How to improve memory: useful exercises

Experts say the amount of memory is unlimited. But we don't always use it correctly. Mechanical memorization, practiced by educational institutions, is not an ideal way to improve memory. It consists of three components: natural potential, condition and fitness. This means that memory can be influenced and can be improved in many ways today.

Cause of deterioration

The following factors lead to memory corruption:

• emotional stress;
• systemic depression;
• lack of sleep;
• infectious diseases;
• vitamin deficiency;
• drinking alcoholic beverages;
• smoking;
• brain injury;
• taking medications (antidepressants, sleeping pills);
• diseases: atherosclerosis, thyroid dysfunction, multiple sclerosis, diabetes mellitus;
• body aging.

Enhance home memory

The brain is a dynamic structure that responds to any effect. The right approach will help you achieve the desired result. Today, a sufficient number of techniques have been developed to improve memory.

Exercises

1. Let's start discussing this method with an exercise called "associations. "An assistant is needed for implementation. Ask him to read several pairs of words that are semantically related to each other. For example: "notebook - pen", "winter - snow", "book - study". It is your job to memorize the maximum number of words. The assistant must then read the first words, the second reproduced independently.
2. The second exercise involves improving the visual imagination. You need to close your eyes and imagine any object, natural phenomenon or animal in detail. It could be an oasis in the middle of the desert, a cat drinking milk, lightning in the sky. Many options are possible. Then take a sheet of paper and describe the pictures shown on it in reverse order.
3. The third exercise is to improve listening and memory information. Someone needs to read a series of words. For example, “table, sky, computer, elephant, autumn, river, tree”. Repeat these words first in the same order and then in the opposite direction. If there is no one nearby, you can do the exercise yourself. To do this, pick up a book and read aloud the first word of each line.

4. The fourth exercise provides an opportunity to train your memory and do chores at the same time. Before entering the store, write a list of the products you want to buy on the page. Read it several times. You can do this out loud or silently as you wish. Then leave the letter at home and go to the store without it. Repeat this exercise each time you need to make a purchase.
5. Exercises to activate the hemispheres of the brain also help improve memory. The easiest of these is to change hands during an action. For example, comb your hair or hold the cup with your left hand (if left-handed, with your right). You can also walk on site. The exercise should be performed at a rapid pace. When the knee is lowered, the hand waves to rise above his head. The exercise should be repeated several times.

Games

The cards are placed face down in a row on the table. More people can participate in the game. Each, in turn, flips any card. If they match, the participant takes them.

Playing with questions also helps with memory training. The topic doesn't matter. Each player asks all questions to the other participants. We add five points for the correct answer and two points for the wrong one. Solving crossword puzzles will help you achieve tangible results.

Memory boost menu

Memory status depends on diet. Certain foods are a source of materials for the body:

1. Banana provides the body with amino acids (carotene, methionine, tryptophan), easily digestible carbohydrates, vitamins PP, B1, B2.

2. Sprouted eyes contain elements that provide energy to the brain and normalize its function. These are selenium, copper, iron, zinc, calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus. Vitamins B9, B6, B5, B3, B2, B1.
3. Eggs are rich in amino acids. These include glutamic acid, methionine, cysteine, tryptophan, lysine. It also contains vitamins A, B2, B1 and PP. They provide the body with easily digestible protein.
4. Honey is a source of carbohydrates. They can replace sugar. In its composition, honey contains well-absorbed glucose and fructose. And 22 of the 24 trace elements in the circulatory system.
5. Fish - salmon, trout, salmon, herring. Consumption of these products replenishes the content of essential Omega 3 acid, the lack of which causes degenerative diseases in the brain. This element has a direct impact on the development of intelligence, memory, and cognitive functions.
6. Avocado improves the blood supply to the brain due to the presence of unsaturated fatty acids and minerals.
7. Dark chocolate contains flavonol, an element that prevents brain oxidation and normalizes blood circulation. Cocoa destroys substances that contribute to the formation of blood clots.
8. Apples inhibit oxidative stress, which can lead to memory loss.
9. Tomatoes contain lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that destroys free radicals (substances that negatively affect the brain). Melatonin, which is also found in this product, helps slow down aging.
10. Nuts containing lecithin have a positive effect on the brain as it normalizes its activity. They also prevent premature aging. It is enough to eat 5 nuts a day to feel the desired effect.
11. A handful of pumpkin seeds provide the body with daily zinc requirements.
12. Wild berries blueberries and currants are rich in vitamin C. Lemon also has this property.
13. tea has tonic properties. Contains caffeine and antioxidants to enhance cognition. L-theanine relieves emotional stress.

Carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and amino acids are needed for the brain to function properly.

Adding a salad made from the following ingredients to your diet will help maintain memory:

• carrots;
• beets;
• half celery root;
• parsley;
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil;
• half a lemon.

Grate the ingredients on a coarse grater, season with oil, pour in lemon juice and salt a little. Then mix the salad thoroughly and enjoy healthy, tasty food.

Poems and music

Another effective way to improve memory is to memorize poetry. There are several guidelines for achieving the desired result:

1. Studies with verses, not lines. Many people make this mistake. If you repeat one line many times and then move on to another, you may end up confused in the verse. The short-term memory can detect about 7 blocks. In order not to overload you, you need to divide the poem into the same number of parts. Take 5 seconds between blocks.
2. First, read the entire poem 2-3 times. At the same time, try to visualize the plot of the work. Now read it again and realize that you have already memorized a few lines. In this way we try to learn the whole poem.
3. Do not use four lines to teach. The work falls into fragments and its complete reproduction will be problematic.

Listening to music is also one way to improve memory. But these are definitely classic pieces. Music creates vibrations in the air that promote relaxation and have a positive effect on the brain. Works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Johann Sebastian Bach, Georg Friedrich Handel have this ability.

Other modes

Take an active lifestyle, move and walk in the fresh air. During exercise, the body releases hormones that improve brain function. Walking helps you fill up with oxygen. You need enough sleep for brain cells to regenerate. The lack of rest is immediately reflected in the state of health.

Brain efficiency increases during the deep sleep phase.

Stress is a direct threat to memory. It has a devastating effect on brain cells and the hippocampus, an area responsible for creating new memories and reproducing old ones. That is why it must be fought. This can be done through physical exercises that release endorphin, the hormone of pleasure.

Drawing and reading are some techniques for balancing your emotional state. Projecting negative emotions on paper allows you to look at the problem from the outside. As you read, attention is shifted to the plot of the book. This relieves mental stress.

There are recommendations for improving memory in traditional medicine as well. Let's look at some recipes:

1. Grate the horseradish root and 3 lemons. Add 3 tablespoons of honey to the resulting mass. Put in the refrigerator for 3 weeks. Take 1 teaspoon twice a day with meals.
2. 10 g of ginger, pour 250 ml of boiling water, add mint and lemongrass. Drink 1-2 cups a day.
3. Pour 1 tablespoon mint and a similar amount of sage with two glasses of boiled water. Insist for 12 hours. Then filter and take 50 ml four times a day, half an hour before a meal.
4. 1 tablespoon mountain ash bark, pour 250 ml of water and boil for 10 minutes. The mixture should be infused for 6 hours, then filtered and take 1 spoon three times a day. The duration of the course is 3-4 weeks.

Memory status can be affected by medication.

If you choose this, do not self-handle. Medication should only be taken after consulting a doctor.

Express methods

If you need to quickly recover something in memory, simple exercises will help:

1. Concentrate first. Concentrate and focus on what needs to be remembered. Don’t let your attention distract you from other objects.
2. The next step is to create associations. Associate the object you want to remember with something. Here you can rely entirely on your imagination.
3. Now let's move on to the third stage. The association must be repeated several times. This method helps to remember any event or information without rote memorization.

If you're not sure how to concentrate, try the following exercise:

1. First take a deep breath and hold your breath for five seconds. In this case, the palm should be clenched into a fist.
2. Then exhale slowly and open your hands.
3. After this exercise you will feel calm, improve your concentration.

You must use a familiar object to create associations. Memory activity is arranged so that the best results are obtained when new facts are added to the feelings and feelings experienced.

Many people are aware of the situation where memory starts to fail at the right moment. It’s not just older people who face this. Anyone can learn methods that improve their ability to memorize. An integrated approach is recommended for better results. You will feel the effect at the beginning of the class.