“It’s right on the tip of my tongue.” Few things are more frustrating than knowing that you know something but being unable to actually express it. A long and productive study session can feel pointless afterward if you can’t remember any of the work you did. Memory retention is a habit and skill that can be cultivated and improved over time with a bit of practice and effort. Read these pointers, remember them, and soon you’ll be well on your way to not forgetting that next test answer.
Make Associations
If there’s an important piece of information that you’re struggling to memorize, try creating an association for it. This technique involves associating an image, object, person, or different concept with the thing you’re trying to memorize. Let’s say you’re trying to remember something about Florida; if you link the concept of Florida to an orange, when you think of oranges it’ll be easier to recall Florida. Medieval philosophers used this idea to create a system they called memory palaces where they would imagine a building in their mind in which each room would be full of objects linked to important memories they needed to recall. This is something you can do yourself: think of your childhood home or some other location you spent a lot of time in and know quite well. You can transform that space in your mind into a vault for your memories: that Tim Burton movie poster becomes a trigger for a piece of information you’ll need to pass your finals; that butterfly shower curtain becomes a reminder to remember what the word lepidopterist means (a fancy way of saying butterfly collector).
Flex Your Head
Your muscles atrophy and grow slack when they aren’t being used. Your cognitive abilities aren’t much different. If you want to stay sharp, you have to keep honing your mental faculties. An engaged mind is more able to recall things and retain information than a mind that’s passive and unengaged. The good news is that working out your mind can be fun! Pick up a challenging hobby like learning a musical instrument or taking up painting. Read books and play strategic board games with friends. Do crossword puzzles. The trick is to do things that interest and challenge you.
Keep It Moving
Don’t just work out your brain: exercising the rest of your body is good for your memory too. Exercise is good for circulation and improves blood flow. Increased blood flow to the brain is very good for cognitive health. You don’t have to do anything too intensive to enjoy the brain-boosting benefits of better circulation. Taking a brisk walk every day is a good starting point.
Chunk It Up
If you need to memorize a lot of information at one time, “chunking” it into smaller, more easily digestible pieces could make a big difference. For starters, it’s much less stressful to memorize a little bit of information versus trying to tackle a larger project. An overwhelmed mind does a poorer job of memory retention. Taking a little bit at a time gives your brain some “breathing room” to process information before moving on to the next morsel of knowledge that needs to be consumed.
Eat More Fruits & Vegetables
An easy and healthy way to give your memory retention a boost is to eat more fruits and vegetables. These types of plant foods tend to be packed full of anti-inflammatory nutrients like antioxidants that can lower risks of developing cognitive decline and dementia.
Article by Austin Brietta