Have you started to notice that you can't remember where you put your keys or once again forgot about an important meeting, you cannot concentrate on important matters and are distracted all the time, can't remembernot much new material or do not remember recently passed material? If this is the case, it is worth considering how to improve memory and attention in adults and return to their previous state.
The first thing that comes to my mind is to create an online planner or calendar with reminders so that you don't miss important events and meetings. But what to do with the information to be retained and transferred to long-term memory? !
Unfortunately, things are not that simple. Despite the variety of choices, pill forms, and variety of supplements and drugs, there is currently not a lot of scientific evidence that they actually improve brain activity and thought processes. And testing a $ 50 drug that promises to strengthen neural connections in the brain in just a few weeks doesn't sound too tempting, especially if the appointment was made by a doctor as part of a promotion.
In the 21st century of information technology, covering the entire volume or even preparing for an exam requires more than just time. The heart of the problem is often simply poor memorization, weakened memory and poor approach to the learning process.
Fortunately, there are scientifically proven effective methods of improving memory and ways to improve brain function, both short and long term at home, and even to make your exam preparation easier. Below we will look at each of them separately.
Try meditation to improve concentration
Attention is one of the main components of memory. In order for data to move from short-term memory to long-term memory, you need to focus on that particular piece of material. Try to do important things away from distractions such as TV, music, phones, chat rooms, and other entertainment.
It is not always easy to do this, especially if there are neighbors or noisy children around you. Try to make time for yourself when no one is in your way so you can concentrate on your work.
Memory and concentration are located approximately in the same region of the brain. It has been proven that with an increase in the concentration of attention through meditation, this leads to an improvement in the performance of the brain and the process of remembering an adult.
Meditationhelps improve and develop working memory, which temporarily stores the data you need throughout the day. Simply put, at any time there are 7 pieces of information in the brain, when a new part arrives, it displaces the old one, which is or is not stored in long-term memory. Meditation helps to get this information more quickly which is needed in a given period of time.
The time it will take to see positive results is not known for sure. Usually it can take 2 to 8 weeks.
Perhaps the calming effect of meditation increases the ability to overcome mental noise (distractions) and focus on what you need to know at one point or another.
Here are some more powerful ways:
- Turn off all notifications while learning.
- Try to isolate yourself from people you know while studying. Go to the library or cafe where you won't be disturbed.
- Only work on one topic at a time, avoid multitasking and frequently switching to other content.
Do not stuff
In order to adequately process this or that information, it must be studied using several approaches. Studies have shown that those who regularly learn a particular material in parts memorize it much better than those who learn everything at the same time.
Structure and organize your data
Researchers have found that information is organized in the brain in interconnected "clusters". This brain's ability to structure data can be used in everyday life. Try combining similar ideas and terms, or sketching out notes or grouping material from different books, this will make it easier to remember and highlight information you want from different sources.
Use mnemonics and abbreviations
Mnemonic is a memorization technique often used by students to retrieve data from the brain more quickly. In other words, it's an easy way to remember complex information. For example, you can associate a term you want to remember by associating it with a topic you are familiar with. The best mnemonics are those associated with positive imagery or humor. You can create a rhyme, song, or joke to remember a specific segment of the material.
Acronyms are the most common technique used for associative memorization of short lists or sequences.
In everyday life we are already so used to acronyms that we don't even notice them or think about what words they are made of.
As you learn new knowledge, you can create your own abbreviations.
Analyze the material in detail and repeat what you have spent
To memorize information, you must first make it understandable to the brain, then repeat everything that has been learned, then the information will definitely fall into long-term memory. For example, read the definition of a key term, study the definition of that term, and then read a more detailed description of what the term means. By repeating this process a few times, you will likely find that you remember the term more easily and quickly over time.
To review the material studied, it is also recommended to divide it into three categories of difficulty. For each of them, select the time you spend and the days per week.
Reread the material, if you remember correctly, only repeat it once a week.
If you have difficulty reproducing information, re-read it in a few hours or every two days.
And if you don't remember anything, study the material again for 10 minutes. After the whole cycle repeats, you sort the information again based on how you remember it and allocate your time to repeat and fill in the gaps.
View information
Viewing information often helps people remember material better, as some people have better visual perception. Pay attention to pictures, charts and tables in the same tutorials, for example. You can create your own diagrams, diagrams and drawings, use notes in the margins or colored markers to remember important points and quickly find what you need.
Link new information to known information
When looking for unfamiliar material, take the time to think about how that information relates to what you already know. After you find this relationship, it will be easier for you to remember recently received information.
Read aloud
Research shows that reading aloud makes it easier to remember information. Teachers also support this concept and apply it in practice when asking their students to teach new material to their own classmates. You can also use this approach and study new material with your friend.
Spend more time on complex information
What information is easiest to remember at the beginning or at the end? Researchers have found that the order in which data is examined plays an important role in how quickly the brain is sampled and produced. And the material is best remembered at the beginning and the end of the book.
