Regular memory exercises are the key to a stronger brain. Especially if you want to avoid memory problems later. However, there are individual differences in memory.
What distinguishes people with good memory from those with good memory is strong working memory (retains information immediately after learning) and long term memory (remember information more than a day after memorization).
It’s rare to be good at both types, especially without practice.as a neuroscientist Massachusetts Institute of Technology SloanHere are two simple brain exercises I do every day to strengthen my working and long-term memory.
Chunking divides long, random, and complex information into smaller chunks.
For example, if you see a number like “3-3-2-1-6-7”, you can break it into numbers like “33”, “21, 67”. It’s also helpful to assign special meanings to these numbers. “I’m his 33 and he wore number 21 in high school. My dad was born in his ’67.”
Chunking is also great for presentations. If you’re nervous about being at a loss for words, make a list of key terms and phrases. Then say them out loud a few times and keep them in mind as a guidepost.
Brain Exercise: Instead of relying solely on your contact list, break down the phone numbers of your closest and dearest ones into smaller components and remember them. Check how many you can hold.
This method is about boosting memory for increasingly long time intervals.
If you want to remember a fact, say it out loud a few times right after you learn it. After a few hours, the next day, the next week, repeat.
If you feel like you’re starting to forget information, start the process over.
Brain Exercise: Write down your grocery list for the week. Repeat in your mind (visualize the item in your mind for each). Then cover your list and rehearse it out loud. When you hit the store later in the week, check how many items you can recall.
All mentally stimulating activities boost brain power, but there are three other simple and important steps you can take to energize your brain.
plenty of exercise
1 study Cognitive decline was found to be almost twice as common in inactive adults as in active adults.
For adults, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends at least 150 minutes Medium strength Physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity per week.
healthy eating
I always eat a variety of plants and vegetables, especially those on the dark end of the spectrum like kale and eggplant.
These are all high level PolyphenolA powerful nutrient that helps Prevent cognitive decline.
clear headspace
In our busy lives, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with information. But you can quiet the noise by creating a personal inventory.
Consider what is most important to you. What can you remember easily? What do you tend to forget?
With these things in mind, you can start making intentional changes.
Dr. Tara Swart Bieber Renowned neuroscientist, physician, and senior lecturer at MIT Sloan.she is the author of “Information Sources: Secrets of the Universe, Science of the Brain” host a podcast Reinvent yourself with Dr. TaraShe works with leaders to help them achieve mental resilience and peak brain performance. Follow her twitter and Instagram.
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