Experts say the amount of memory is unlimited. But we don't always use it correctly. Mechanical memorization, which is practiced in educational institutions, is not an ideal method for improving memory. It is made up of three elements: natural potential, condition and physical form. This means that memory can be influenced and today there are many ways to improve it.
Reasons for deterioration
The following factors cause memory impairment:
- emotional stress;
- systematic depression;
- lack of sleep;
- infectious diseases;
- vitamin deficiency;
- drink alcoholic beverages;
- smoke;
- brain injury;
- take medication (antidepressants, sleeping pills);
- diseases: atherosclerosis, thyroid dysfunction, multiple sclerosis, diabetes mellitus;
- aging of the body.
Strengthen memory at home
The brain is a dynamic structure that reacts to any influence. The right approach will help you achieve the desired result. Today, a sufficient number of techniques have been developed to improve memory.
Exercises
- Let's start our discussion of this method with an exercise called "associations". A wizard is required for implementation. Have him read aloud several pairs of words that have a semantic connection to each other. For example, "notebook - pen", "winter - snow", "book - study". Your task is to memorize the maximum number of words. Then the assistant should read the first words, the second should be reproduced independently.
- The second exercise is to improve your visual imagination. You need to close your eyes and imagine in detail any object, natural phenomenon or animal. It can be an oasis in the middle of the desert, a cat drinking milk, lightning in the sky. A wide variety of options are possible. Then take a piece of paper and describe the pictures presented on it in reverse order.
- The third exercise is to improve your listening and memorizing information. Someone needs to read a set of words aloud. For example, "table, sky, computer, elephant, autumn, river, tree". Repeat these words first in the same order, then in the opposite direction. If there is no one around, you can do the exercise yourself. To do this, you need to take a book and read aloud the first words of each line.
- The fourth exercise will give you the opportunity to train your memory and do household chores simultaneously. Before going to the store, write a list of the products you need to buy on the sheet. Read it several times. You can do this out loud or silently, as you wish. Then leave the sheet at home and go to the store without it. Repeat this exercise whenever you need to shop.
- Exercises aimed at activating the brain hemispheres will also help improve memory. The easiest of them is to change hands when performing an action. For example, comb your hair or hold the cut with your left hand (if you are left-handed, then with your right). You can also go walking on site. It is necessary to perform the exercise at a rapid pace. When lowering the knee, a wave of the hand is made so that it rises above the head. The exercise should be repeated several times.
Games
The cards are placed face down in a row on the table. Several people can participate in the game. Each in turn turns over any two cards. If they match, the participant takes them.
Playing with questions will also help train your memory. The subject does not matter. Each player asks questions to the rest of the participants. For a correct answer, five points are added, for a false, two points are deducted. Solving crossword puzzles will help achieve tangible results.
Menu to strengthen memory
The state of memory depends on the diet. Certain foods are the source of substances necessary for the body:
- Bananas provide the body with amino acids (carotene, methionine, tryptophan), easily digestible carbohydrates, vitamins PP, B1, B2.
- Sprouted grains contain elements that provide energy to the brain and normalize its function. These are selenium, copper, iron, zinc, calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus. Vitamins B9, B6, B5, B3, B2, B1.
- Eggs are rich in amino acids. They include glutamic acid, methionine, cysteine, tryptophan, lysine. Also vitamins A, B2, B1, PP. They provide the body with protein which is easily absorbed.
- Honey is a source of carbohydrates. They can replace sugar. In its composition, honey contains well-absorbed glucose and fructose. And also 22 of the 24 trace elements found in the circulatory system.
- Fish - salmon, trout, salmon, herring. Consumption of these products will replenish the content of essential omega 3 acid, a deficiency of which causes degenerative diseases of the brain. This element has a direct impact on the development of intelligence, memory and cognitive functions.
- Avocado improves blood supply to the brain due to the presence of unsaturated fatty acids and minerals.
- Dark chocolate contains flavonol, an element that prevents oxidation of the brain and normalizes blood circulation. Cocoa destroys the substances that contribute to the formation of blood clots.
- Apples inhibit the development of oxidative stress which leads to memory loss.
- Tomatoes contain lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that destroys free radicals (substances that negatively affect the brain). Melatonin, which is also found in this product, will help slow aging.
- Nuts containing lecithin have a positive effect on the brain by normalizing its activity. They also prevent premature aging. To experience the desired effect, it is enough to eat 5 nuts per day.
