilities, and critical thinking are all harmed.

However, sleep is even more important for learning and memory. According to research, sleep is required for memory consolidation, with the most important memory-enhancing activity occurring during the deepest stages of sleep.

• Establish a regular sleep schedule. Every night, go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time. Even on weekends and holidays, try not to deviate from your routine.

• Avoid using any type of screen for at least an hour before going to bed. The blue light emitted by TVs, tablets, phones, and computers stimulates wakefulness while suppressing sleep-inducing hormones such as melatonin.

• Reduce your caffeine intake. Caffeine affects everyone differently. Some people are extremely sensitive, and even a cup of coffee in the morning can disrupt their sleep at night. If you suspect it's keeping you awake, try cutting back or eliminating it entirely.

Tip 4: Make time for friends

Relationships that are healthy are the ultimate brain booster.

Humans are highly social creatures. We were not designed to live, let alone thrive, in isolation. Relationships stimulate our brains; in fact, interacting with others may be the most beneficial type of brain exercise.

According to research, having meaningful friendships and a strong support system are important not only for emotional health, but also for brain health. According to one recent study from the Harvard School of Public Health, people with the most active social lives had the slowest rate of memory decline.

Tip 5: Keep stress in check

One of the brain's worst enemies is stress. Chronic stress damages the hippocampus, the region of the brain involved in the formation of new memories and the retrieval of old ones, and destroys brain cells over time. Stress has also been linked to memory loss in studies.

  • Stress Management Suggestions
  • Set reasonable expectations (and be prepared to say no!)
  • Take frequent breaks throughout the day.
  • Instead of suppressing your emotions, express them.
  • Maintain a healthy balance of work and leisure time.
  • Rather than attempting to multitask, concentrate on one task at a time.

Tip 6: Have a laugh

You've probably heard that laughter is the best medicine, and this is true for the brain, memory, and body. Unlike emotional responses, which are restricted to specific areas of the brain, laughter engages multiple regions throughout the entire brain.

Additionally, listening to jokes and working out punch lines activates areas of the brain that are important for learning and creativity. "Laughter seems to help people think more broadly and associate more freely," psychologist Daniel Goleman writes in his book Emotional Intelligence.

Are you looking for ways to add more laughter to your life? Begin with the fundamentals:

Make fun of yourself. Tell us about your embarrassing moments. Talking about times when we took ourselves too seriously is the best way to take ourselves less seriously.

Move toward the sound of laughter. Most of the time, people are delighted to share something amusing because it allows them to laugh again and feed off the humor you find in it. Seek out and try to join in on the laughter when you hear it.

Spend time with people who are fun and playful. These are people who laugh easily, both at themselves and at the absurdities of life, and who routinely find humor in mundane events. Their lighthearted attitude and infectious laughter are contagious.

Make fun of yourself. Tell us about your embarrassing moments. Talking about times when we took ourselves too seriously is the best way to take ourselves less seriously.

Move toward the sound of laughter. Most of the time, people are delighted to share something amusing because it allows them to laugh again and feed off the humor you find in it. Seek out and try to join in on the laughter when you hear it.

Spend time with people who are fun and playful. These are people who laugh easily, both at themselves and at the absurdities of life, and who routinely find humor in mundane events. Their lighthearted attitude and infectious laughter are contagious.

Tip 7: Eat a brain-boosting diet

The brain, like the body, requires fuel. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, "healthy" fats (such as olive oil, nuts, and fish), and lean protein provides numerous health benefits, but it can also improve memory. But it's not just what you eat that matters for brain health; it's also what you don't eat.

The following dietary suggestions will help you boost your brainpower and lower your risk of dementia:

Get some omega-3 fatty acids. According to research, omega-3 fatty acids are especially beneficial to brain health. Cold water "fatty fish" such as salmon, tuna, halibut, trout, mackerel, sardines, and herring are particularly high in omega-3.

If you don't like seafood, other omega-3-rich foods include seaweed, walnuts, ground flaxseed, flaxseed oil, winter squash, kidney and pinto beans, spinach, broccoli, pumpkin seeds, and soybeans.

Limit your intake of calories and saturated fat. Saturated fat-rich diets (from sources such as red meat, whole milk, butter, cheese, cream, and ice cream) have been shown in studies to increase your risk of dementia and impair concentration and memory.

Consume more fruits and vegetables. Produce is high in antioxidants, which protect your brain cells from damage. Colorful fruits and vegetables are especially high in antioxidants and are considered "superfoods."

Green tea should be consumed. Green tea contains polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants that protect brain cells from free radicals. Green tea may improve memory and mental alertness, as well as slow brain aging, among many other benefits.

Tip 8: Identify and treat health problems

Do you have an unexplainable lapse in your memory? If this is the case, a health or lifestyle issue may be to blame.

Memory loss is caused by more than just dementia or Alzheimer's disease. Memory impairment can be caused by a variety of diseases, mental health disorders, and medications, including:

Heart disease and its risk factors Mild cognitive impairment has been linked to cardiovascular disease and its risk factors, such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure.

Diabetes. According to studies, people with diabetes have far greater cognitive decline than those who do not have the disease.

Unbalanced hormones When a woman's estrogen levels fall during menopause, she frequently suffers from memory problems. Low testosterone levels in men can cause problems. Thyroid problems can also lead to forgetfulness, sluggish thinking, and confusion.

Medications. Many prescription and over-the-counter medications can impair memory and thinking. Cold and allergy medications, sleep aids, and antidepressants are all common culprits. Discuss any potential side effects with your doctor or pharmacist.

Tip 9: Take practical steps to support learning and memory

Pay close attention. You can't remember something you never learned, and you can't learn something (encode it in your brain) if you don't pay attention to it. It takes about eight seconds of intense focus to memorize a piece of information. If you are easily distracted, choose a quiet location where you will not be interrupted.

Use as many of your senses as possible. Make an effort to connect information to colors, textures, smells, and tastes. The physical act of rewriting information can aid in its retention in your brain. Even if you are a visual learner, read what you want to remember aloud. Even better if you can recite it rhythmically.

Connect what you've learned to what you already know. Connect new data to previously remembered information, whether it's new material that expands on previous knowledge or something as simple as an address of someone who lives on a street where you already know someone.

Focus on understanding basic ideas rather than memorizing isolated details when dealing with more complex material. Experiment with explaining the concepts to others in your own words.

Rehearse what you've already learned. Review what you've learned the day you learned it and at regular intervals after that. This "paced rehearsal" is more effective than cramming, especially when it comes to remembering what you've learned.

Make memorization easier by using mnemonic devices. Mnemonics (the first "m" is silent) are any kind of clues that help us remember something, usually by associating the information we want to remember with a visual image, a sentence, or a word.

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