How to Improve Your MemoryTIPS AND EXERCISES TO SHARPEN YOUR MIND AND BOOST BRAINPOWER

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If our brains were computers, we'd simply add a chip to upgrade our memory. The human brain,

however, is more complex than even the most advanced machine, so improving our memory isn’t

quite so easy. Just as it takes effort to build physical fitness, so too does boosting brain power.

A strong memory depends on the health and vitality of your brain. Whether you’re a student studying

for final exams, a working professional interested in doing all you can to stay mentally sharp, or a

senior looking to preserve and enhance your grey matter as you age, there are lots of things you can

do to improve your memory and mental performance. Read on for some of the most promising ways to

keep your mind and memory in top form.

IN THIS ARTICLE:

Don’t skimp on exercise or sleep

Make time for friends and fun

Relaxation

Bulk up on brain-boosting foods

Give your brain a workout

Mnemonic devices and memorization

Enhancing your ability to learn

Related links

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Harnessing the power of your brainHow memory works

To learn more about how the brain learns and remembers new information, read What is Memory?(PDF)

They say that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but when it comes to the brain, scientists have

discovered that this old adage simply isn’t true. The human brain has an astonishing ability to adapt

and change—even into old age. This ability is known asneuroplasticity. With the right stimulation, your

brain can form new neural pathways, alter existing connections, and adapt and react in ever-changing

ways.

The brain’s incredible ability to reshape itself holds true when it comes to learning and memory. You

can harness the natural power of neuroplasticity to increase your cognitive abilities, enhance your

ability to learn new information, and improve your memory.

Improving memory tip 1: Don’t skimp on exercise or sleepJust as an athlete relies on sleep and a nutrition-packed diet to perform his or her best, your ability to

remember increases when you nurture your brain with a good diet and other healthy habits.

When you exercise the body, you exercise the brain

Treating your body well can enhance your ability to process and recall information. Physical exercise

increases oxygen to your brain and reduces the risk for disorders that lead to memory loss, such as

diabetes and cardiovascular disease.Exercise may also enhance the effects of helpful brain chemicals

and protect brain cells.

Improve your memory by sleeping on it

When you’re sleep deprived, your brain can’t operate at full capacity. Creativity, problem-solving

abilities, and critical thinking skills are compromised. Whether you’re studying, working, or trying to

juggle life’s many demands, sleep deprivation is a recipe for disaster.

But sleep is critical to learning and memory in an even more fundamental way. Research shows that

sleep is necessary for memory consolidation, with the key memory-enhancing activity occurring during

the deepest stages of sleep.

Improving memory tip 2: Make time for friends and funWhen you think of ways to improve memory, do you think of “serious” activities such as wrestling with

the New York Times crossword puzzle or mastering chess strategy or do more lighthearted pastimes—

hanging out with friends or enjoying a funny movie—come to mind? If you’re like most of us, it’s

probably the former. But countless studies show that a life that’s full of friends and fun comes with

cognitive benefits.

Healthy relationships: the ultimate memory booster?

Humans are highly social animals. We’re not meant to thrive, let alone thrive, in isolation.

Relationships stimulate our brains—in fact, interacting with others may be the best kind of brain

exercise.

Research shows that having meaningful relationships and a strong support system are vital not only to

emotional health, but brain health. In one recent study from the Harvard School of Public Health, for

example, researchers found that people with the most active social lives had the slowest rate of

memory decline.

There are many ways to start taking advantage of the brain and memory-boosting benefits of

socializing. Volunteer, join a club, make it a point to see friends more often, or reach out over the

phone. And if a human isn’t handy, don’t overlook the value of a pet—especially the highly-social dog.

Laughter is good for your brain

You’ve heard that laughter is the best medicine, and that holds true for the brain as well as the body.

Unlike emotional responses, which are limited to specific areas of the brain, laughter involves multiple

regions across the whole brain.

Furthermore, listening to jokes and working out punch lines activates areas of the brain vital to

learning and creativity.As psychologist Daniel Goleman notes in his book Emotional Intelligence,

“laughter…seems to help people think more broadly and associate more freely.”

Looking for ways to bring more laughter in your life? Start with these basics:

Laugh at yourself. Share your embarrassing moments. The best way to take ourselves less seriously is talk about times when we took ourselves too seriously.

When you hear laughter, move toward it. Most of the time, people are very happy to share something funny because it gives them an opportunity to laugh again and feed off the humor you find in it. When you hear laughter, seek it out and ask, “What’s funny?”

