Some people grasp information on the spot and remember it without difficulty. For others, remembering something is very difficult. People who have it look with envy at those who can remember even small details. Over time, everyone wonders how to improve memory.
What is memory (memories), and how does it work?
Memories are a repository of ideas about past events. A memory is assimilated if the past experience had some unique feature, thanks to which an image or information is stored in the head.
Memory can be both long and short. Short-term is better developed. A person can repeat a sentence he has just heard many times. However, after some time, this phrase will no longer be fully reproduced in your head. This happens because when the sentence was memorized, it worked, which works for a certain time. Short-term memory is a filter for passing information into long-term memory.
Long-term memory (link), as a rule, contains information that will pop up in your head throughout your life. Ideally, get into long memory Only information that can help in the future should be provided.
There is also a neutral link - the operational one. In this case, the information is in the head of a certain moment that a person needs (to give a report, to pass a test). Once the information is no longer useful, she leaves the operational unit.
There are various methods for . To ensure that information is always in your head, you need to develop a long-term link. Simple steps will help not only for the development of memory, but also for the development of abilities.
How to quickly develop memory on your own
- Let's turn on our imagination. People with good memory remember numbers using their imagination. It’s easier to remember something by using your imagination, for example, to remember the number 2, you can imagine a swan, and for the number 8, a matryoshka doll is suitable. Thus, memory development will be easier. If a suitable picture does not appear in your head, then you can draw it.
- We are in motion. Sports, dancing, any other movements, and also perform a function such as memory development.
- Handicrafts will help improve memory. Despite the fact that this activity is not very valued among the younger generation, it helps not only to correct handwriting, but also helps to remember more often.
- How to develop memory? By training. Reading books, articles, any texts will help. After reading, you need to write down the names of the characters and brief retelling. After some time, the entry should be re-read, and then the story should be restored in full. The exercise will help improve your memory and also make you an interesting conversationalist.
- Connecting memories with feelings. When you need to remember something, you should connect the words you hear/see with your experience. The more emotions associated with the information to be remembered, the easier it is to learn.
- How to quickly improve the quality of memory? Refuse to memorize. Many people believe that if you cram, the information will quickly be remembered and your memory will improve. However, it is not. IN best case scenario here the operational link will work (that is, after a while everything will be forgotten). It also happens that the next day it is impossible to remember what you taught. Your goal is to remember, not memorize.
- Associations help improve memory. For example, in order for someone’s name to remain in memories, it is enough to make it associated with something that occurs frequently.
- How to develop memory? Play computer games. Despite the fact that parents scold their children for playing games, they help them remember events better. Games help you think, plan your course, and find a solution. However, to improve the memorization of information, an hour of games is enough. You should not devote a lot of time to this entertainment, as it is addictive.
- Learning foreign languages is the best method for memory development. If you add seven new words to your vocabulary a day, then in a few months it will not only be easier to remember information, but you will also gain knowledge of a new language, which will be very useful in life!
- For women, birth control pills will help. How more woman takes such pills, the better her memory works. The effect will continue even if the tablets are no longer used.
- Listening to music. People are surprised at how easily they can remember the words to songs, but fail to learn the information they need. The fact is that melodies emit sound vibrations caused by brain waves. Listening to classics will especially help.
- Proper nutrition. To remember a lot and think better, the brain needs vitamins. Seafood is the best food for brain development.
- Refusal of diets. As a result of dieting, the brain stops thinking as well as before. Diets always have a detrimental effect on human health. To develop the ability to remember, you must first give up all diets, and it is better to follow proper nutrition(You can read about how to eat healthy on the Internet).
- The right books. There are many books about super memory that can be found on the Internet. Psychologists and doctors will talk not only about why it is more difficult to remember and assimilate new information, but also how to treat it.
- Stop being lazy. In addition, how to do the exercise will help you to simply do what you love, but at the same time remember something, think, force yourself to experience emotions (preferably positive ones). The main thing is not to be lazy, but to spend more time on the problem that has happened.
- Wine and chocolate. These products should not be overdone, however, small quantities(use is allowed every day) they will be beneficial. Wine will improve blood circulation and also relieve diseases. Even schoolchildren know about the benefits of chocolate.
- The question of how to improve memory can be answered like this: “Walk with your eyes closed more often!”(around the house, of course). This activity can be considered fitness for the brain. At first it will be difficult to succeed, however, over time, you will learn to remember the objects in the house. This way, you can easily walk around the house with your eyes closed. This skill will help improve the quality of long-term memory.
