How to Improve Your Memory & Exercise Your Brain
May 7, 2008Everyone can take steps to improve their memory, and with time and practice most people can gain the ability to memorize seemingly impossible amounts of information. Whether you want to win the World Memory Championships, ace your history test, or simply remember where you put your keys, this article can get you started. Scientists believe that exercising your brain can create a ‘cognitive reserve’ that will help you stay sharp as you age.
1. Convince yourself that you do have a good memory that will improve. Too many people get stuck here and convince themselves that their memory is bad, that they are just not good with names, that numbers just slip out of their minds for some reason. Erase those thoughts and vow to improve your memory. Commit yourself to the task and bask in your achievements — it’s hard to keep motivated if you beat yourself down every time you make a little bit of progress.
2. Keep your brain active. The brain is not a muscle, but regularly “exercising” the brain actually does keep it growing and spurs the development of new nerve connections that can help improve memory. By developing new mental skills—especially complex ones such as learning a new language or learning to play a new musical instrument—and challenging your brain with puzzles and games you can keep your brain active and improve its physiological functioning.
3. Exercise daily. Regular aerobic exercise improves circulation and efficiency throughout the body, including in the brain, and can help ward off the memory loss that comes with aging. Exercise also makes you more alert and relaxed, and can thereby improve your memory uptake, allowing you to take better mental “pictures.”
4. Reduce stress. Chronic stress, although it does not physically damage the brain, can make remembering much more difficult. Even temporary stresses can make it more difficult to effectively focus on concepts and observe things. Try to relax, regularly practice yoga or other stretching exercises, and see a doctor if you have severe chronic stress.
5. Eat well and eat right. There are a lot of herbal supplements on the market that claim to improve memory, but none have yet been shown to be effective in clinical tests (although small studies have shown some promising results for ginkgo biloba and phosphatidylserine). A healthy diet, however, contributes to a healthy brain, and foods containing antioxidants—broccoli, blueberries, spinach, and berries, for example—and Omega-3 fatty acids appear to promote healthy brain functioning. Feed your brain with such supplements as Thiamine, Vitamin E, Niacin and Vitamin B-6. Grazing, eating 5 or 6 small meals throughout the day instead of 3 large meals, also seems to improve mental functioning (including memory) by limiting dips in blood sugar, which may negatively affect the brain.
6. Take better pictures. Often we forget things not because our memory is bad, but rather because our observational skills need work. One common situation where this occurs (and which almost everyone can relate to) is meeting new people. Often we don’t really learn people’s names at first because we aren’t really concentrating on remembering them. You’ll find that if you make a conscious effort to remember such things, you’ll do much better. One way to train yourself to be more observant is to look at an unfamiliar photograph for a few seconds and then turn the photograph over and describe or write down as many details as you can about the photograph. Try closing your eyes and picturing the photo in your mind. Use a new photograph each time you try this exercise, and with regular practice you will find you’re able to remember more details with even shorter glimpses of the photos.
7. Give yourself time to form a memory. Memories are very fragile in the short-term, and distractions can make you quickly forget something as simple as a phone number. The key to avoid losing memories before you can even form them is to be able to focus on the thing to be remembered for a while without thinking about other things, so when you’re trying to remember something, avoid distractions and complicated tasks for a few minutes.
8. Create vivid, memorable images. You remember information more easily if you can visualize it. If you want to associate a child with a book, try not to visualize the child reading the book – that’s too simple and forgettable. Instead, come up with something more jarring, something that sticks, like the book chasing the child, or the child eating the book. It’s your mind – make the images as shocking and emotional as possible to keep the associations strong.
9. Repeat things you need to learn. The more times you hear, see, or think about something, the more surely you’ll remember it, right? It’s a no-brainer. When you want to remember something, be it your new coworker’s name or your best friend’s birthday, repeat it, either out loud or silently. Try writing it down; think about it.
10. Group things you need to remember. Random lists of things (a shopping list, for example) can be especially difficult to remember. To make it easier, try categorizing the individual things from the list. If you can remember that, among other things, you wanted to buy four different kinds of vegetables, you’ll find it easier to remember all four.
11. Organize your life. Keep items that you frequently need, such as keys and eyeglasses, in the same place every time. Use an electronic organizer or daily planner to keep track of appointments, due dates for bills, and other tasks. Keep phone numbers and addresses in an address book or enter them into your computer or cell phone. Improved organization can help free up your powers of concentration so that you can remember less routine things. Even if being organized doesn’t improve your memory, you’ll receive a lot of the same benefits (i.e. you won’t have to search for your keys anymore).
