How to Improving Your Memory ?

Is it really possible to improve your memory?

 If you've ever found yourself forgetting where you left your keys or blanking out information on important tests then you have probably wished that your memory was a bit better. Fortunately, there are plenty of things that you can do to help improve your memory.

1. Learn something new

Memory strength is just like muscular strength. The more you use it, the stronger it gets. But you can’t lift the same size weight every day and expect to get stronger. You’ll need to keep your brain constantly challenged. Learning a new skill is an excellent way to strengthen your brain’s memory capacity.

There are many activities to choose from, but most importantly, you’ll need to find something that forces you out of your comfort zone and commands your full attention.

Here are some examples:

• learn a new instrument

• make pottery

• play mind games, like Sudoku or chess

• learn a new type of dance, like the tango

• learn a new language

2. Eat more of these foods:

Diets such as the Mediterranean diet, DASH (dietary approaches to stop hypertension), and the MIND diet (Mediterranean-DASH intervention for neurodegenerative delay) have a few things in common. This includes their ability to improve memory and reduce the risk of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseaseTrusted Source.

These diets focus on eating:

✓ plant-based foods, especially green, leafy  vegetables and berries

✓ whole grains

✓ legumes

✓ nuts

✓ chicken or turkey

✓ olive oil or coconut oil

✓ herbs and spices

✓ fatty fish, such as salmon and sardines

✓ red wine, in moderation

✓Fatty fish are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s play an important role in building brain and nerve cells. 

They’re essential for learning and memory and have been shown to delayTrusted Source cognitive decline.

3. Socialize

Humans are social creatures. Research shows that a strong support system is vital to our emotional and brain health. One study from 2007 found that people with very active social lives had the slowest memory decline. Just 10 minutes of talking to another person was shown to improve memory.

4. Drink water

Your brain is made mostly of water. Water acts as a shock absorber for the brain and spinal cord. It helps our brain cells use nutrients. So just a small amount of dehydration can have disastrous effects. Mild dehydration has been shownTrusted Source to cause brain shrinkage and memory impairment.

Aim for at least eight to ten glasses per day, or more if you’re very active.

5. Meditate

There’s mounting evidence for the health benefits of meditation. Studies show that meditation helps improve several cognitive functions, like focus, concentration, memory, and learning. Meditation may actually rewire the brain and encourage more connections between brain cells. There are several ways to meditate — find out which one is right for you

6. Get physical

Exercising has been shown to have cognitive benefits. It improves oxygen and nutrient delivery to the body, and helps to create new cells in the brain which are essential for memory storage. Exercise especially increases the number of cells in the hippocampus.

There’s no need for the exercise to be strenuous. Walking, for example, is a great choice.

7. Manage stress

When you’re stressed, your body releases stress hormones like cortisol. Cortisol has been shown to greatly impair the brain’s memory process, especially our ability to retrieveTrusted Source long-term memories. Stress and depression have even been shown in animal studies to shrink the brainTrusted Source.

8. Drink coffee

Caffeine has actually been shown to enhance memory and reduce risk ofTrusted Source Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.

But this one comes with a caveat. Having too much caffeine, or consuming it later in the day, can have the opposite effect as it can impair sleepTrusted Source in sensitive individuals.

9. Enjoy nature

Getting out into nature is incredibly important for our emotional and physical health. Enjoying nature can even be considered a form of meditation. One 2008 study found that a walk in a park improved memory and attention compared to walking in a city.

Likewise, daily gardening lowers your risk of dementia by 36 percentTrusted Source, according to one 2006 study.

10. Eat less of these foods:

Proponents of the Mediterranean and MIND diets say to avoid the following foods:

✓ sugar

✓ processed foods

✓ butter

✓ red meat

✓ fried foods

✓ salt

✓ cheese