5 Easy Ways To Improve Your Memory
By Orla, October 3, 2013
Ever just completely forget where you left down your keys? Don’t worry, it happens to us all. But it doesn’t have to, there are really simple ways to improve your memory.
1. Hit The Gym
Working out can have some big benefits for your mental health. Researchers believe that a chemical released in your brain while you’re exercising can have a strong influence on your memory.
Exercise also increases your brain size, which in turn increases your capacity to remember. Thirty minutes of exercise a day is more than enough to keep your brain healthy.
2. Play Brain-Training Games
Playing games like Sudoku or doing crosswords regularly can improve your memory and delay declines in your brain’s performance, although experts aren’t sure as to why.
Many different studies show different reasons for this improvement and it’s also debated whether improving your concentration can have any effect on your ability to perform day-to-day tasks, but long story short, it’s very important to keep your brain healthy and occupied.
3. Eat The Right Foods
Eating foods that are rich in antioxidants can protect the brain from harmful free radicals. Fresh, colourful fruit and vegetables are generally high in antioxidants. Doctors also believe omega-3 fats have significant mental health benefits.
Make sure your food contains plenty of vitamins, for example, vitamin D boosts cognitive function and people with a deficiency vitamin B12 have been known to perform poorly on memory tests.
4. Don’t Skimp On Beauty Sleep
Researchers have found that even losing half a night’s sleep on just one night can damage your memory. So make sure you have a deep, relaxed sleep for eight hours every night. It can help your brain transfer memories from temporary to longer-term storage.
5. Stop Multitasking
Of course as a busy or working parent, multitasking often seems like a must, but taking the extra time to fully concentrate on each task at a time can benefit you in the long run.
New studies show that the brain actually takes 8 seconds to fully remember a piece of information, so if you’re doing more than one thing at a time, there’s a good chance your brain won’t fully commit all the information to your memory. Verbally saying things out loud can also help you remember the information more effectively.
