Anna Mironova
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In our time, saturated with diverse information, people often notice that their memory can no longer retain names, phone numbers, work materials, etc. Memory, like any other organ of our body, needs to be constantly trained. This article is not only about means that help develop memory, but also restore it if it deteriorates.
The following ways will help you improve and develop your mental well-being and condition:
What helps improve memory? 10 best memory aids
Sleep at least 8 hours a day
We recommend sleeping at least 8 hours at night
And if possible - at least 1 hour during the day
. Scientists have proven that the result of lack of sleep is a sharp increase in risk when driving; the lack of necessary rest makes a person inattentive and absent-minded. If you don't get enough sleep, you will make more mistakes. Daytime sleep, in turn, leads to slower aging
, maintains hair and the circulatory system of the body in good condition.Eat right
Products that improve memory can be found in any housewife’s home: tomatoes, carrots, radishes, potatoes, dill, seaweed, horseradish, basil, celery, buckwheat, rice, fish caviar, poultry and egg yolks, nuts, figs, dark raisins, pineapples, oranges, sea buckthorn, dates, apricots, chokeberries rowan, grape juice. You should eat dark meat, marinades, and mushrooms as little as possible, and limit your consumption of beans and legumes.
Lead an active lifestyle
Go to different places, take walks. Everything new and unusual develops our memory, creativity and thinking. , run in the morning. Running and other physical exercises are a universal means for developing your memory. Sport is the best master that will bring your body and memory into proper shape.
Talk to people more
Brain activity stimulates communication with people very well. Researchers from the United States have found that talking with another person for at least ten minutes a day improves memory. And the more you communicate with others, the faster your brain works. If you have trouble remembering the names of new people, this problem can be easily solved. Repeat the required name several times directly during communication. For example, “Tell me, Anna...”, “Nice to meet you, Anna.” In addition to the benefits of remembering your name, your interlocutor will be pleased to hear your name during a conversation.
Find yourself a new activity, hobby
This is one of the most effective ways to develop memory. Learn a foreign language, figure out how to use a new computer program, develop your culinary skills, fulfill an old dream - take up music, learn to play the piano or another instrument. All these activities will make your brain work much faster , will make it healthier, and also develop your memory and creative thinking.
Use various trainings
For example, after sleep, while still lying under the covers, do a simple morning routine. gymnastics that develops memory . Read the entire alphabet silently or out loud in order, and then think of a word for each letter. Then remember 20 words that start with the same letter. List 20 names of products, flowers, plants, countries or cities. Remember 20 female and male names. Count to 100 and back. If you know a foreign language, you can do it in another language.
. They will not only allow you to develop your memory, but will also be an additional incentive to communicate with the people around you.Say a decisive “no” to alcohol and smoking
Everyone has problems from time to time, but relieving stress with alcohol, cigarettes, or worse, drugs is not an option. Not only will they not solve your problems, but they will also narrow blood vessels and worsen your health, which will in no way contribute not only to the development, but even to the preservation of memory.
Train your back. Sit correctly
A good way to prevent your memory from deteriorating is watch your posture . According to American researchers, incorrect posture (head bowed down, shoulders drooping, chin protruding) leads to curvatures appearing in the spine, which can pinch the arteries running along the spine to the brain. What causes a disruption in the blood supply to the brain, leading to memory loss and clouding of consciousness, especially in the elderly.
Turn to nature
Traditional medicine offers a good way to improve memory. Do not ignore the recipe, which is suitable for both adults and children: pour 6 tablespoons (without a slide) of finely chopped rose hips with hot, but not boiling water. Cool the broth to room temperature and strain. You need to drink the decoction before meals two to three times a day, a third of a glass for 20-25 days . For children, it is advisable to dilute the broth with water in a one to one ratio. You will be satisfied with the effect.
Laugh! Laughter is the best medicine
Laugh every time there is a reason and without a reason. Laugh in front of people and to yourself. You're not laughing - at least smile. People who laugh are much less likely to see doctors because Laughter evokes positive emotions, relaxes and activates the pleasure zone. in our brain.
