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5 Ways To Boost Your Memory
- by Murdo Macleod
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Have you ever imagined the benefits a good memory can bringyou?
Being able to remember important pieces of information -like names, facts and figures, directions, procedures,quotations - can give you a powerful advantage in life.
In fact, the ability to retain and retrieve information isessential to your personal and professional success.
Here are five ways to boost your memory and keep it razorsharp:
1. Use Your Imagination
An easy way to remember something is to "take a picture".
For example, to remember where you've left your car keys,pretend to hold a camera to your eyes, focus on the scene,and click the image into your memory when you are leaving.
Then, when you want to find your keys again, try to developthe negative into positive and you'll be able to draw out aclear picture.
This technique works with almost everything you want toremember, as the film reel in your mind is endless.
Another trick you can use is to "think like a poet". Makeup rhymes to recall ideas and construct simple-to-rememberacronyms to record key phrases.
Remembering is EASY (Every Acronym Saves You) when you DIY(Do It Yourself).
Let's say you want to memorize the planets in their orderfrom the Sun: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn,Uranus, Neptune and Pluto.
Then just say "My Very Excellent Mom Just Served Us NicePickles".
2. Practice!
You can boost your memory with just a little regularpractice. There are lots of ways of doing this:
Try to remember which day of the week your last birthdaywas. Then extend this to the birthdays of all your familymembers.
Try to remember all the Grand Slam Finalists and who was thewinner. If you can try to remember the scores as well, itwould be an even better exercise.
Try to remember names of all the 50 States and see if youcan do it in alphabetic order too.
It won't be long before your daily practice pays off -making your mind sharper and more adaptable.
3. Eat Healthy
The best way to protect your memory is to eat plenty ofantioxidants and nutrients commonly found in fruits andvegetables.
In a study published by the American Journal of ClinicalNutrition, researchers tested people aged between 65 and 90and discovered that the people with the best ability tomemorize words were those whose diets included the mostfruits and vegetables.
Coincidentally, the same group of people ate the leastartery-clogging saturated fat. Of all the fruits andvegetables studied, blueberries and blackberries contain themost potent antioxidants, anthocyanins.
4. Get Physical
Physical exercise not only boosts memory but also helps youthink faster. A combination of mental and physicalactivities can protect your memory and help keep you alert.
The brain's processing speed gradually slows as you age.Between ages 25 and 55, many people begin to experienceproblems coming up with names or numbers. The memory isthere. It just takes people longer to retrieve it.
Staying physically fit can ward off some of the effects ofage on the brain. In real life, that could mean coming upwith a forgotten name more quickly or jumping out of dangerin the face of an oncoming car.
5. Exercise Your Brain
Mental gymnastics are as important as physical ones topreserving brainpower.
Take up word games like crossword puzzles and acrostics.Memorize favorite poems, read challenging books or articlesthat encourage you to expand your interests.
Practice other-handedness. If you're right- handed, trybrushing your teeth or writing your grocery list with yourleft hand.
Any activity that requires you to think and concentrate --from keeping a journal or learning a new language to takingmusic lessons -- will challenge your brain.
And your brain will thrive on the challenge.
Article ? 2003 Murdo Macleod.
===========================================================Murdo Macleod is a software developer and webmaster of the'Fun With Figures' website which shows anyone of any abilityhow to do mental math. Visit the Fun With Figures websitetoday at: http://funwithfigures.com/===========================================================
About the Author Murdo Macleod is a software developer and professional webmaster with a lifelong interest in psychology. His latest project is the 'Fun With Figures' website which he runs with mental math expert Kenneth Wiilliams, and shows anyone of any ability how to do mental math. The website is at: http://funwithfigures.com/
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