How to Improve Your Memory Power

by **Dins** Sun Jul 29, 2007 4:34 am

How to Improve Your Memory Power

Forgot where you placed the book yesterday? Cannot remember an oft-dialed phone number? This inability to recall simple things is spreading widely amongst today’s stressed out populace. Our memory banks have limited storage capacity that is teeming with the bombardment of information. Hence, we forget easily. A large part of our brain is locked up with unnecessary information. The memory is there. It is just taking longer to retrieve. Information that is practiced and recorded will be retained.

Here are a few tips that help to improve your memory.

Mnemonics
They are used to help remember things with the help of visual imagery or sounds. Mnemonics depend on an association between easy-to-remember constructs and lists of data. By coding language and numbers in terms of striking images, the structure of the information can be remembered and recalled later. I still remember the mnemonic I used in school to remember the trigonometry ratios:
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(Sine = Perpendicular/Hypotenuse Cos = Base/Hypotenuse Tan = Perpendicular/Base)

Practice
A flagging memory can be boosted with a little practice. Try to remember things just to exercise your brain. Start with recent happenings, and then extend the radius. For example, recollect the cricket scores of the last match. Extend the session to individual scores of the players. Just as a thorough workout yields a well-toned body, so does practicing the memory makes your mind sharper and more adaptable. Do away with the calculator and try to do as much mental math you can. Decrease your dependency on gadgets and other people to remember things.

Healthy diet
Sometimes anaemia or iron deficiency also causes memory loss. The best way to protect your memory is to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. The antioxidants and nutrients in them will boost up your memory. Nuts like almonds are said to sharpen the mind. Avoid too much alcohol as that befuddles the mind.

Exercise
Physical work out boosts memory and helps you to think faster. The lack of oxygen to the brain sometimes makes it sluggish. At the same time, indulge in some mental gymnastics like crosswords and acrostics to preserve brainpower.

Try new things.
If you are a right-handed person, try using your left hand to do everyday tasks like dusting or combing. Choose a different place to eat your lunch. Shop from a different departmental store. This change from daily routine that will make you think and concentrate will be a challenge for your brain.

Be creative
Try to nurture your creative side. Be it any activity; spend some time every day in an artistic pursuit. Have a hobby and find time for it. Doing something that you enjoy refreshes a brain tired out from routine work.

Try these tips for a few weeks and see whether you are still misplacing the car keys!