Choosing To Learn

3 Tips For Improving Your Memory

19 December 2017

Barry Johnson

Most people will experience times in their life when they feel like their memory is declining. Usually, minor changes in your memory can be fixed by focusing on tasks and lifestyle changes to improve your memory.

Play Games

Assuming you have a mobile device, look for games in the app store that are designed to improve memory. In some cases, there are apps available that are used to strengthen different regions of your brain. It helps when the game is specifically targeted at improving memory because it will generally record your progression over days to see if you are improving and tell you what games you should play more often if you are weak in certain areas. Some examples of classic games that might help with memory are "Concentration," where cards are laid face down and you flip over a card and try to find its match.

Use Applied Exercises

Sometimes it's easier to enhance your memory when you work on applied tasks. One example is going to the grocery store and trying to remember everything you need to buy without referencing your list. Have your list saved on your mobile device or written on a sheet of paper. Go through the grocery store and place all the items you can remember into your cart. Before heading for the checkout line, compare what is in your cart to your list and see how many items you correctly remembered.

Challenging yourself can enhance your memory instead of immediately relying on lists. You might also notice a difference between writing a list long-hand and using an electronic one. Often, writing reinforces the information and you are more likely to remember your list. Another tactic commonly used for remembering lists is to create a funny sentence or scenario based off your list. For example, if you list includes cat food, apples, aluminum foil, and paper towels, you might think of cats wearing tin foil hats, who are making a mess while eating apples.

Consider Supplements

There are plenty of supplements marketed as helping with memory and cognition. Many of these supplements are nutrients you should incorporate into your diet anyway, such as B vitamins and fish oils. If you are not taking an multivitamin, start taking one and see if you notice any benefits. Sometimes minor changes in memory could be associated with basic deficiencies of certain nutrients that are easily replenished with a daily multivitamin. After a month or so without any benefits, you can consider adding a supplement that contains several nutrients associated with memory improvement. Just be careful that you are not over-taking any one nutrient that might already be covered in your multivitamin.

Fortunately, most changes in memory can be attributed to any number of benign problems, such as life stress. The above memory training tools can reverse the problem. When memory problems become ongoing or severe, it is time to speak with a healthcare professional.

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