You noticed that you can't remember where you put your keys or forgot about an important meeting once again, you can't focus on important matters and stay distracted all the time, Don't remember new content well, or can't remember recent content? If so, it is worth pondering how to improve memory and attention in adults and regain their former status.
The first thing that comes to mind is a diary, or an online calendar with reminders so that important events and appointments are not missed. But what to do with the information that should be remembered and transferred to long-term memoryshould be done?
Unfortunately, things are not so simple. Despite the variety of options, pill making, and a variety of supplements and medications, there is currently not much scientific evidence that they actually improve brain activity and thought processes. And testing a $ 50 drug, which promises to strengthen neural connections in the brain just a couple of weeks, doesn't sound very appealing, especially if the appointment was made by a doctor as part of a promotion.
In the 21st century of information technology, it is necessary not only to spend time on it, to cover the entire volume or even to prepare for an exam. The core of the problem is often poor memory, memory. Being weak is the wrong way of learning.
Fortunately, there are scientifically effective methods of memory enhancement and ways to improve brain function, both short and long term at home, and even make exam preparation easier. Below we areWill consider each separately.
try meditation to improve concentration
Meditation is one of the main components of memory. To move data from short-term memory to long-term memory, you need to pay attention to this particular content. Television, music, phone, chat room and moreTry to do important work away from distractions like entertainment.
This is not always easy to do, especially if you have noisy neighbors or children around you. Try to make time for yourself when no one is around so that you can focus on your work.
memory and concentration are located in the same region of the brain. It has been proven that with increased concentration of attention through meditation, it leads to improvements in brain performance and the process of recalling an adultis.
Meditation helps improve and develop working memory, which temporarily stores the necessary data throughout the day. Simply put, the brain contains 7 pieces of information at any given time, When a new part arrives, it displaces the old one, which is not recorded or not recorded in long-term memory. Attention helps to get that piece of information that is increasingly needed at a given time. is.
How long it will take to see a positive result is not known for sure. In general, it may take 2 to 8 weeks.
Perhaps the calming effect of meditation increases the ability to overcome mental noise (distractions) and focuses on what you need to know at one point or another.
Here are some more powerful methods:
- Turn off all information while learning.
- Try to separate yourself from the people you know while studying. Go to the library or cafe where you will not be disturbed.
- Work on only one topic at a time, avoid switching to multitasking and other content frequently.
don't cram
In order to adequately process this or that information, it must be studied in a number of approaches. Studies have shown that people who regularly learn a particular material in parts can use them. Remember better than people who learn at once.
Structure and organize your data
Researchers have found that information is interlinked in the brain. This ability of brain structure data can be used in everyday life. Try to connect similar thoughts and words together, or differentSketch notes or group material from books, this will make it easier to remember and uncover information you want from various sources.
use mnemonics and abbreviations
Mnemonics is a memoir technique often used to bring data from the student brain faster. In other words, it is an easy way to remember complex information. For example, you can associate that wordAre the ones you want to remember by associating them with the subject you are familiar with. The best mnemonics are associated with positive imagination or humor. You can come up with a poem, song or joke to remember a specific section of contentHuh.
is the most commonly used technique for associative memoir of short lists or sequences.
In everyday life, we are already used to using gyms that we don't even notice them and don't think about what words they are made of.
As you learn new knowledge, you can create your own resume.
Analyze the content in detail and repeat what you have passed
To remember the information, you first need to make it understandable to the brain, and then repeat all the things learned, then the information will definitely come into long-term memory. For example. , Read the definition of a key word, study the definition of that word, and then read a more detailed description of what that word means. By repeating this process several times, you will probably find that you can read the word more over time. Recalls easily and fast.
To review the material studied, it is also recommended to divide it into three categories of difficulty. For each of them, select the amount of days and days you spend per week. .
Review the content again, if you remember it well, repeat it only once a week.
If you have difficulty reproducing the information, read it again for a few hours or every other day.
And if you don't remember anything, re-study the material for 10 minutes. After repeating the whole cycle, you sort the information again according to how you remember it and the interval. Allocate your time to fill in and fill.
imagine information
Visualization of information often helps people remember content better because some people have more visual perception. For example, pay attention to photos, graphs, and tables in the same tutorial. You can use your ownCan draw diagrams, diagrams and diagrams, use margins or notes in colored markers to remember important points and find what you need quickly.
Link new information with known information
While researching unfamiliar content, take time to think about how this information relates to something you already know. By finding this relationship, it will be easier for you to remember recently received information. .
read aloud
Research shows that reading out loud makes it easier to remember information. Teachers also support this concept and put it into practice when they ask their students to teach new material to their classmates. You can use this approach and study new material with your friend.
Spend more time on complex information
What information is easiest to remember at the beginning or end? Researchers found that the order in which the data is examined plays an important role in how fast the brain displays samples and information. And the material is best remembered at the beginning and end of the book.