Spend time with fun, playful people. These are people who laugh easily–both at themselves and at life’s absurdities–and who routinely find the humor in everyday events. Their playful point of view and laughter are contagious.

Surround yourself with reminders to lighten up. Keep a toy on your desk or in your car. Put up a funny poster in your office. Choose a computer screensaver that makes you laugh. Frame photos of you and your family or friends having fun.

Pay attention to children and emulate them. They are the experts on playing, taking life lightly, and laughing.

Improving memory tip 3: Keep stress in checkStress is one of the brain’s worst enemies. Over time, if left unchecked, chronic stress destroys brain

cells and damages the hippocampus, the region of the brain involved in the formation of new

memories and the retrieval of old ones.

The stress-busting, brain-boosting benefits of meditation

The scientific evidence for the mental health benefits of meditation continues to pile up. Studies show

that meditation helps improve many different types of conditions, including depression, anxiety,

chronic pain, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Meditation also can improve focus, concentration,

creativity, and learning and reasoning skills.

Meditation works its “magic” by changing the actual brain. Brain images show that regular meditators

have more activity in the left prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain associated with feelings of joy and

equanimity. Meditation also increases the thickness of the cerebral cortex and encourages more

connections between brain cells—all of which increases mental sharpness and memory ability.

To learn more about meditation and other brain-boosting relaxation techniques, see Relaxation

Techniques for Stress Relief: Relaxation Exercises and Tips.

Get depression in check

In addition to stress, depression takes a heavy toll on the brain. In fact, some of the symptoms of

depression include difficulty concentrating, making decisions, and remembering things. If you are

mentally sluggish because of depression, seeking treatment will make a big difference in your

cognitive abilities, including memory.

Read: Understanding Depression: Signs, Symptoms, Causes, and Help

Improving memory tip 4: Bulk up on brain-boosting foodsJust as the body needs fuel, so does the brain. You probably know already that a diet based on fruits,

vegetables, whole grains, and “healthy” fats will provide lots of health benefits, but such a diet can

also improve memory. But for brain health, it’s not just what you eat—it’s also what you don’t eat. The

following nutritional tips will help boost your brainpower and reduce your risk of dementia.

Get your omega-3s. More and more evidence indicates that omega-3 fatty acids are particularly beneficial for brain health. Fish is a particularly rich source of omega-3, especially cold water “fatty fish” such as salmon, tuna, halibut, trout, mackerel, sardines, and herring. In addition to boosting brainpower, eating fish may also lower your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. If you’re not a fan of fish, consider turning to fish oil supplements. Other non-fish sources of omega-3s include walnuts, ground flaxseed, flaxseed oil, pumpkin seeds, and soybeans.

Limit saturated fat. Research shows that diets high in saturated fat increase your risk of dementia and impair concentration and memory. The primary sources of saturated far are animal products: red meat, whole milk, butter, cheese, sour cream, and ice cream.

Eat more fruit and vegetables. Produce is packed with antioxidants, substances that protect your brain cells from damage. Colorful fruits and vegetables are particularly good antioxidant superfood sources. Try leafy green vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, romaine lettuce, Swiss chard, and arugula, and fruit such as apricots, mangoes, cantaloupe, and watermelon.

Drink wine (or grape juice) in moderation. Keeping your alcohol consumption in check is key, since alcohol kills brain cells. But in moderation (around 1 glass a day for women; 2 for men), alcohol may actually improve memory and cognition. Red wine appears to be the best option, as it is rich in resveratrol, a flavonoid that boosts blood flow in the brain and reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Other resveratrol-packed options include grape juice, cranberry juice, fresh grapes and berries, and peanuts.

For mental energy, choose complex carbohydrates.

Just as a racecar needs gas, your brain needs fuel to perform at its best. When you need to be at the top of your mental game, carbohydrates can keep you going. But the type of carb you choose makes all the difference. Carbohydrates fuel your brain, but simple carbs (sugar, white bread, refined grains) give a quick boost followed by an equally rapid crash. For energy that lasts, choose complex carbohydrates such as whole-wheat bread, brown rice, oatmeal, high-fiber cereal, lentils, and whole beans.

Improving memory tip 5: Give your brain a workout

By the time you’ve reached adulthood, your brain has developed millions of neural pathways that help

you process information quickly, solve familiar problems, and execute familiar tasks with a minimum of

mental effort. But if you always stick to these well-worn paths, you aren’t giving your brain the

stimulation it needs to keep growing and developing. You have to shake things up from time to time!