Thus, we can come to the conclusion that what more people strains the brain, the better it manages to remember events. Smile, move, read and listen, then your memory will be long and developed!
Author of the article: Kugusheva AnnaHow to develop memory, which is needed not only for children, but also for adults. It is simple and easy for some to remember information. For others, it takes a lot of effort to remember something.
As a result, people who cannot boast of a good memory envy those who are able to easily remember even the smallest details. And the question arises, how to develop memory and improve it? And you can learn about insidious arthrosis.
What is memory?
Memory can be short or operational and long-lasting. It is worth noting that short-term memory is better developed. It is thanks to her that the information heard can be repeated several times. After some time, the information will no longer be so detailed.
This happens because at that moment short-term memory was working, a feature of which is working in a certain period. It is considered to be a filter that passes information to long-term memory.
The long-term link includes important information, which a person will remember all his life.
It is also necessary to allocate RAM, which retains information until the right moment when a person needs to submit a report or report. After submitting information, a person forgets it.
There are many methods to improve memory. In order for information to be remembered for a long period, it should be put into a long-term link. By practicing regularly, you can improve your abilities and memory.
The way to develop memory is to include imagination
People who have excellent memory can remember numbers using imagination. For example, to remember a certain number, you can imagine animals or objects in the form of this number.
For example, to fill in the number 8, you can associate it with a matryoshka doll. This way it will be easier to remember. If it is difficult to find suitable numbers, you can create the picture yourself.
Movement is power
Do sports, dance or any other physical activity. At this time, the brain is activated, which contributes to the development and strengthening of memory. Pay special attention to the development of your left hand.
To creativity - yes
Oddly enough, tips on how to develop memory include needlework and creativity. Today, any products in the hand-made style are valued not only among older people, but also among the younger generation. By choosing a specific hobby, you can train your memory perfectly.
Regular training
Books, articles or any other texts should be read daily. After the text has been read, you should remember the names of the characters and write a short retelling. This exercise will not only strengthen your memory, but also make you an interesting conversationalist.
Use your feelings
If you need to remember certain information, you can connect it with sensations and emotions that will help reinforce it in memory.
Stop rote learning
Previously, there was an opinion that memorized material is stored in memory much faster, and it improves. Actually this is not correct. At the moment of memorization, RAM works, so what is memorized, after a short time, goes out of my head.
That’s why it so often happens that after a day or two it’s hard to remember what was discussed. When planning to remember information, you need to understand that it should not be memorized.
What develops memory
Oddly enough, it is computer games that allow you to remember information and events associated with them much better. Games allow you to plan your move, make your brain think and find the right decision. In order for memorization to improve, an hour of games per day is enough. Spending a long time playing games develops not only memory, but also addiction.
How to develop memory - learn foreign languages
Among the various methods of memory development, you can pay attention to the study of foreign languages. At the same time, 10 new words should be added per day. As a result, after a couple of months the information will be easier to remember. As a result, you will be able to boast of knowing a new language, which will add advantages to its owner.
Contraceptives had an unexpected effect
Scientists have found that women taking birth control pills note improved memory. Moreover, the effect lasts even after the woman stops taking them.
Music
People note the fact that the words of a song are very easy to remember, but learning the right amount of information is not easy. To improve your memory, you need to listen to classical music every day. This is another one important advice How to develop memory, which is given by experts.
Attention to nutrition: no diets
It is worth remembering that for the normal functioning of the whole body, a set of microelements and vitamins is needed. The daily diet should include seafood and nuts, which contain the necessary components that strengthen memory.
Reading the necessary literature
If you don't know how to develop your memory, start reading more. On the Internet or in library halls you can find literature that will help you develop your memory on your own. However, before you begin, you should consult a specialist.
How to develop memory - eliminate laziness
Before turning to this or that exercise, it is important not to be lazy, force yourself to remember and experience emotions. This can be done even during some activity.
Useful products for memory
Thanks to wine, blood circulation improves, and chocolate (about its benefits –) contains components that not only nourish the body, but also improve mood. Of course, they need to be taken in moderate doses.
Effective exercises to develop memory
- To develop memory and discover hidden abilities in yourself, you should regularly walk around the house blindfolded. This unique exercise is considered a real brain trainer. At first, the exercise will be difficult to perform, but more and more often thoughts will appear that it is easier to do. The lesson is aimed at improving long-term memory.
