Our memory is something we fear to lose. All the press around Alzheimer’s and dementia keeps reminding us that there is no guarantee it will be with us for forever.
But you can help to avoid memory loss by following a few simple steps. By being educated about memory loss and ways to prevent it, you will save yourself agony later in life. You can never start too early with memory loss prevention. Here are a few tips to get you started:
1. Brain Games. You can improve your memory by playing brain-challenging games. Much the same way you workout and strengthen muscles, you can do the same for your mind. If you challenge your brain regularly, it will be stronger and your memory, focus and concentration will all benefit. Some examples of memory games are crossword puzzles, brain teasers or puzzles, and word searches. Many studies have shown that puzzles and mental stimulation even help fight senility.
2. Variety is the Spice of Life – and Key to a Healthy Brain. If you associate learning with one location, your brain will start to think that is the only place where you will learn. There is an endless amount of information for you to learn, and it will help you study in different places. The reason for this is to dissociate the information with a specific location, and make it YOU that is the key to learning, not where you are. Think of it this way – when you change up the places where you learn things, it’s easier for the information to move from your short-term memory to your long-term one.
3. Pay Attention. An easy way to improve your memory is to pay attention. If your mind is prone to wandering, you will miss crucial details of conversation. Try to make sure your mind is clear and focus on the information being offered. Use any downtime in the information stream to think over some of the ideas and commit important ones to your memory.
4. Associations. When you learn something new, link that information with something you already know. Developing such organic ties greatly boosts your likelihood of permanently cataloging the new information. Performing this type of exercise also makes it faster and easier to create new memories.
5. Study Books on Memory Improvement (in different places of course!). You can find a number of useful books on the topic of memory improvement at your local public library, many of them written by well known psychiatrists. Practicing their techniques will help increase your memory and brain function, improving your own ability to remember information.
With the right information and a little bit of effort on your part, you can work to save those precious memories. If you take advantage of these tips we have presented, you’ll improve your memory and be less likely to suffer from memory problems later in life. Remember (pun intended!) – it’s never too late to improve your memory and brain. Just like any other part of your body, your brain will benefit from regular exercise.