Memory reserves are almost limitless; we use only a small fraction in our lives. Don't be lazy to develop your brain. Every day, learn poems or quatrains, sayings, counting rhymes, memorize new foreign words, phone numbers. When shopping in a store, try not to immediately use a “cheat sheet” prepared in advance, but try to remember what you wanted to purchase, and then check the selected products with the list. In your free moments, remember the little things that surround you, for example, how many windows there are in your house, how many doors there are in the office, what the head of the department was wearing today, and so on. All this will happen train and expand your memory capabilities .
Memory is an interesting and complex phenomenon. According to scientists, young children can remember more information compared to adults.
Memory is capable of storing a large amount of information; without a good memory it is difficult to become successful.
Therefore, many are interested in how to quickly improve memory at home?
For memory to become stable, it is necessary:
- eat right;
- receive a variety of data;
- strive to achieve the goal.
To improve memory, it is important that the goal is clear and that achieving it is enjoyable.
Otherwise, the brain will do everything to protect itself from unnecessary information.
The quality of memory is affected by the food consumed - it provides energy for the brain. For the brain to function fully, you need a balanced diet and a sufficient amount of vitamins. It is not easy to meet these conditions: fish contains Omega-3 and phosphorus, but they do not preserve after freezing.
Preference should be given not to the availability of products, but to their quality. B vitamins are important for the brain, so it is recommended to consume fermented milk products, eggs, green vegetables, whole grain bread, and liver. Nuts help develop long-term memory.
When a person has a good memory, he does not think about its purpose. If it gets worse, you can try to improve brain function by starting with gentle exercise before taking medication.
Memory Improvers
Some people believe that only older people need medications to improve brain activity. However, even at a young age (especially for students on the eve of a session), they can be useful.
The problem of memory loss worries many people. Forgetfulness over time causes irritability, dissatisfaction with oneself and others when it is not possible to remember important information in time.
Noticing that memory has begun to fail, a person tries to strengthen it and thinks about how to quickly improve memory at home.
Nootropics are drugs that have a stimulating effect on cerebral circulation (Piracetam, Oxiracetam, Pramiracetam, Izacetam, Nootropil). By accepting them, people begin to perceive information more easily and remember it faster.
You should not expect an immediate effect from the use of medications: it will be noticeable only a month after you start taking it.
Before starting to use any of these medications, you should consult your doctor.
Ways to improve
It is possible to remember events that left a strong impression well and for a long time. What aroused real interest, touched or surprised remains in the mind longer. Those phenomena to which no attention is paid leave no trace in consciousness.
Memory training is necessary at any age. If the parts of the brain responsible for memory do not receive load for a long time, their gradual atrophy occurs. People who do not train their memory over time confuse events and dates, fiction and real memories.
It happens that when people start training, they have problems concentrating on the data they have to remember.
To concentrate, it is recommended to eliminate distractions and irritants, close your eyes, and take 15 deep breaths.
Methods to improve brain activity have the following qualities:
- quickly, without a guarantee of memorization for a long time;
- slower but more effective;
- with effort, but for a long time.
Quick memorization for a short time
Monotony slows down the functioning of the brain, so it is recommended to change the situation: the route to work that has become familiar, visit other stores, cook new dishes, etc. In a different environment, the brain will have to remember new street names, transport numbers, and build new connections.
The taste of previously unfamiliar dishes will also affect brain function. You can simply check how a change of situation works: write a short text with your left hand (for right-handed people). Unusual sensations will appear in your head: interhemispheric exchange is activated. Geniuses can be fluent in both hands.
Disadvantage: the brain gradually gets used to it, it requires constant training.
Fast and reliable memorization
Learning a foreign language helps improve memory in a short time.
You need to memorize words not mechanically, but with the help of images.
This method allows you not only to remember, but also to fix word connections in the brain for a long time.
You can learn a language in order to watch films in the original.
Slow memorization forever
Daily meditation brings calm, allows you to control thoughts and improves memory. Drawing is a kind of detachment. Control of breathing, concentration on details, and hand motor skills train the ability to memorize well.
How to improve memory quickly
For adults, most techniques aimed at developing memory are based on the laws of memorization:- emotions;
- associations;
- repetition.
Knowing these rules helps in everyday life and responsible situations.
According to the law of emotions, in order to remember better, you need to get vivid impressions of the subject. It is important to focus on this information, then it will be remembered better than if you think about it for a long time and get distracted.
