Tips To Enhance Your Memory

The day is half over, and you can’t get over the feeling that you’ve forgotten something important. You check your calendar, but whatever it is, it was never written down. Now you’re stuck, and you can’t remember what it was.

It could be something as simple as to pick up milk or as important as your mom’s birthday, either way being forgetful is frustrating.

There’s nothing more frustrating than forgetting. The fact is, we get so busy that it’s very hard to keep track of everything you need to get through a day.

Or is it?

Some people naturally have better memories than others. If you’re one of those people that struggles to remember as much as you’d like, don’t despair.

Your potential to have a great memory might be better than you think!

It’s possible that you could be remembering a lot more in a few short days with just a few tips and tricks.

Try these tips to enhance your memory:

Reduce stress.
Find some stress-relieving activities that work for you and do these activities each day.
A relaxed, peaceful, quiet mind is better at storing and retrieving information.

Use mnemonic devices.
Mnemonic devices are something we’re all familiar with. For example, HOMES is a common mnemonic device for remembering the great lakes: Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior.
• FACE is a common mnemonic used by young musicians to remember the notes on the spaces in the treble clef.
• Make up your own mnemonic devices for the things you need to remember.

Repetition.
Repetition is the key to mastering anything. Reading through a list of German vocabulary words once isn’t as effective as doing it 10 times.

Visualize.
Remembering the word “bicycle” is easier if you visualize a bicycle. An even better option is to visualize a crazy looking bicycle.

Read out loud.
If you want to remember a list of items, read them out loud. Remember as children we would read poems out loud at school almost daily? Reading silently or thinking gives you a single exposure.

Reading out loud gives you multiple exposures. You read it, say it, and hear it so you remember it.

Practice regularly.
Force yourself to memorize something each day. It could be a grocery list, a random list or words, or items in a photo. Test yourself. Stretch your ability to memorize.

Daily practice leads to fast improvement.

Spaced repetition.
Better yet, space out your study. Studying for five minutes multiple times a day is more effective than studying for a single, longer period of time.

Get sufficient sleep.
Your brain needs to process and file new information. It’s important to get enough sleep if you want your memory to be at its best. How much is enough?

Most experts will suggest 7-9 hours is a good number for adults. Experiment and see what works the best for you.

Train your brain.
As we age, we tend to move around less and tax our brains less. Your brain needs a daily workout. Read something challenging. Play chess. Do crossword puzzles. Try to complete a maze as quickly as possible. Count backwards from 1,000 by 14’s. Push yourself.

Get some exercise.
Physical exercise is important, too. You feel different emotionally and intellectually after you exercise. It’s because you are different. Every part of your body benefits from exercise, including your brain.

Write it down.
Things you write down are easier to remember. If you want to remember something, write it down over and over.

Eat berries.
Research has shown that berries are great for enhancing and preserving memory. This is a simple tip that’s enjoyable, too.

The ability to remember things fades with age, but everyone can have a better memory than they do today.

Like anything else, your memory will improve if you practice regularly.

Try making little changes in your daily life to make remembering things easier.