Have you started noticing that you can't remember where you put the keys or you once again forgot an important meeting, you can't concentrate on important things and you're constantly distracted, you don't remember new material well or you can't remember recentlyadopted material? If this is the case, then it is worth considering how to improve memory and attention in adults and restore their previous condition.
The first thing that comes to mind is to create a diary or network calendar with reminders so you don’t miss important events and appointments. But what to do with the information that needs to be remembered and transferred to long-term memory? !!
Unfortunately, things are not that simple. Despite the variety of choices, tablet forms, and variety of supplements and medications, there is currently little scientific evidence that they actually improve brain activity and thought processes. And testing a $ 50 drug that promises to strengthen neural connections in the brain in just a few weeks doesn’t sound very tempting, especially if a meeting is scheduled by a doctor as part of a promotion.
In the 21st century of information technology, in order to cover an entire book or even prepare for an exam, it is necessary not only to spend time on it. The crux of the problem is often just poor memory, impaired memory and the wrong approach to the learning process.
Fortunately, there are scientifically proven effective methods to improve memory and ways to improve brain function, both in the short and long term at home, and even make it easier to prepare for the exam. We will consider each of them separately below.
Try to improve concentration through meditation
Attention is one of the main components of memory. To transfer data from short-term memory to long-term memory, you need to focus on this particular piece of material. Try to do important things away from distractions such as TV, music, telephones, chat rooms and other entertainment.
It's not always easy to do, especially if you're surrounded by noisy neighbors or children. Try to set aside time for yourself when no one is stopping you so you can focus on your work.
Memory and concentration are located in approximately the same part of the brain. It has been proven that increasing the concentration of attention through meditation leads to an improvement in the work of the brain and the memory process of an adult.
Meditation helps to improve and develop working memory that temporarily stores data needed throughout the day. Simply put, at any given time there is 7 information in the brain, when a new part arrives, it displaces the old, which is or is not recorded in long-term memory. Meditation helps to access information that is needed in a certain period of time faster.
How long it will take to see positive results is not known for sure. Generally, this can take 2 to 8 weeks.
Perhaps the calming effect of meditation enhances the ability to overcome mental noise (distraction) and focus on what you need to know at one time or another.
Here are some more powerful ways:
- Turn off all notifications when learning.
- Try to isolate yourself from people you know while studying. Go to a library or coffee shop where you won’t be bothered.
- Work on only one topic at a time, avoid multitasking and frequent switching to other material.
Don't push
In order to adequately process this or that information, it should be studied in several approaches. Studies have shown that those who regularly learn certain material in parts remember them much better than those who learn everything at once.
Structure and organize your data
The researchers found that the information in the brain was organized into interconnected "clusters. "This ability of the brain to structure data can be used in everyday life. Try to combine similar ideas and concepts or sketch notes or group materials from different books, which will make it easier for you to remember and highlight the information you want from different sources.
Use mnemonics and abbreviations
Mnemonics is a memory technique that students often use to retrieve data from the brain faster. In other words, it is an easy way to remember complex information. For example, you can associate an expression you want to remember by linking it to a topic you are familiar with. The best mnemonics are those associated with positive images or humor. You can come up with a rhyme, song or joke to remember a particular segment of material.
Abbreviations are the most commonly used technique for associative memory of short sheets or sequences.
In everyday life we are already so used to abbreviations 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 abbreviations.
Analyze the material in detail and repeat what you went through
To memorize information, you must first make it understandable to the brain, then repeat everything you have learned, and then the information will definitely fall into long-term memory. For example, read the definition of a key term, study the definition of that term, and then read a more detailed description of what that term means. By repeating this process several times, you will probably find that over time you remember the term easier and faster.
To review the studied material, it is also recommended to divide it into three weight categories. For each of them, choose the amount of time you will spend and the days of the week.
Review the material again, if you remember it well, repeat it only once a week.
If you have difficulty reproducing information, read it again in a few hours or every other day.
And if you don't remember anything, study the material again for 10 minutes. After repeating the entire cycle, you re-sort the information according to the way you remember it and schedule your time to repeat and fill in the blanks.
Visualize information
Visualizing information often helps people remember material better because some people have more visual perceptions. For example, look at the pictures, charts, and tables in the same guides. You can create your own charts, diagrams, and drawings, use margin notes, or colored markers to remember significant points and quickly find what you need.
Connect new information with known information
When researching unfamiliar material, take the time to think about how this information relates to what you already know. Once you find this link, it will be easier for you to remember recently received information.
Read aloud
Research shows that reading aloud 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 own classmates. You can also 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 at the end? The researchers found that the order of data testing plays a significant role in brain sampling rate and output. And the material is best remembered at the beginning of the book and at the end.
