Did you start noticing where you don’t remember where you put your keys, or you forgot an important meeting again, can’t focus on important issues, and is constantly distracted, can’t remember new materials well, or can’t remember recently handed over material? If so, you may want to think about how to improve memory and attention in adults and regain their previous condition.
The first thing that comes to mind is creating a diary or an online calendar with reminders so you don’t miss important events and appointments. But what to do with the information that needs to be remembered and transferred to long-term memory?
Unfortunately, things are not that simple. Despite the wide variety of choices, pill formulations, and variety of supplements and medications, there is currently little scientific evidence to actually improve brain activity and thought processes. And testing a $ 50 drug that promises neural connections to the brain in a few weeks doesn’t sound too tempting, especially if the appointment was made as part of a doctor’s action.
In the 21st century of informatics, you don't just have to spend time covering the entire volume or even preparing for an exam. The problem is often just poor memorization, memory impairment, and the wrong approach to the learning process.
Fortunately, there are scientifically proven effective memory-enhancing methods and techniques for improving brain function, both at home and in the short term, and even making exam preparation easier. Each is considered separately below.
Try meditation to improve concentration
Attention is a major component of memory. In order for data to be transferred from short-term memory to long-term memory, we need to focus on this material. Try to do important things other than distractions like TV, music, phones, chat rooms, and other entertainment.
This isn’t always easy to do, especially when surrounded by noisy neighbors or children. Try to take time for yourself when no one is in the way so you can focus on your work.
Memory and concentration are in about the same region of the brain. It has been shown that with increasing concentration of attention, meditation leads to improved brain performance and the process of adult memory.
meditation helps to improve and develop your working memory, which temporarily stores the necessary data throughout the day. Simply put, whenever there is 7 information in the brain when a new part arrives, it displaces the old one, which is recorded or not recorded by long-term memory. Meditation helps you get the information you need at a given time faster.
How long it takes for positive results is uncertain. This can usually take 2-8 weeks.
Perhaps the calming effect of meditation increases your ability to overcome mental noise (distractions) and you can focus on what you need to know at one moment or another.
Here are some more effective methods:
- Turn off all notifications while learning.
- Try to isolate yourself from your friends as you study. Go to the library or cafe where you won’t be disturbed.
- Cover only one topic at a time, avoid multitasking and frequent switching to other materials.
Don't stuff it
Several approaches need to be studied in order to properly process this or that information. Studies have shown that those who regularly learn a particular material in parts are much more memorable than those who learn at the same time.
Structure and organize your data
Researchers have found that the brain is organized in interconnected "clusters. "This ability of the brain can be used to structure data in everyday life. Try combining similar ideas and phrases, or outlining notes or grouping material from different books to make it easier to remember and highlight information from different sources.
Use reminders and abbreviations
Mnememonics is a memorization technique that students often use to collect data faster in the brain. In other words, it’s an easy way to remember complex information. For example, you can associate a phrase you want to remember by associating it with a topic you know. The best reminders are those that are associated with positive images or humor. You may find a rhyme, song, or joke to remember a specific segment of material.
The abbreviationsare the most commonly used technique for associative memorization of short lists or sequences.
In everyday life, we’re so used to abbreviations so much that we don’t even notice them and don’t think about what words they consist of.
You can create your own abbreviations as you learn new knowledge.
Analyze the material in detail and repeat what was handed over
To remember information, you must first make it understandable to the brain and then repeat everything you have learned, then the information will definitely be stored in long-term memory. For example, read the definition of a key term, study the definition of the term, and then read a more detailed description of what the term means. If you repeat this process more than once, you will probably find that you will remember the term more easily and quickly over time.
To review the test material, we also recommend that it be classified into three difficulty categories. For each, select the time spent and the days of the week.
Review the material once more, if you remember it well, repeat it only once a week.
If you're having trouble copying information, read it again in a few hours or the next day.
And if you don’t remember anything, study the material again for 10 minutes. Once the entire cycle is repeated, it rearranges the information according to how it is remembered and allocates time to repeat and fill in the gaps.
Display information
Displaying information often helps people remember the material better because some people are more perceptible visually. For example, look at pictures, graphs, and tables in the same tutorials. You can create your own charts, diagrams, and drawings, use notes in margins or colored markers to remember important points, and quickly find what you need.
Combine the new information with the information you already know
When researching unfamiliar materials, take the time to think about how this information relates to what you already know. Once you find this connection, it will be easier for you to remember the information you received recently.
Reading
Research shows that reading aloud makes it easier to remember information. Teachers also support and put this concept into practice when they ask their students to teach new material to their classmates. You can use this approach and also study new materials with your friend.
Spend more time on complex information
What information is easiest to remember at the beginning or end? The researchers found that the order in which the data were examined plays a significant role in how quickly the brain takes samples and releases this information. And the material is best remembered at the beginning and end of the book.
