Brain Games To Play To Help Improve Memory 96 Your memory is what you rely on to remember the good things from your past, those beautiful memories that you never want to forget. It's also what you use to remember where you put the car keys, and what items you need to pick up at the store. If you need help improving your memory, this article should give you some tips on making that happen. One of the best ways to store new information in memory is to relate it to something else that you are already familiar with. Creating a logical link between the new information and something else that you already know will increase your chances of being able to successfully recall that information later. The link you create functions as a trigger to recall the new information. If you find yourself having difficulty recalling information, take a deep breath and relax. Sometimes all you need is a bit more time to allow your memory to retrieve the information. Feeling pressed for time can result in stress that inhibits the recall process. Remember that the older you are, the longer it takes to retrieve information from the memory. Make sure that your diet has good sources of Omega-3 fatty acids. Most commonly found in fish, these fatty acids do a superb job of keeping your brain on its toes. Numerous studies have shown a positive benefit to the brain when the diet contains omega-3's. Try adding pink salmon, walnuts and flax seed, so you can get this essential fat. In order to improve your memory, be sure that you exercise on a regular basis. It is proven that exercise makes a person more alert, which in turn, helps you to absorb and keep information in the mind. Also, when your mind is memory supplements alert, it is easier for it to take mental pictures. Support your memory by eating more fruits and vegetables. Fresh produce is full of antioxidants, substances that have been shown to help prevent damage to your brain cells. Try eating richly colored fruits and vegetables such as broccoli, apricots, bell peppers and blueberries since they tend to have the highest concentrations of antioxidants. Try to visualize what you are trying to remember. When you see a mental picture of what you want to learn, you can recall it better. Visualize things like images, charts, or special aspects of the material that you are reading. When you remember those characteristics, you can recall the material more effectively. Break complex information down into smaller, more memorable pieces. This simple trick is regularly used to help people remember large numbers. For instance, your credit card numbers, phone number and social security number are all broken down into smaller, hyphenated sections to make them easier to remember. You can do the same thing with any complex data that you are trying to recall. When you are trying to commit something to memory, it's important to stay in the current moment as much as you possibly can. Try to avoid the urge to focus on the past or the future as you are learning. Make every effort to focus your attention on the material at hand, and you will retain it better. Exercise for the mind has been shown to help memory, just like exercise for the body will help muscles! If you enjoy crossword or word search puzzles, do them more often or play a trivia game
with friends. Such activity will keep your brain functioning sharper and consequently improve your memory! When you are trying to learn something new and you want to remember it, associate with something you already know. For instance, let's say you are learning a new phone number, remember it by thinking of a similar phone number. You have a better chance of keeping new information this way. Lately, have you been having trouble with your memory? Maybe this is because you are having sleeping problems. Surprisingly, poor sleep can hurt your memory processes. If you are having trouble going to sleep at night or if you are sleep-deprived for any other reason, it could be causing your lapse in memory. If sleeping continues to be a problem consult your physician for help in alleviating this situation. Before you make a commitment to improve your memory, be sure you are all ready to do so and keep an open mind. Some people's memories will not improve because they are not willing to try certain techniques given to them. Tell yourself that with enough hard work, your memory will work fine in no time! Improving your memory may be something as simple as going out for a jog or a bike ride. Recent studies have shown that aerobic exercises can actually cause the development of new neurons in the hippocampus of the brain, which is considered to be the memory store center of the brain. Rehearse the information you need to memorize. You should not learn it by heart and recite it, but learn it, digest it and rephrase it. Every time you rehearse the information you need to remember, you are ingraining it into your long term memory. Use your own words to rephrase the information. When trying to commit an item such as study materials to memory, it is best that you focus on these in an environment which is free from distractions such as television or music. Items can only move from the short term memory into the long term memory if you actively pay attention to the topic on hand. Try visual association to help with memory issues. The technique basically entails putting a picture with each phrase you want to memorize, making remembering that phrase easier. Studies have shown that combining words and pictures can be an effective way to remember things. Try it next time you're studying for an exam. Sleep is vital to maintaining mental clarity and memory. By avoiding sleep, you make your senses and mind foggier, hurting your ability to focus and piece together information. In addition, during sleep, your brain forges pathways that lead to memory. Getting good sleep (and a good amount of it) will improve your memory. A great tip for improving your memory with new items that are unfamiliar to you is by associating them with things that you are already familiar with. An example would be to memorize somebody's name by thinking of another person you know that looks similar to them or shares some key characteristic. As you've read in this article, keeping your memory healthy and strong is easy and can be fun! Use these tips to keep your mind sharp and enjoy the benefits of always having the name you need on the tip of your tongue, being able to find your keys, and remembering the milk!