Memory, like muscular strength, requires you to “use it or lose it.” The more you work out your brain,

the better you’ll be able to process and remember information. The best brain exercising activities

break your routine and challenge you to use and develop new brain pathways. The activity can be

virtually anything, so long as it meets the following three criteria:

1. It’s new. No matter how intellectually demanding the activity, if it’s something you’re already good at, it’s not a good brain exercise. The activity needs to be something that’s unfamiliar and out of your comfort zone.

2. It’s challenging. Anything that takes some mental effort and expands your knowledge will work. Examples include learning a new language, instrument, or sport, or tackling a challenging crossword or Sudoku puzzle.

3. It’s fun. The more interested and engaged you are in the activity, the more likely you’ll be to continue doing it and the greater the benefits you’ll experience. The activity should be challenging, yes, but not so difficult or unpleasant that you dread doing it.

Use mnemonic devices to make memorization easierMnemonics (the initial “m” is silent) are clues of any kind that help us remember something, usually by

helping us associate the information we want to remember with a visual image, a sentence, or a word.

Mnemonic

device

Technique Example

Visual image Associate a visual image with a word or

name to help you remember them

better. Positive, pleasant images that

are vivid, colorful, and three-dimensional

will be easier to remember.

To remember the name Rosa Parks and

what she’s known for, picture a woman

sitting on a park bench surrounded by

roses, waiting as her bus pulls up.

Acrostic (or

sentence)

Make up a sentence in which the first

letter of each word is part of or

represents the initial of what you want

to remember.

The sentence “Every good boy does

fine” to memorize the lines of the treble

clef, representing the notes E, G, B, D,

and F.

Acronym An acronym is a word that is made up by

taking the first letters of all the key

words or ideas you need to remember

and creating a new word out of them.

The word “HOMES” to remember the

names of the Great Lakes: Huron,

Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior.

Rhymes and

alliteration

Rhymes, alliteration (a repeating

sound or syllable), and even jokes

The rhyme “Thirty days hath September,

April, June, and November” to remember

Mnemonic

device

Technique Example

are a memorable way to remember

more mundane facts and figures.

the months of the year with only 30

days in them.

 Chunking Chunking breaks a long list of numbers

or other types of information into

smaller, more manageable chunks.

Remembering a 10-digit phone number

by breaking it down into three sets of

numbers: 555-867-5309 (as opposed

to5558675309).

Method of loci Imagine placing the items you want to

remember along a route you know well

or in specific locations in a familiar room

or building.

For a shopping list, imagine bananas in

the entryway to your home, a puddle of

milk in the middle of the sofa, eggs

going up the stairs, and bread on your

bed.

Tips for enhancing your ability to learn and remember Pay attention. You can’t remember something if you never learned it, and you can’t learn

something—that is, encode it into your brain—if you don’t pay enough attention to it. It takes about eight seconds of intense focus to process a piece of information into your memory. If you’re easily distracted, pick a quiet place where you won’t be interrupted.

Involve as many senses as possible. Try to relate information to colors, textures, smells and tastes. The physical act of rewriting information can help imprint it onto your brain.Even if you’re a visual learner, read out loud what you want to remember. If you can recite it rhythmically, even better.

Relate information to what you already know. Connect new data to information you already remember, whether it’s new material that builds on previous knowledge, or something as simple as an address of someone who lives on a street where you already know someone.

For more complex material, focus on understanding basic ideas rather than memorizing isolated details. Practice explaining the ideas to someone else in your own words.

Rehearse information you’ve already learned. Review what you’ve learned the same day you learn it, and at intervals thereafter. This “spaced rehearsal” is more effective than cramming, especially for retaining what you’ve learned.

Related Links

Play, Creativity, and Lifelong Learning

Why Play Matters for Both Kids and Adults

Memory Loss and Aging 

Causes, Treatment, and Help for Memory Problems

More Helpguide Articles:

Healthy Aging : How to Feel Young and Live Life to the Fullest Understanding Dementia : Signs, Symptoms, Types, Causes, and Treatment

Related links for improving your memory

Improving memory

Don’t Forget! Playing Games With Memory – A series of four memory games designed for kids of all

ages that test memory along with advice for improving memory. (The Exploratorium, San Francisco)

6 Ways to Boost Brain Power – Covers six ways to improve memory, grow new brain cells, make neural

connections, and boost your cognitive abilities. (Scientific American Mind)

Omega-3 Fatty Acids Improve Cognitive Function – Report on how fish oils, specifically DHA, help

prevent memory loss due to aging. (Life Enhancement)

Brain exercises for improving memory

Keep Your Brain Alive Exercise – Illustrated memory improvement exercises that teach you to exercise

your brain. These mental gymnastics strengthen nerve connections and activate little-used pathways

in your brain to help keep your mind fit. (Neurobics.com)

Authors: Melinda Smith, M.A., and Lawrence Robinson. Last updated: June 2011

Steps

1. 1

First and foremost watch and observe things carefully(with concentration).