12. Try meditation. Research now suggests that people who regularly practice “mindfulness” meditation are able to focus better and may have better memories. Mindfulness (also known as awareness or insight meditation) is the type commonly practiced in Western countries and is easy to learn. Studies at Massachusetts General Hospital show that regular meditation thickens the cerebral cortex in the brain by increasing the blood flow to that region. Some researchers believe this can enhance attention span, focus, and memory.
13. Sleep well. The amount of sleep we get affects the brain’s ability to recall recently learned information. Getting a good night’s sleep – a minimum of seven hours a night – may improve your short-term memory and long-term relational memory, according to recent studies conducted at the Harvard Medical School.
14. Build your memorization arsenal. Learn pegs, memory palaces, and the Dominic System. These techniques form the foundation for mnemonic techniques, and will visibly improve your memory.
15. Venture out and learn from your mistakes. Go ahead and take a stab at memorizing the first one hundred digits of pi, or, if you’ve done that already, the first one thousand. Memorize the monarchs of England through your memory palaces, or your grocery list through visualization. Through diligent effort you will eventually master the art of memorization.

Its very informative and meaningfull............
Rashid | May 9, 2008Its very informative and meaningfull…………
Really a good piece of article for the benefit of
Ramamani Iyer | May 9, 2008Really a good piece of article for the benefit of all. I have in the past practicing some of the items stated and found a really astonishing result despite of my age.
My heartfelt thanks for this article.
Hey, dear friend, it is of great help to me,
Sharon | May 9, 2008Hey, dear friend, it is of great help to me, who has the worst memory almost forget who I am. Thanks a million for what u have shared with us and I am gonna to practice my brain everyday later on. I used to losing my sleep over night again and again so I get a poor memory in return, 23-year-old I am though. Its so sad to realise that I can not remember what used to be in my mind…u know it. Its a tragedy. Well, obviousely, I have already forgot wot I am gonna say. Thank u very much, sweetheart, it is useful!!!
Maja aa gaya! ihave taken out a print to repeat
kiran | May 9, 2008Maja aa gaya! ihave taken out a print to repeat it while the driver is driving and i feel like reading.Thanks for a an excellent piece.
I like ur tips. It will help us a lot.Thank
Hema | May 9, 2008I like ur tips. It will help us a lot.Thank you very much.
Hi Dear,
moni | May 10, 2008Hi Dear,
keep up your good work .I am now 27 years.and whatever I learn from you its a great achivement to me.thanks a lot.
moni
Hi there, thanks for this wonderful article... i am now 19
Stephen | May 11, 2008Hi there,
thanks for this wonderful article… i am now 19 and with this article in my mind, i have achieved alot
excellent.....very useful information ...thanks
rlprasad | May 11, 2008excellent…..very useful information …thanks
Hi Really great, very useful info, bring more for us to
zakkaria | May 12, 2008Hi
Really great, very useful info, bring more for us to get benefited, thanks.
hai priya Gud information and informative Thanks for sharing
sridhar | May 12, 2008hai priya
Gud information and informative
Thanks for sharing
Thank you So much for the information...
koshh | May 12, 2008Thank you So much for the information…
useful info,breing more 10q!!!
mitiku /may 12,08 | May 12, 2008useful info,breing more 10q!!!
frine and fantastic
vikas | May 12, 2008frine and fantastic
Madam, I am always eagar to receive inspiring information from
tgopalsingh | May 12, 2008Madam, I am always eagar to receive inspiring information from you. The present message is excellent. Thank you
THAKUR GOPAL SINGH
The info. are really helpful to us. These tips are
Diptaprna Bhattacharya | May 15, 2008The info. are really helpful to us. These tips are very helpful to me.
Nice article. Memory builging is very important now a
Harish | May 15, 2008Nice article. Memory builging is very important now a days hence your article is very good.
Thank you So much for the information…
dina | May 17, 2008Thank you So much for the information…
Extreamly Great,I always thought there is something wrong with my
Moona | May 18, 2008Extreamly Great,I always thought there is something wrong with my memory Thnks to change my view..
All these suggestions are an integral part of positive tniking
kartar ahuja | May 19, 2008All these suggestions are an integral part of positive tniking and spirituality. When we meditate our mind cools down and we go in vacuum ie in the arena of super consciouness. It helps to refresh our mind and memory automatically sharpens. On the contrary negativity ie always comparing oneself with others brings ego, jealousy, hate, anger,depression and imbalance of mind.The first step is to accept the things as it is, work hard with full attention and whatever we get every day be thankful to super power or God and that becomes our prayer. If we stay on this path we would be more balanced,matured and caring with compassionate & forgiving nature.
