9 Easy Ways To Improve your Memory

Did you know that the amount of information your brain can store is virtually limitless? And that there is very little difference between the brain of a genius such as Albert Einstein, and your brain?

The reason some people are able to remember things more easily is not because they have a better brain than you, but because they know how to use it better!

Whilst it is true that environmental factors such as your diet or how much you stimulate your brain throughout the day affects your brain health and how well it functions, what really counts is how much you understand about how the brain and your memory operate.

The more you know, the more efficiently you will be able to use your brain.

Below you will find 9 simple tips on how to improve your memory by using some basic memorisation techniques and knowledge about how the brain remembers things.

1 - Improve Your Memory By Relating To What You Know

One of the best things you can do to improve your memory, is simply to understand what you are trying to remember by relating it to what you already know.

For example, if you meet someone and his name is Bozar, then instead of trying to remember that name by repeating it over and over again, you could think of something to relate it to.

If your dog is named Bozar, then it will be easy for you to remember that name because it is already familiar to you.

If you can’t think of something exactly the same, think of something that is closely related or related in some way.

2 - Improve Your Memory By Being Interested

The more interested you are in something the more you will enjoy doing it, and the easier it will be for you to remember it.

The reverse of this is also true. The less interest you have in something the more difficult it will be for you to remember it.

Therefore, in order to improve your memory, try to become interested in whatever it is you are trying to memorise.

Some things you will be naturally interested in, and others you won’t. So try to think of a reason why it would be beneficial to learn something, even though you may find it difficult or boring to do.

A reason I like to use which sparks my interest in just about anything, is that new experiences and information are good for the health of the brain, especially the things that are difficult.

3 - Think Deeply For Deep Memorisation

Often, the things you remember well are the things you think about deeply. So if you come across some information and just skim over it without really thinking about it, chances are you won’t remember it for very long.

So use your brain and really think about what you are trying to remember, because the more you do the better your memory will be.

A good way to think about something is to ask yourself questions about it and then answer them.

4 - How Long Do You Want To Remember Something For?

There are two main types of memory. Things you remember in the short term, and things you remember in the long term. How long you want to remember something for can actually affect how long you do remember it.

For example, if you are learning something and just want to learn it for your exams, you are likely to remember it for your exams and then forget it soon afterwards.

However, if you intend to remember something for a long time, you are likely to do so because the brain will see that information as important and hold onto it.

Since we receive so much information throughout the day and throughout our lives, the brain tends to grade information by its importance.

The more important something is to you, the longer you are likely to remember it. The less important something is to you, the quicker you are likely to forget it.

5 - Improve Memory Recall Through Association

This memory technique involves associating something with something else.

For example, if you have been away from home for a long time and then return after several months or years, seeing your home again is likely to bring back memories.

The reason for this is because the past experiences that occurred in your home are now being triggered and reactivated by seeing your home again.

You can exploit this principle of association for improving your memory by using objects to jog your memory.

A common memory technique people use before bed if they don’t have a pen and paper at hand, is to leave something on their bedroom floor as a reminder of something important.

When they trip over it or pick it up in the morning, they then remember what they made a mental note of last night.

6 - Memorisation Sequences

A,B,C,D,E,F,G… it’s easy to remember the alphabet, because one letter leads to another. It’s a sequence of letters that you spent the time to memorise as a child.

Now try saying the alphabet backwards. Unless you memorised how to do that, you probably won’t be able to do it at all or will find it very difficult.

People find it easy to remember things in sequence, because one thing leads to another. If the sequence makes sense, such as 1,2,3,4,5… it will be easier for you to remember it.

7 – Sugar Kills Your Memory

Eating sugary food or drinking sugary drinks is bad news for your memory. Sugar inhibits memory forming enzymes, which means you remember less of what you are trying to learn.

To improve your memory avoid all sources of sugar during lectures, revision sessions or whenever you are trying to remember something of importance.

Sugar can also come in the form of white flour, so avoid simple carbohydrates such as cakes and sweets!

8 - Make A Strong Impression On Your Memory

The stronger an impression something makes on you, the easier it will be for you to remember it. Some things will naturally make a strong impression on you, whilst other things won’t.

A strong impression is just something that stimulates your brain a lot. Therefore, the more you stimulate your brain, the more easily you will remember something and the better your memory will be.

You can stimulate your brain by using as many different senses as possible. For example, thinking about something in your head, speaking it out loud, looking at something, acting it out and writing it down.

9 - Learn Something Different To Memorise It Well

This is a memory tip for students or anyone who has lots of things to remember. Your memory works best when you give your brain time to absorb the information you have just learnt.

For example, if you are studying maths for an hour you would remember what you have just learnt best if the next subject you did was something completely different to maths.

Studying similar subjects one after the other actually inhibits your memory, and results in you remembering less because the brain needs time for new information to “sink in”.

So avoid doing similar things after each other and you will improve your memory for the all the subjects you have studied.

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