Information in the middle is often lost, but this problem can be solved by repeating it several times. Another strategy is to try to rephrase what you have learned in your own words to make it easier to remember.
Change the default environment
Another great way to improve memorization is to change the learning environment. Change the location of the classroom or the time of day to study the material. Adding an element of novelty to your learning activity can improve your effort and memorization of information.
Remember before you write
Teachers often tell you to write things down before you start teaching them to remember the material better.
Remember and mentally repeat what you describe, not just rewrite it without thinking.
This process is not difficult because the information remains in the short-term memory for about 10-20 seconds. And once you mentally bring that information back to your head, you transfer it to long-term memory.
Get enough sleep and don't forget to sleep if possible
Most students try to spend more time studying and completely forget about sleeping. But it only makes matters worse because lack of sleep affects memorization as well as some other cognitive abilities.
The relationship between sleep and memory has been confirmed by several studies, as many know that memory consolidation occurs during sleep. It follows that the quality of sleep is directly related to the purity of memories. If your sleep quality deteriorates, you will soon notice that memories are slipping down from you. In contrast, with enough sleep from 8+ hours, recalling certain moments is much easier and faster.
Research has also shown that sleep can improve memory performance. One of the best-known studies in this area has shown that REM sleep (only about half an hour) increases the brain’s ability to retain information. The researchers asked two groups of people to remember a series of images with different images, and then showed another deck of cards after about 40 minutes. One group managed to snooze in those 40 minutes.
Results:that napping group retained significantly more information about the images (85%) than those who did not sleep at all (60%).
This is again due to the consolidation of memory - the brain needs sleep for this process to go well, so a little sleep will only be beneficial.
Conclusion:If you want to make the most of your memory reserves, fall asleep to your body.
Train
Exercise is known to improve brain cognition, concentration, and blood circulation by flowing oxygen to its cells and mood.
Exercise also triggers the release of cathepsin B protein in the brain. This stimulates the growth of nerve cells (brain cells) and creates further connections in the hippocampus, the area of the brain responsible for long-term memory and retention.
Exercise has been shown in many studies to improve brain function, so let’s talk about this first. In one, it was shown that just a few minutes of light exercise leads to an immediate improvement in memory. Participants in the experiment performed exercises of varying intensity, while the scientists observed a change in brain activity at that moment.
The results showed that these exercises improved the connection between the brain regions responsible for the creation of new episodic memories (autobiographical memory that remembers according to the principle of "who, what, where and when") and the hippocampus.
Therefore, you can improve your memory with a few minutes or even an hour of training. For starters, you can try a treadmill or walk, and most people can.
Drink coffee and tea
Caffeine is a well-known brain enhancer. It is unhealthy and even dangerous in large quantities, but it undoubtedly improves memory.
In a study by Johns Hopkins, one group of volunteers was asked not to consume caffeinated foods at all, and another was given a 200 mg caffeinated dietary supplement 5 minutes after being asked to view the images. The next day they were shown more pictures, some of them identical with the past, or somehow similar, there were new ones.
The group that had been taking caffeine the day before was much better able to identify which images were similar to the original and could even differentiate between them.
Tea and coffee contain the highest amounts of caffeine and have many other benefits, such as antioxidants. Try to get caffeine from natural teas and coffees, not sugary carbonated energy drinks. In addition to caffeine, green and black tea contain elements that improve memory. It is recommended to drink them all day, but preferably not at bedtime.
Eat flavonoid-rich foods
Foods that contain saturated fat and trans fat (red meat, butter) are poorly remembered. And just by preparing for exams, students often consume a lot of unhealthy foods that are even worse for the brain.
Numerous studies have shown that these foods can even lead to Alzheimer’s disease and dementia in the future, causing irreparable damage to brain health and memory loss.
To improve memory, it is recommended to eat foods that are good for the brain, more fish, olive oil, whole grains, nuts, blueberries.
In the long run, foods high in flavonoids improve memory, especially dark-colored berries and cocoa. Flavonoids are anti-inflammatory compounds found in plants that improve cardiovascular health. Some studies have also proven to be an excellent cancer prevention agent, and consuming blueberries for several weeks slows down memory loss.
Another study found that regular consumption of blueberries for 12 weeks improved spatial memory. The first signs of improvement appeared as early as the third week of the experiment.
Dark chocolate containing 70% or more cocoa also improves brain function.
Medications and Supplements
If you want to improve brain function with supplementation, omega-3 fatty acids are best.
When choosing dietary supplements and taking tablets, make sure on the label that omega-3 fats should be made from highly refined fish oil, preferably from fish in cold waters, as they contain less mercury. They improve memory, especially in the elderly, and other cognitive functions.