Keeping your memory in good condition is a vital part of your brain’s function. Every now and then, our actions greatly depend on a lot of information we retrieve from our memory bank. Such information can either be short term (such as specific tasks that we have to do) or long term (such as the ability to drive a car or repeat an instruction we read from a book). While long term memory may come spontaneously without too much effort when the need arises, short-term memory requires recalling information from the accumulation of things stored away. This is why you need a memory jogger to keep your memory in great shape to achieve efficiency in your daily endeavors:
• Keep your attention focused on the needed information to be stored in your memory bank. Even with distractions around you, stay focused on the subject. The more concentrated you are on the information, the better the chances of retaining it in your memory.
• Utilize the most ideal sense or senses when gathering the information. This is what we call acuity in sensing our environment and is a great aid for memory exercises. Be aware of the color or details of a picture, or the particular sound or smell of the thing involved. All our bodily senses are attuned to collect information depending on the circumstance at hand. While our sense of vision may be the most used in gathering information, our senses of hearing, smell, taste, and touch are equally important and helpful in remembering things, situations, and information about something or someone.
• When you’re not sure that the information you are about to remember would really be retained by your brain, it would be better to write the information. This could be proven effective especially in gathering very long and tedious information like lecture notes or a personal interview. Just be sure you don’t forget that you have a note at hand; and of course, don’t misplace the note.
• Maintain a balanced diet. A well-proportioned diet will result in a conditioned memory. Oily and sweet foods may cloud the memory. If you cannot completely eliminate a bad diet, gradually cut down your intake of these memory-inhibiting foods. Doing it gradually cushions the effect of withdrawal symptoms and you’ll get adjusted to the new lifestyle you are creating. This is not only beneficial to the memory, but we can say you’re on your way to a healthy life. In addition drinking lots of water brings lots of advantages to your overall health, and your memory is no exception.
• Don’t deprive yourself of enough rest and sleep. Having enough sleep does not condone laziness; oversleeping does. So don’t feel guilty resting or sleeping as long as it is not overdone. You need it to keep you revitalized from the demands of work.
• Take time to relax. Breathe deeply if you must. Keep your thoughts organized before acting on them. Keep away from stress and anxiety. It may be impossible to completely eliminate stress since it is part of our challenging times, just try to keep it down as much as possible. Stress may bring your memory to an inefficient level. Avoid the habit of saying to yourself that you might forget things, because you’re more likely then to actually forget.
• Stay positive, creative, and energetic. Your memory needs to be within a circle of various things. Things that come in various shapes, sizes, and colors can motivate your creativity. This is a positive way of discovering your surroundings in all its variations and diversities. Avoid being enclosed within the four walls of your room just like you’re a prisoner. The only time to be enclosed is when you have to rest or sleep. Don’t be a couch potato. There’s a very exciting world out there waiting to improve your memory.
The very best way to improve your memory is between infancy and adolescent. As we grow older, memory starts to fail. But a strong memory that we develop during the prime years of our lives will definitely enhance our ability to be good thinkers. This can be done by continuous exercises to improve memory through reading and other cognitive activities like solving crossword puzzles. The more you do, the better memory retention is developed.
As far as health is concerned, high blood pressure can lead to stroke and heart ailments. It also results in poor memory retention. Memory function declines when blood pressure is high. Researchers have observed that people with normal blood pressure, especially at midlife, have a higher cognitive function. Concentration, decision-making, and remembering functions falter as a result of high blood pressure.
This is one you need to ‘store away’ – What is healthy for the body is likewise healthy for the memory!