Ads by GoogleBrain Workshop Improve your IQ in 20 minutes/day! It's real, it's free, and it works.brainworkshop.net

2. 2

Open your mind for new ideas.

3. 3

Read! Reading enhances the mind's ability to comprehend, as well as encouraging you to think critically. Reading a book that you have never read before broadens your horizons, thus increasing your IQ. Reading different genres is even more productive, as well as reading newspapers, current events magazines, and multi-content periodicals (such as the New Yorker). Make sure the book is in your reading level. You don't want to read something that is too easy for you.

4. 4

Don't give up. Ignore limiting stereotypes such as "An old dog cannot learn new tricks." Imagine the success you will feel when you bump up ten points. Soon enough, that fantasy will become a reality.

5. 5

Try writing with your opposite hand. Writing with your opposite hand can in fact lead to stimulation of the side of the brain that is opposite to that hand. So perhaps a southpawcould go righty and think more logical, or a righty could try going left-handed to be more creative. Keep in mind this is only a theory.

6. 6

Write whenever possible. Send a note instead of an email, or write a draft of a paper (or an outline). It will increase visual and kinesthetic stimulation.

7. 7

Play video games. Games can be a great way to stimulate the brain. Try to play a game that is out of your usual range of choices. It will help you think differently. Especially look for games that provide you with problems to solve or force you to think quickly.

o Scientific studies have shown that playing the popular game Tetris leads to more efficient brain

activity; as players become more proficient at the game, their brains show a reduced consumption of glucose (the body's main fuel). This intense scientific study supports this theory. - Actually the conclusions of this study point out that glucose consumption is reduced when learning has taken place. This would be expected as when a person becomes more proficient in any activity, the effort required decreases.

o When playing first person shooter titles, try to get into the atmosphere, look at details, think every

move as if it were real. This way you don't mindlessly finish the game, and you stimulate the brain to think more than just using reflex

o On the other hand, other games like Grand Theft Auto, and similar games can significantly reduce

the brain beta-waves and consequently cause an inability to concentrate and a gradual decline in overall intelligence.

8. 8

Work on cryptology. This is when a message is written in codes and you try to figure it out. It's challenging for some, but after a while may even become enjoyable. All logic puzzles are great.

9. 9

Practice crosswords and sudoku. These activities stimulate your mind and thought processes. People may not normally consider word searches thought-provoking, but if practiced in addition to other mind games, they could prove to be easy and stimulating.

10. 10

Do logic and lateral thinking puzzles. These help your brain think outside the box and solve problems in different ways.

11. 11

Take a weekly IQ test and record your results. If you would like to view your improvements, consider placing the results on a line graph using excel or another graph-compatible program.(See external links for a free, tested online IQ test). Bear in mind that many online IQ tests are not legitimate, and many ask for a mobile number at the end for the results. These are spam.

12. 12

Listen to classical music. The Mozart effect suggests that by listening to classical music, a short-term improvement is induced on the performance of certain tasks. Gradually, this may have a somewhat long-term effect.

13. 13

Excel in school and have a better career. There is a huge amount of evidence substantiating the correlation between excellent grade and better intelligence. Good grades are the path to better careers and better ways of life. Scientific encephalo case studies show that the brains of sophisticated professionals are anatomically larger, healthier and having more prominent convolutions, whereas the labour workers have much thinner neocortex, implicating lower than average intelligence. This is because the labourers do not use their brains often. Intense learning which is required by many challenging, professional careers can certainly trigger neurogenesis and improve brain's cognitve capacity.

14. 14

Google Eureka Method, be patient... most over all have fun with it. Good luck!

Ads by Google

Communicate: Improve Your Relationships With Effective Communication SkillsBy Elizabeth Scott, M.S., About.com GuideUpdated December 10, 2010About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review BoardSee More About:

communication skills relationship skills social support listening skills assertiveness

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Communication Skills Stress Management Relationships

Good Communication Effective Communication Sponsored LinksCommunication skillsImprove your english skills easily. Find out how, it's free!memoteque.com/improve-englishMeet Foreign MenForeign Men Seek Filipina Ladies for Dating and Chat. Join Free Now!www.FilipinoCupid.comConflict in a relationship is virtually inevitable. In itself, conflict isn’t a problem; how it’s handled, however, can bring people together or tear them apart. Poor communication skills, disagreements and misunderstandings can be a source of anger and distance, or a springboard to a stronger relationship and happier future. Next time you’re dealing with conflict, keep these tips on effective communication skills in mind and you can create a more positive outcome.

