Your memory develops in three steps, according to Aetna InteliHealth. During acquisition, you initially learn the target information. During consolidation, your neural pathways become stronger and allow you to retain the information in your long-term memory. In the course of retrieval, your brain plucks the information from your neural pathways, enabling you to remember. You can take some steps that may help improve your ability to retain and recall information.
Mnemonic Devices and Associations
Use mnemonic devices when acquiring new information. You have probably already used some of these devices in the past. For example, you might have used the sentence “My Very Excellent Mother Just Sent Us Nine Pizzas” to remember the order of the planets in grade school. Another example is the use of rhyme to remember the days of the month with “Thirty days hath September, April, June and November.” Help Guide also suggests using alliteration, acronyms and visual images. Another common method is “chunking,” during which you group numbers or words together to remember more easily, such as with telephone numbers. Link new information to things you already know, and try to associate the information with multiple senses. In addition to silently reading it, read it out loud and rewrite it yourself.
Stimulate Your Mind
Help Guide asserts that memory is similar to muscular strength in that you must exercise it to keep it. Dr. Lawrence Katz and Manning Rubin suggest practicing “neurobic” exercises to stimulate your brain. These exercises involve performing a task in a novel and engaging way. One example they give is to brush your teeth using your nondominant hand. When you change your routine in a challenging way, you also change your brain activity. You can also stimulate your mind by learning a new skill, doing word or number puzzles, taking a class or driving a different way to work. Anything that is stimulating, novel and challenging can help exercise your memory muscle.
Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle
Keep your body and mind healthy to support memory functioning. Help Guide explains that by exercising regularly, you can reduce your risk of developing illnesses that are detrimental to memory, including cardiovascular disease. Lack of sleep can also have a negative effect on memory acquisition, consolidation and retrieval, so aim for an adequate amount each night. Try to keep your stress levels low, as stress can impede memory function. The Mayo Clinic suggests eating a healthy diet to support your brain’s functioning. Drink an ample amount of water every day, and avoid consuming too much alcohol. The Mayo Clinic also asserts that socialization is an important part of a healthy lifestyle and subsequent strong memory. Spending time with friends and family can help you lower stress levels and avoid depression, and both stress and depression can contribute to memory loss.