With simple exercises you can quickly improve brain activity and memory:
- do calculations in your head;
- visualize numbers when memorizing (represent them in volume, each number in a certain color, etc.);
- remember addresses (of relatives, friends);
- look at the clock, remembering what happened at this time yesterday;
- look at a photograph depicting a large number of objects for 15 seconds, then close it and write down the names of the objects that you managed to remember;
- include memory wherever possible.
Video on the topic
Most people periodically complain about their “girlish” memory. As a rule, they practically never part with their diaries, in which they carefully write down all their plans for the next day. However, difficulties lurk everywhere. Sometimes not being able to remember someone's name can be quite an awkward situation. Or the desire to help your child with his homework will turn into a complete fiasco.
For an adult? Forgetful people periodically ask themselves a similar question. And those who not only look for the answer, but also begin to implement all the recommendations in life, over time notice excellent results.
Causes of poor memory
As people age, their ability to remember deteriorates and they become distracted. A person needs to keep too much information in his head, which is why he sometimes forgets the most obvious facts.
But it's not just that. The older a person gets, the worse his ability to reason sensibly becomes. The causes of poor memory in adults are hidden both in age-related changes and in poor lifestyle, stress, poor sleep and much more. There are fewer nerve cells, and at the same time it is increasingly difficult for a person to delve into something new.
In an adult, it may be a consequence of certain diseases. It is noted that the ability to memorize, as well as thinking, is adversely affected by:
- high blood pressure;
- atherosclerosis;
- diabetes;
- completeness.
Sometimes memory impairment can be a consequence of developing Alzheimer's disease.
Methods to improve memory
An amazing ability can be trained, like a body muscle, for example. To do this, you need to do special memory exercises. For adults, of course, training will require some effort. After all, this happens most easily in childhood. Kids try to remember everything that catches their eye.
The load on a student’s memory is already quite significant. But when a person finishes studying and starts working, his memory is no longer amenable to systematic training. Life becomes more boring and ordinary. In order for memory to continue to develop, a person must receive impressions. It’s good if various pleasant events happen and people try not to forget them.
Effect of tobacco
How to develop memory in an adult? First of all, he needs to get rid of the harmful effects of nicotine. Numerous studies have confirmed that tobacco significantly impairs the ability to remember.
If you compare a person who trains his memory and at the same time smokes, and another who does not work on his ability to remember, but does not have a bad habit, it turns out that the first one has a better result. However, if their conditions are equalized, it turns out that tobacco still impairs memory.
Studies have shown that students who smoke perform worse on tasks than non-smokers. Although tobacco has the ability to instantly increase concentration, this quickly passes.
Effect of alcohol
Even a small dose of alcohol reduces the ability to remember. Its systematic use deprives a person of the opportunity to record something in memory. Therefore, those people who are thinking about how to develop memory in an adult should give up alcohol.
Medications
Taking certain medications can also affect memory and even cause memory loss. These include various sedatives or stimulants, as well as painkillers, antihistamines and anti-inflammatory drugs.
There are rules that allow memory to always remain in working condition:
- enrich the blood with oxygen;
- be sure to get a good night's sleep;
- do not abuse alcohol and tobacco;
- refuse (if possible) medications that reduce memory.
Memorization techniques from geniuses
Psychologist Carl Seashore believes that the average person uses only 10% of his memory, while 90% remains unused.
Few people know that almost all methods of memory development in adults are based on three natural laws of memorization. It's about emotions, associations and repetitions. Knowledge of these rules can help both in everyday life and in critical situations.
The law of emotions states that for better memorization it is enough to get vivid impressions of a given subject. The most famous person to use this rule was Roosevelt. He always maintained excellent concentration. Everything he read, he remembered almost word for word. The secret of this method of developing memory in adults is hidden in the need to fully concentrate, at least for a short time, on the necessary information. It is in this case that it will be remembered better than if you think about it for a long time and get distracted.
Napoleon left behind an amazing technique. During the troop review, he perfectly remembered the location of each of his soldiers and his last name. His secret to remembering a person's name was to get a more vivid impression of him. For example, asking how to spell his last name.
President Lincoln had his own method of memorization: he read aloud what was important to remember. It turns out that you need to use as many senses as possible. This makes it possible to quite effectively influence the development of memory in adults. Exercises that involve several senses are recommended by most psychologists. For example, to remember, it is enough to write down and then mentally imagine what was written.