The information is often lost in the middle, but this problem can be solved by repeating it several times. Another strategy is to try to make it easier to remember what you have learned in your own words.
Change the normal environment
Another great way to improve memoir is to change the environment for learning. Change the space or time of day in the classroom to study the material. By adding an element of innovation to your learning activities, you spendCan improve the efficiency of efforts taken and recall information.
remember before writing
Teachers often ask you to write down the words before you start teaching so that the material is better remembered.
Remember and mentally repeat what you write, not rewrite randomly.
This process will not be difficult as the information will remain in short term memory for about 10-20 seconds. And after mentally putting this information back in your head, you will transfer it to long term memory.
Get enough sleep and don't forget to take a nap if possible
Most students try to spend more time in study and forget about sleep altogether. But this only makes the situation worse, because lack of sleep is memory as well as some other cognitive abilities. Influences.
Many studies have confirmed between sleep and memory, as many people know that memory consolidation occurs during sleep. It follows that sleep quality is directly related to the clarity of memories. If your sleepIf the quality deteriorates, you will soon notice that the memories are running away from you. In contrast, with 8+ hours of adequate sleep, it is very easy and fast to miss a few moments.
Research has also shown that nap memory can improve performance. The most well-known studies in this area have shown that REM sleep (just half an hour or so) increases the brain's ability to retain information. The researchers asked two groups of people to recall a set of pictures with different pictures, and then showed another set of cards after about 40 minutes. One of the groups managed to nap in those 40 minutes.
Results:The nap group kept more information about the pictures (85%) than those who did not sleep (60%).
The reason, again, is memory consolidation - this process requires sleep in order for the brain to go well, so a little sleep would be beneficial.
Conclusion:If you want to make the most of your memory storage, give your body enough sleep.
train
Exercise is known to improve cognition, concentration and blood circulation through the flow of oxygen to your cells and mood in the brain.
Exercise also triggers the release of cathepsin B protein in the brain. It stimulates the growth of neurons (brain cells) and creates additional connections in the hippocampus, an area of the brain responsible for long-term memory and retention.
Exercise has been proven to improve brain function in many studies, so let's talk about that first. In one of them, it was shown that a few minutes of light exercise immediately improves memory. In the experiment, participants performed exercises of varying intensity, while scientists at that time observed changes in brain movements.
The results showed that during these exercises, the connections between regions of the brain are responsible for creating new episodic memories (autobiographical memory), according to the principle of "who, what, where and when" recallsAt the same time dentate gyrus has improved. And hippocampus.
Therefore, even in a few minutes or an hour of exercise, you can improve your memory. You can try a treadmill or a walk for a start, and most people can do it.
drink coffee and tea
Caffeine is a well-known brain booster. In large quantities, it is unhealthy and even dangerous, but there is no doubt that it improves memory.
In a study by Johns Hopkins, a group of volunteers were told not to consume caffeine-rich foods, and another group were given 200 mg of caffeinated supplements 5 minutes after asking them to look at the pictures. The next day he was shown more pictures, some of them similar to the past or somehow new.
The group that took caffeine the day before did a much better job of identifying which photos were similar to the original ones and were even able to tell the difference between them.
Tea and coffee have the highest amounts of caffeine, in addition, they have many other benefits, for example the presence of antioxidants. Try to get your caffeine from natural teas and coffees, not sugars. Carbonated energy drinks. In addition to caffeine, green and black tea have components that improve memory. They are advised to drink throughout the day, but preferably before bedtime.
eat flavonoid-rich foods
Foods that contain saturated fats and trans fats (red meat, butter) are bad for memory. And just in preparation for exams, students often eat a lot of unhealthy foods that are even worse for the brain. Huh.
Several studies have shown that these foods may cause Alzheimer's and dementia in the future, which cause irreparable damage and memory loss to brain health.
To improve memory, it is recommended to eat foods that are good for the brain, more fish, olive oil, whole grains, walnuts, blueberries.
In the long term, foods high in flavonoids will help improve memory, especially dark colored berries and cocoa. Flavonoids are anti-inflammatory compounds found in plants that improve heart health. Some studiesHas also been proven to be an excellent anti-cancer agent and consumption of blueberries for several weeks reduces memory.
Another study found that regularly consuming blueberries for 12 weeks improved spatial memory. The first signs of improvement had already appeared in the third week of use.
Dark chocolate containing 70% or more cocoa is also known to improve brain function.
medicines and supplements
If you want to improve brain function through supplementation, omega-3 fatty acids are best.
When choosing a supplement and before taking any tablet, note the label, omega-3 fats should be obtained from highly refined fish oil, preferably from fish found in cold water, as they tend to be lower. Mercury. They improve memory, especially in the elderly and other cognitive functions.