Its really handy and can be implemented shortly, thanks a
Inder | May 24, 2008Its really handy and can be implemented shortly, thanks a lot
Hello priya.... Nice Job Keep it up & Expecting More......
svijay | May 24, 2008Hello priya….
Nice Job Keep it up & Expecting More……
Hi Extreamly Great,I always thought
yogesh | June 5, 2008Hi
Extreamly Great,I always thought there is something wrong with my memory Thnks to change my view..
I hope will u publish few more tips.
yogesh
Thank you So much for the information…
Dhanraj | June 11, 2008Thank you So much for the information…
awesome mind blowinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng
phani | June 23, 2008awesome
mind blowinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng
very useful..
Swapnil | June 23, 2008very useful..
superb thoughts .
R.Jeditiah | June 25, 2008superb thoughts .
thank u sooooooooooooooo much for the information
anusha | June 26, 2008thank u sooooooooooooooo much for the information
I am always eagar to receive inspiring information from you
neveen Nina | July 13, 2008I am always eagar to receive inspiring information from you as all your info. are excellent and to the point. Thank youso much….
Creative Thanks
johnny | July 13, 2008Creative Thanks
excellent, fantastic and super
niyaz | July 13, 2008excellent, fantastic and super
It is a very helpful article keep it up. Thankyou.
Mekonnen Minda | July 14, 2008It is a very helpful article keep it up.
Thankyou.
Mekonnen M.
its.. just too good info... keep going.. thanks:)
rajiv | July 15, 2008its.. just too good info… keep going.. thanks:)
your words are difficult
riyas | July 15, 2008your words are difficult
Hello priya this is priya. I have read ur article
priya | July 15, 2008Hello priya this is priya. I have read ur article fir the first time n i really got inspired very much from ur information n the things which i like is that the inf. given by u is to the point n even vry usefull n effective for the people having weak memory. You r doing a very nice work n i hope it will help many people improving there memory. A big thanx for this!!
thanks a lot its use full for the students
guru | July 17, 2008thanks a lot its use full for the students
thank you very much ....... this article is very very important
dharmik makwana | July 31, 2008thank you very much …….
this article is very very important for me …..thanks again & again……..
i am a B.E. engineering student
please try to give me a tips or article to decrease sleeping time during exam ..& study time ….
please …….
thank you
Good Information. Could You suggest tips with for daily handling work
vijendra | August 8, 2008Good Information.
Could You suggest tips with for daily handling work load ?
It is mind-blowing, one should follow it with positive vision,
Ramesh Parekh | August 9, 2008It is mind-blowing, one should follow it with positive vision, the matter here in is very true in most of us,
so it is quite important to generate self-confidence and always think that she/he can do it……………….
Good information to all, best wishes, keep it up.
Love
Ramesh Parekh
This information is really fantastic... I will definitely try to implement
Trudeep Dave | August 9, 2008This information is really fantastic…
I will definitely try to implement this…
Very important information and very useful in to-days situation. Can
Prasad | August 9, 2008Very important information and very useful in to-days situation. Can u suggest how to overcome my emotions.
Prasad
really yaar its working. u must try..............
sujeet | August 9, 2008really yaar its working.
u must try…………..
hi very usefull things to remember . thanks , suresh
suresh | August 9, 2008hi
very usefull things to remember .
thanks ,
suresh
it is good but quite theorytical plz send some exercise
imily | August 9, 2008it is good but quite theorytical plz send some exercise for improving brain circulation
hi its very useful for us so i am thank
sanjeeta | August 9, 2008hi
its very useful for us
so i am thank ful u
send me more information
okkkkkkkkkkkkkkk
sanjeeta
Very useful to all.Expecting more. Best regards Venugopal
P.Y.Venugopal | August 10, 2008Very useful to all.Expecting more.
Best regards
Venugopal
This is very useful information Buddy, Really interesting and awesome.
Jaipur Hotels | August 11, 2008This is very useful information Buddy, Really interesting and awesome. We can get a lot benefit by taking these steps in our life.
Its really amazing.
Thanks
really a good gift of everey person
sachin | August 11, 2008really a good gift of everey person
yahh its very imortant in our life.
Ravindra D. | August 12, 2008yahh its very imortant in our life.
hello.... i dont understand ... where is the article...
Munavar | August 21, 2008hello…. i dont understand … where is the article…