Mark Twain often lectured. To remember long text, he wrote down a couple of words from the beginning of each paragraph. Before his speech, Twain repeated the entire lecture using this cheat sheet. But then another idea came to his mind - and he began to draw what he needed to remember.
Thus, the geniuses of the past were able to embody all three laws of memorization.
Preparation for classes
Memory training in adults should begin with the following exercises:
- Keep your mind completely free of thoughts for 5-10 seconds. This is necessary for training concentration.
- During this process there should not be any tension: nervous or mental.
- From five seconds it is very important to gradually reach thirty seconds of continuous stay in this state.
Development of the ability to remember
It is very important to develop not only visual or auditory memorization ability, but also other types. You also need to remember that short-term and long-term memory are equally necessary for a person.
- You can train it by trying to remember the appearance of people passing by. A fleeting glance at a person walking towards you is enough, and then you need to try to imagine his appearance in all details.
- It is very useful to ask yourself from time to time what the wrapper of your favorite candy looks like and what is depicted there. You can try to imagine what you saw when you passed the store again, what kind of sign there was. At the same time, you need to try to remember everything down to the smallest detail.
- In order to improve sound memory, it is enough to regularly read aloud or learn poems with your child. Sing the melody you just listened to. In the street noise, try to hear fragments of phrases and fix them in memory.
- When eating, imagine yourself as a taster who thoroughly remembers the taste of the dish. Associate each food with something. Play guessing the dish with your eyes closed.
Conclusion
Everyone has memory. Some people simply have a phenomenal ability to remember. Others admit to having a “holey” head. According to psychologists, there are very few people with poor memory. At the same time, there are many who do not know how to use it correctly or do not know how to develop memory in an adult.
Are you looking for an answer to the question of how you can improve your memory? The human mind is undoubtedly a wonderful tool, but memory is a skill that can only be developed with some practice and diligent patience.
Are you looking for an answer to the question of how you can improve your memory? The human mind is undoubtedly a wonderful tool, but memory is a skill that can only be developed with some practice and diligent patience.
Anyone who wants improve memory and this does not mean memory when we use Samsung mobile phones, for example, but that anyone can learn ways of skills and methods to solve a problem with minimal effort. No one really has a “bad” memory.
The problem is that people unknowingly develop bad memory habits from infancy. Due to bad habits, recall, people often face problems during exams, interviews and other circumstances that require effective memory.
Some people believe that they have a poor ability to remember facts and possess information. However, there are many ways to improve memory and methods that can be used at any age to help improve memory. In fact, improving memory is simply a way of modulating the habit to practice these skills.
Here are the basic principles to help you improve memory:
Exercise
If you are trying to improve your memory, it is best to start by attending special online trainings. The sites are full of interactive audio and skilled techniques that can help those suffering from memory loss problems. Methods for improving memory are endless, and this is very important for effectively applying them in life. Regardless of your age, you can successfully improve your memory. Below are some ways to improve your memory.
Proper nutrition and good sleep are very important
It is important to have a nutritious and balanced diet that is rich in minerals and vitamins. Some foods help improve memory, such as grapes, apples, blueberries, onions, whole grain puffed rice, spinach, curry, orange juice, nuts, dark leafy vegetables, fish . A diet rich in fruits and vegetables has been shown to improve brain function. After eating right, getting enough sleep is also extremely important. Both of these things help optimize learning abilities and keep the body healthy. You will be able to direct your mental energy to focus on the things that are important to you. This will gradually increase your ability to retain more information.
Application of exercises
To perform at a high level. Our brain needs adequate exercise. It is extremely important to keep your brain active and give it ample opportunity to grow. You can involve yourself in solving crossword puzzles, Sudoku, or playing strategy games such as chess or checkers.
Ways to improve memory
Which is worth worrying about. Memory is a collection of unusual factors that are useful to know about.
Maintain a straight posture
“No one loves hunchbacks or marries them,” mothers, grandmothers and first teachers intimidate, forcing us to watch our posture. In general, they are right, but the argument is chosen incorrectly. Research from the University of San Francisco seems much more convincing, according to which straight posture increases the flow of oxygen to the brain by 40%. Of course, no excess of oxygen occurs, but memory function improves. And it doesn’t matter whether you are sitting or standing - your back should be straight!