Information in the middle is often lost, but this problem can be solved by repeating it several times. Another strategy is to try to paraphrase what you have learned in your own words to make it easier to remember.
Change the default environment
Another great way to improve memory is to change the learning environment. Change the classroom location or time of day to study the material. By adding an element of novelty to your learning activities, you can increase the efficiency of your efforts and memorize information.
Remember before you write
Teachers often tell you to write things down before you start teaching them so that the material is better remembered.
Remember and mentally repeat what you wrote, not just rewrite without thinking.
This procedure is not difficult because the information will remain in the short-term memory for about 10-20 seconds. And by mentally driving this information into your head, you will thus transfer it into long-term memory.
Get some sleep and don't forget to take a nap if possible
Most students try to spend more time learning and completely forget about sleep. But this only makes things worse, because lack of sleep affects memory as well as some other cognitive abilities.
The connection between sleep and memory has been confirmed by numerous studies, as many people know that memory consolidation occurs during sleep. It follows that the quality of sleep is directly related to the clarity of memory. If the quality of your sleep suffers, you will soon notice that your memories are slipping away. Conversely, with enough sleep of over 8 hours, remembering certain moments is much easier and faster.
Research has also shown that napping can improve memory performance. One of the most well-known studies in this area showed that REM sleep (only half an hour or a little more) increases the brain's ability to retain information. The researchers asked two groups of people to memorize a set of pictures with different pictures, and then after about 40 minutes they showed another set of cards. One of the groups managed to take a nap in those 40 minutes.
Results:The napping group retained significantly more image information (85%) than those who did not sleep at all (60%).
The reason is again the consolidation of memory - the brain needs sleep for this process to go well, so a little sleep will only be useful.
Takeaway:If you want to make the most of your memory reserves, give your body enough sleep.
Train
Exercise is known to improve cognition, concentration and blood circulation in the brain through the flow of oxygen to its cells and mood.
Exercise also triggers the release of cathepsin B protein in the brain. This stimulates the growth of neurons (brain cells) and creates additional connections in the hippocampus, the area of the brain responsible for long-term memory and retention.
Exercise has been shown to improve brain function in a number of studies, so let’s talk about that first. In one of them, just a few minutes of light exercise was shown to lead to an instant improvement in memory. Participants in the experiment performed exercises of varying intensity, while scientists observed changes in brain activity at that time.
The results showed that during these exercises the connection between the areas of the brain responsible for creating new episodic memories (autobiographical memory, which remembers on a “who, what, where and when” basis) as well as in the dental gyrus and hippocampus improved.
Therefore, in just a few minutes or even an hour of exercise, you can improve your memory. For starters, you can try a treadmill or walk, and most people can.
Drink coffee and tea
Caffeine is a known brain booster. In large quantities, it is unhealthy and even dangerous, but it no doubt improves memory.
In one Johns Hopkins study, one group of volunteers was asked not to consume caffeinated food at all, and another was added a 200 mg caffeine supplement 5 minutes after being asked to look at the pictures. The next day they were shown even more pictures, some of them are identical to the past or are in some way similar, there were also new ones.
Thegroup that had been taking caffeine the day before did a much better job of identifying which images were similar to the original and even managed to distinguish between them.
Tea and coffee contain the highest amount of caffeine, and they have a number of other benefits, such as the presence of antioxidants. Try to get your caffeine from natural teas and coffees, not from sweet carbonated energy drinks. In addition to caffeine, green and black tea also contain components that improve memory. It is recommended to drink them all day, but preferably not before bedtime.Eat foods rich in flavonoids
Foods that contain saturated fats and trans fats (red meat, butter) are harmful to memory. And just in preparation for exams, students often eat a lot of unhealthy food that is even worse for the brain.
Numerous studies have shown that this food can even lead to Alzheimer's disease and dementia in the future, which causes irreparable damage to brain health and causes memory loss.To improve memory, it is recommended to eat foods that are good for the brain, more fish, olive oil, whole grains, nuts, blueberries.
In the long run, foods rich in flavonoids will help improve memory, especially berries and dark-colored cocoa. Flavonoids are anti-inflammatory compounds found in plants and improve cardiovascular health. Some studies have also proven to be an excellent means of preventing cancer, and consuming blueberries slows down memory loss for a few weeks.
Another study found that regular consumption of blueberries for 12 weeks improves spatial memory. The first signs of improvement appeared in the third week of the experiment.
It is also known that dark chocolate containing 70% or more cocoa improves brain function.
Medications and Supplements
If you want to improve brain function by supplementation, then omega-3 fatty acids are best.
When choosing a supplement and before taking any pill, pay attention to the label, omega-3 fats must be obtained from highly refined fish oil, preferably from fish found in cold waters, because they contain mercury. They improve memory, especially in the elderly, and other cognitive functions.