Information in the middle is often lost, but this problem can be solved by repeating it several times. Another strategy is to try to rephrase what you have learned in your own words so that you can remember it more easily.
Change the usual environment
Another great way to improve memorization is to change the learning environment. Change the place in the classroom or the time of day to study the material. By adding an element of novelty to your learning activities, you can improve the efficiency of the effort expended and the retention of information.
Remember before writing
Teachers often tell you to write things down before you start teaching them so that the material is better remembered.
Remember and mentally repeat what you write, not just mindlessly rewrite.
This process will not be difficult as the information will remain in short-term memory for approximately 10-20 seconds. And after you mentally repress this information in your head, you will transfer it to long-term memory as well.
Get enough sleep and remember to take a nap if possible
Most students try to spend more time studying and forget to sleep altogether. But that only makes the situation worse, as a lack of sleep affects memorization as well as some other cognitive abilities.
The link between sleep and memory has been confirmed by numerous studies, as many people know that memory consolidation occurs during sleep. It follows that the quality of sleep is directly related to the clarity of memories. If the quality of your sleep suffers, you will soon notice that memories slip away. Conversely, with enough sleep from 8 hours and more, it is much easier and faster to remember certain moments.
Research has also shown that naps can improve memory performance. One of the best-known studies in this field has shown that REM sleep (about half an hour) increases the brain's ability to retain information. The researchers asked two groups of people to memorize a set of photos with different images, and then after about 40 minutes, they showed another set of cards. One of the groups managed to take a nap during those 40 minutes.
Results:the group that napped retained much more information on photos (85%) compared to those who did not sleep at all (60%).
The reason, again, is to consolidate memory - the brain needs sleep for this process to run smoothly, so a little sleep will only be beneficial.
Conclusion:If you want to get the most out of your memory stores, give your body enough sleep.
Train
Exercise is known to improve cognition, focus and blood flow in the brain through the flow of oxygen to its cells and mood.
Exercise also triggers the release of cathepsin B protein in the brain. This stimulates the growth of neurons (brain cells) and creates additional connections in the hippocampus, an area of the brain responsible for long-term memory and retention.
Exercise has been shown to improve brain function in a number of studies, so let's talk about it first. In one, it was shown that a few minutes of light exercise resulted in instant improvement in memory. Participants in the experiment performed exercises of varying intensity, while scientists at that time observed changes in brain activity.
The results showed that during these exercises, the connection between the brain regions responsible for creating new episodic memories (autobiographical memory, which remembers according to the principle "who, what, where and when"), as well as in the dentate gyrus has improved. and the hippocampus.
Therefore, within a few minutes or even an hour of exercise, you can improve your memory. You can try a treadmill or walk for a start, and most people can.
Drink coffee and tea
Caffeine is a well-known brain stimulant. In large quantities, it is unhealthy and even dangerous, but there is no doubt that it improves memory.
In a study by Johns Hopkins, one group of volunteers were asked not to consume caffeinated foods at all, and the other was given an extra 200 mg of caffeine 5 minutes after beinginvited to see photos. The next day they were shown even more pictures, some were the same as the past or similar in some way, there were new ones too.
The group that took caffeine the night before was much better at identifying images that were similar to the original images and were even able to tell the difference between them.
Tea and coffee contain the highest amount of caffeine, in addition to that they also have many other benefits, the presence of antioxidants for example. Try to get your caffeine from natural teas and coffees, not sugary carbonated energy drinks. In addition to caffeine, green and black tea contains components that improve memory. It is recommended to drink them throughout the day, but preferably not before bedtime.
Eat foods rich in flavonoids
Foods that contain saturated fat and trans fat (red meat, butter) are bad for memory. And just in preparation for exams, students often eat a lot of unhealthy foods that are even worse for the brain.
Numerous studies have shown that these foods can even lead to Alzheimer's disease and dementia in the future, causing irreparable damage to brain health and leading to memory loss.
To improve memory, it is recommended to eat foods that are good for the brain, more fish, olive oil, whole grains, nuts, blueberries.
In the long run, foods rich in flavonoids will help improve memory, especially dark-colored berries and cocoa. Flavonoids are anti-inflammatory compounds found in plants that improve cardiovascular health. Some studies have also been shown to be an excellent cancer prevention agent, and consuming blueberries for several weeks slows memory loss.
Another study found that consuming blueberries regularly for 12 weeks improved spatial memory. The first signs of improvement appeared from the third week of the experience.
Dark chocolate containing 70% or more cocoa is also known to improve brain function.
Drugs and Supplements
If you're looking to improve brain function through supplementation, omega-3 fatty acids are best.
When choosing supplements and before taking tablets, pay attention to the label, omega-3 fatty acids should be obtained from highly refined fish oil, preferably from fish that thefound in cold waters because they contain less mercury. They improve memory, especially in the elderly, and other cognitive functions.