Here I would like to talk about the research of German scientists from the University of Witten/Herdecke. They found that a straight, “happy” gait helps to recall positive memories, but a hunched gait helps to recall depressive ones. Spread your wings and walk with confidence!
Close your eyes
Remember how you or your classmates, standing at the blackboard, tried to “give birth” to a poorly learned poem. Often, the “martyr” would squeeze his eyelids tightly, trying to remember at least a couple of lines. This instinctive behavior actually works, as evidenced by a two-stage study conducted at the University of Surrey in England.
racorn/Shutterstock.comIn the first case, 178 subjects were shown a crime video about a kleptomaniac plumber who did his job properly, but did not forget to take a trophy with him. Study participants were randomly divided into two groups, one of which was asked to answer questions about the details of what they saw with their eyes closed, and the other with their eyes open. As a result, subjects who closed their eyes during questioning gave 23% more correct answers.
At the second stage, participants were asked to remember the sounds. As expected, closed eyes gave the best effect here too.
It is important to mention another conclusion of scientists: friendly relations between the interviewer and the one to whom the questions were asked also increased the number of correct answers.
Avoid doorways
Hmm, it sounds strange, but it's true. Scientists from the University of Notre Dame stated that when leaving or entering a room, a person experiences the so-called doorway effect. Researchers claim that short-term memories are cleared from memory when walking through a doorway. That is, doors catalyze getting rid of thoughts that arose in a certain environment.
However, you should not go to extremes and shy away from any doors, because the psychological effect also has the opposite effect:
If you can't remember what idea you had in the bathroom last night, just go back there to immerse your brain in the atmosphere that triggered the thought.
Use unusual fonts
It’s no secret that different fonts are perceived differently by people: some are read quickly and easily, while others, after a few paragraphs, start to make your eyes bleed. That is why in typography and the web environment a fairly modest but well-tested set of fonts is used. This is convenient for all of us: readers of books and scrollers of online publications.
However, psychologists from Princeton University and Indiana University advise reading some texts in unusual font designs in order to remember them better. The researchers divided ordinary students into two groups, one of which was offered educational material written in the familiar Arial, and the other in Monotype Corsiva.
www.fonts.com Verification testing allowed us to draw the following conclusion: the unusual font was remembered better, which resulted in higher grades. Scientists explain this effect by saying that hard-to-read fonts prevent the eye from skimming across the lines. A person involuntarily begins to read more thoughtfully and carefully, and therefore the meaning is better fixed in memory.
It's simple: laughing for half an hour improves memory. Scientists from Loma Linda University came to this conclusion after conducting a simple experiment on two groups of elderly people. The first twenty volunteers watched a 30-minute humorous video, while the other group did nothing. After which the subjects took a memory test. As expected, people with high spirits showed much better results. And all because:
Laughter reduces levels of cortisol, a hormone that can damage nerve cells in the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for turning information into new memories.
In addition, laughter releases endorphins, chemical compounds that elevate mood and improve memory.
Chew gum
Chewing gum helps a person focus on tasks that require constant attention over a long period of time.
Kate Morgan
The words of the Cardiff University employee are based on a study in which 38 people took part, divided into two groups. In their experiment, scientists asked volunteers to complete a half-hour audio task aimed at human short-term memory. Participants listened to a list of numbers and had to identify some sequence of even and odd digits. The findings were interesting and ambiguous: subjects without chewing gum performed slightly better at the beginning of the task, but lost to those who chewed gum by the end. Therefore, Kate advises taking chewing gum with you to long meetings or seminars.
Write notes by hand
Modern classrooms are increasingly replete with laptops and tablets, on which students record their lectures. For some, this is a reason to show off your skills, for others, it’s a way to prepare cheat sheets ahead of time, and for others, it’s a desire to write down as much as possible. Indeed, well-executed touch typing allows you to record large amounts of information. However, electronic notes are less memorable than good old handwritten text.
De Visu/Shutterstock.com Researchers from Princeton University came to these conclusions. They compared the test results of students who used computers to take lecture notes with those who wrote them by hand. Listeners with pen in hand were more attentive to information, were better able to identify important information, and better organize material in their heads. The authors of the experiment make a cautious statement that machine “shorthandography” does not have the best effect on memorization, and, accordingly, on academic performance.