Difficulty: Average

Time Required: Just a little extra time.

Here's How:

1. Stay Focused: Sometimes it’s tempting to bring up past seemingly related conflicts when dealing with current ones. Unfortunately, this often clouds the issue and makes finding mutual understanding and a solution to the current issueless likely, and makes the whole discussion more taxing and even confusing. Try not to bring up past hurts or other topics. Stay focused on the present, your feelings, understanding one another and finding a solution.

2. Listen Carefully: People often think they’re listening, but are really thinking about what they’re going to say next when the other person stops talking. Truly effective communication goes both ways. While it might be difficult, try really listening to what your partner is saying. Don’t interrupt. Don’t get defensive. Just hear them and reflect back what they’re saying so they know you’ve heard. Then you’ll understand them better and they’ll be more willing to listen to you.

3. Try To See Their Point of View: In a conflict, most of us primarily want to feel heard and understood. We talk a lot about our point of view to get the other person to see things our way. Ironically, if we all do this all the time, there’s little focus on the other person’s point of view, and nobody feels understood. Try to really see the other side, and then you can better explain yours. (If you don't 'get it', ask more questions until you do.) Others will more likely be willing to listen if they feel heard.

4. Respond to Criticism with Empathy: When someone comes at you with criticism, it’s easy to feel that they’re wrong, and get defensive. While criticism is hard to hear, and often exaggerated or colored by the other person’s emotions, it’s important to listen for the other person’s pain and respond with empathy for their feelings. Also, look for what’s true in what they’re saying; that can be valuable information for you.

5. Own What’s Yours: Realize that personal responsibility is a strength, not a weakness. Effective communication involves admitting when you’re wrong. If you both share some responsibility in a conflict (which is usually the case), look for and admit to what’s yours. It diffuses the situation, sets a good example, and shows maturity. It also often inspires the other person to respond in kind, leading you both closer to mutual understanding and a solution.

6. Use “I” Messages: Rather than saying things like, “You really messed up here,” begin statements with “I”, and make them about yourself and your feelings, like, “I feel frustrated when this happens.” It’s less accusatory, sparks less defensiveness, and helps the other person understand your point of view rather than feeling attacked.

7. Look for Compromise Instead of trying to ‘win’ the argument, look for solutions that meet everybody’s needs. Either through compromise, or a new solution that gives you both what you want most, this focus is much more effective than one person getting what they want at the other’s expense. Healthy communication involves finding a resolution that both sides can be happy with.

8. Take a Time-Out: Sometimes tempers get heated and it’s just too difficult to continue a discussion without it becoming an argument or a fight. If you feel yourself or your partner starting to get too angry to be constructive, or showing some destructive communication patterns, it’s okay to take a break from the discussion until you both cool off. Sometimes good communication means knowing when to take a break.

9. Don’t Give Up: While taking a break from the discussion is sometimes a good idea, always come back to it. If you both approach the situation with a constructive attitude, mutual respect, and a willingness to see the other’s point of view or at least find a solution, you can make progress toward the goal of a resolution to the conflict. Unless it’s time to give up on the relationship, don’t give up on communication.

10. Ask For Help If You Need It: If one or both of you has trouble staying respectful during conflict, or if you’ve tried resolving conflict with your partner on your own and the situation just doesn’t seem to be improving, you might benefit from a few sessions with a therapist. Couples counseling or family therapy can provide help with altercations and teach skills to resolve future conflict. If your partner doesn’t want to go, you can still often benefit from going alone.

Tips:

1. Remember that the goal of effective communication skills should be mutual understanding and finding a solution that pleases both parties, not ‘winning’ the argument or ‘being right’.

2. This doesn’t work in every situation, but sometimes (if you’re having a conflict in a romantic relationship) it helps to hold hands or stay physically connected as you talk. This can remind you that you still care about each other and generally support one another.

3. Keep in mind that it’s important to remain respectful of the other person, even if you don’t like their actions.

4. Here's a list of common unhealthy ways to handle conflict. Do you do some of these? If so, your poor communication skills could be causing additional stress in your life.