Ways To Improve Your Memory

We live in the era of distraction. So many of us have so much information coming at us that is becomes all that easier for some things to slip through the cracks. Who hasn’t put something on the stove or started running a bath and taken just a few minutes to check our e-mail or favorite website and forgotten about what had been doing, and ended up with burnt food or a flooded bathroom? And who doesn’t wish they were better at remembering someone’s name 5 minutes they were introduced to you? Improving your memory would help you avoid these kinds of situations, and it does not have to be all that difficult. Give some of these methods a try and see if they work for you.

1 FOCUS

Multi-tasking is something some people do very well, and there’s no doubt that for some jobs, it’s a requirement. While multi-tasking may be impressive, you’ll remember things a lot better if you can focus on one thing at a time. Given the choice, you’ll always have a better shot at remembering new things if you can devote your full attention to a particular activity versus multitasking.

2 CONTROL STRESS

By now most of us have heard plenty about how stress can negatively impact your health and cloud your ability to think clearly. Well, it’s that problem with clouding your thoughts that will prevent you from remembering things as well as you should. You’ll remember things much better when you are in a relaxed state of mind.

3 FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Berries, particularly the ones like blueberries and red grapes contain chemicals called anthocyanins that are actually absorbed by the brain and can help improve memory. Other foods that may help include blackberries, plums and red cabbage.

4 DON’T OVERDO The brain does not perform at its best when you are trying to cram information in faster than it wants. Every student has “crammed” at one point or another at the last minute for an important exam, but if you want to remember the information you are studying, you are much better off spreading it out and not trying to absorb it all during a single night of frenzied studying.

5 LIGHTS OUT

You’ve seen people close their eyes and furrow their brows as they struggle to remember something. Well, it turns out that this actually helps! Not so much the furrowing of the brow part, but closing your eyes cut down on the sensory stimulation that your brain receives from the eyes, and your brain can relax a bit and devote more energy to recalling a specific memory.