Luckily, research on human memory over the last several decades has uncovered some pretty interesting things about what allows our brain to learn and remember things better. Some of the tips are pretty simple to use as well!
Here are five ways to help you remember just about everything you learn.
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So, we've come to a point in our lives where our memory isn't as sharp as it once was.
Let's start out with two of the most simple ways possible to improve memory.
1. Test yourself.
One of the most reliable ways to better remember something is to force yourself to bring back to mind what it is that your're trying to remember. The "testing effect" has been repeatedly demonstrated, and it shows that pushing yourself to come up with the information is more helpful than simply reading over that same information.
Let's face it, when we're simply reading something, oftentimes we find that we haven't even been paying attention to what was on the page!
Let's face it, when we're simply reading something, oftentimes we find that we haven't even been paying attention to what was on the page!
2. When you're testing yourself, space it out.
You've probably always heard that cramming is a really bad idea, and it's true. Spacing out learning allows for better consolidation of information to take place. In other words, memories need time to "sink in."
Spacing out your learning causes tinychanges in the brain that help strengthen a memory. By testing yourself on a new neighbor's name, or even the contents of a shopping list, then having a night's sleep, you will very likely increase the chances that you will avoid embarrassing forgetful situations.
Spacing out your learning causes tinychanges in the brain that help strengthen a memory. By testing yourself on a new neighbor's name, or even the contents of a shopping list, then having a night's sleep, you will very likely increase the chances that you will avoid embarrassing forgetful situations.
3. Try making a memory palace.
The loci technique has been around for a very long time. In fact, it was commonly employed as far back as Ancient Greece.
First, you need to envision yourself in a familiar room or building, maybe your house. Imagine yourself walking through each part of the house and "place" things that you want to remember at different points in the house.
When you want to bring back to mind something, walk back through the house in your mind. You will be surprised how much easier it is to retrieve it. By providing some context to the information that you want to remember, you allow yourself to remember things that may have decayed from your memory.
First, you need to envision yourself in a familiar room or building, maybe your house. Imagine yourself walking through each part of the house and "place" things that you want to remember at different points in the house.
When you want to bring back to mind something, walk back through the house in your mind. You will be surprised how much easier it is to retrieve it. By providing some context to the information that you want to remember, you allow yourself to remember things that may have decayed from your memory.
Aside from ways that you can test yourself, there are some food-based ways that are known to boost memory...
You know that time in the afternoon when it seems like your energy and memory seem to go right down the crapper? This is a known effect that is reduced by drinking coffee in the morning. So drinking coffee at just about any time of the day could help boost your memory.
Flavonoids in blueberries are known to cross into the brain, and it is thought that at that point, they somehow enhance how well brain cells can talk to one another.
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