- A handful of pumpkin seeds will provide the body with a daily need for zinc.
- Wild berries, blueberries and currants are distinguished by a high content of vitamin C. Lemon also has this characteristic.
- tea has tonic properties. Contains caffeine and antioxidants to improve cognition. L-theanine relieves emotional stress.
Carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and amino acids are necessary for the proper functioning of the brain.
Introducing a salad based on the following ingredients into the diet will help maintain memory:
- carrots; beets
- ;
- half a celery root;
- parsley;
- 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil;
- half a lemon.
Grate the ingredients on a coarse grater, season with oil, pour with lemon juice and a little salt. Then stir the salad well and enjoy healthy and tasty food.
Poems and music
Another effective way to help develop memory is to memorize poetry. There are several guidelines to achieve the desired result:
- Learn by stanzas, not by lines. A lot of people make this mistake. If you repeat a line several times and then move on to another, you end up being confused in the stanza. Short-term memory is able to perceive about 7 blocks. In order not to overload it, you need to divide the verse into the same number of parts. Do 5 seconds between blocks.
- First read the entire poem 2-3 times. At the same time, try to visualize the plot of the work. Now read it again and you will find that you have already memorized some lines. This way we are trying to learn the whole verse.
- Don't use quatrains to teach him. The work will fall into fragments and it will be problematic to reproduce it completely.
Listening to music is also one of the methods of improving memory. But they must be classic pieces. Music creates vibrations in the air which promote relaxation and have a positive effect on the brain. The works of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Johann Sebastian Bach, Georg Friedrich Handel have this ability.
Other means
Adopt an active lifestyle, exercise and take a walk in the great outdoors. During physical exertion, the body releases hormones that improve brain function. Walking will help fill it with oxygen. Getting enough sleep is essential for the regeneration of brain cells. Lack of rest immediately affects your well-being.
The efficiency of the brain increases during the deep sleep phase.
Stress is a direct danger to memory. It has a devastating effect on brain cells and the hippocampus, the region responsible for creating new memories and reproducing old ones. Therefore, it is necessary to struggle with it. This can be done with the help of physical exercises, during which the release of endorphin - the hormone of joy - occurs.
Drawing and reading are some of the techniques for balancing your emotional state. Representing negative emotions on paper allows you to look at the problem from the outside. In the process of reading, attention is transferred to the plot of the book. It relieves psychological stress.
There are also recommendations for improving memory in traditional medicine. Let's look at some recipes:
- Grate the horseradish root and 3 lemons. Add 3 tablespoons of honey to the resulting mass. Refrigerate for 3 weeks. Take 1 teaspoon twice a day with meals.
- 10 g of ginger, pour 250 ml of boiling water, add mint and lemon balm. Drink 1 to 2 cups a day.
- Pour 1 tablespoon of mint and a similar amount of sage with two glasses of boiled water. Insist for 12 hours. Then filter and take 50 ml 4 times a day, half an hour before meals.
- Pour 250 ml of water on 1 tablespoon of rowan bark and boil for 10 minutes. The mixture should be infused for 6 hours, then strain and take 1 tbsp three times a day. The duration of the course is 3-4 weeks.
It is possible to influence the state of memory with the help of drugs.
If that's your choice, don't self-medicate. Medicines are taken only after consulting a doctor.
Express methods
If you need to quickly correct something in memory, some simple exercises will help:
- Concentrate first. Focus and direct it to what you need to remember. Don't let your attention shift to other objects.
- The next step is to create associations. Associate with something you are trying to remember. Here you can rely entirely on the imagination.
- Now let's move on to step three. The association must be repeated several times. This method will help you remember any event or information without rote memorization.
If you are unsure of your ability to concentrate, try the following exercise:
- First, take a deep breath and hold the air for five seconds. In this case, the palms should be clenched into a fist.
- Then breathe out slowly and open your hands.
- After this exercise you will feel relaxed, it will improve your concentration.
A familiar object should be used when creating associations. The activity of memory is organized in such a way that the best result is obtained if new facts are added to the sensations and feelings experienced.
Many people know the situation when, at the right time, memory starts to fail. It is not only the elderly who are faced with this. Anyone can master the methods to improve memorization ability. For best result, an integrated approach is recommended. You will feel the effect from the start of class.