- Among modern techniques It is worth highlighting memory training when words are pronounced backwards. In this case, reading should be done not from a sheet, but by remembering it yourself. You should start with simple exercises by writing words on paper. Then, despite them, you need to read them in reverse order. At first glance it seems that this is a primitive exercise. But it is an ideal trainer for visual memory. Gradually, words can be taken more complex and longer. To complete the exercise, you can break long word into syllables. If you break the word into fragments, it will be much easier to pronounce it.
- Development of the left hand. It seems that there could be a connection between the hand and the memorization of information. In fact, the right side of the brain is responsible for them. Scientists have proven that left-handed people remember information much easier than right-handed people. Therefore, it is necessary to develop the left hand. You need to complete simple tasks first, gradually moving on to complex ones.
- Computer programs. There are programs for gadgets that help you perfectly absorb information or train your memory. If you have a smartphone, you can download apps to it and train every day.
- Healing sleep. In order for the body to function normally, it is important to sleep enough time. Even if the latest episode of your favorite series is shown on TV, and you really want to sleep, it is better to give preference to the second activity.
But all the efforts and training aimed at developing memory will not have a positive effect if the body does not get enough sleep. Scientists have proven the fact that most memory problems are observed in people who sleep little.
We propose to consider 14 simple and effective ways memory enhancements to enhance your own academic and/or professional performance.
Use mnemonics
Just as a computer uses binary code to store data and retrieves it in a user-friendly form, the human brain records information in a specific order and later presents it in a specific form. Mnemonics uses exactly this technique. It helps to store information in a specific code and then easily remember it. It may sound abstruse, but it's actually very simple.
Mnemonics involves using simple associations to remember information. For example, images, words, smells and other things that are familiar to you that can be associated with new information. Use your imagination to master this memory improvement technique.
Learn something new
Memory is like a car: if you don't use it, you lose it.
To improve your memory and maintain brain performance, learn new things as often as possible. There is no recipe for longevity, but all long-livers have a common feature (except healthy eating): They constantly use their mind. Learn a new dance new language, new game.... At the same time, you will also make new friends, and sociability is also very important, but more on that later.
Get enough sleep
The process of storing information occurs while you sleep. The brain then switches from a receiving state to a storing state: during rapid eye movement sleep, all the events that happened during the day are classified and associated with other already accumulated memories and knowledge.
Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, studied memory decline in adults and found that it was associated with poor sleep. And another study found that getting enough sleep helps children improve their academic performance. Combining these results, we get the main conclusion: to improve your memory, you need to get enough sleep, no matter how old you are. Every adult needs eight hours of sleep, perhaps a little more or less, depending on the individual.
The best way to remember the information you need is to focus on it just before you go to bed.
Focus on exercise
A study conducted by Dr. David Jacobs at the University of Minnesota concluded that people who regularly practiced cardiovascular exercise in their youth had better memory by middle age, namely after 45 years. This statement did not become a sensation, since it is already known all over the world that swimming, running and other activities help people avoid memory deterioration in the long term. After all physical exercise increase heart rate and increase blood flow to the brain.
Watch your diet
The term “brain food” is quite common. There are foods that improve brain function and prevent memory loss. A new study conducted at the University Hospital of Basel, Switzerland, found that green tea among these super foods. Omega-3 fatty acids found in nuts, ocean fish and olive oil, have also proven to be effective memory enhancers. Other foods to include in your diet include eggs, tomatoes, red wine (use with caution), capers, blueberries and turmeric.
Previous, lesser-known studies have found that vanilla, rosemary and sage may also stimulate memory.
Chewing gum is another proven way to improve memory, as it increases your heart rate and releases certain aromas. Both activate memories.
Practice meditation and proper breathing
Meditation is actively promoted these days as a panacea for various ills. It really can bring you real benefits and pleasure.
First, meditation can speed up your heart rate, thereby increasing blood flow to the brain and enriching it with oxygen. Secondly, this practice will help you relax and concentrate, which has a surprisingly beneficial effect on your health. mental capacity and on general well-being.
Most meditation techniques involve deep breathing, which also helps improve memory and relieve stress. In just a few minutes a day, you will improve your health, gain a positive attitude and feel more energetic. Plus, it's free.
Enjoy nature
Walk on fresh air improves memory. This theory was confirmed by researchers from the University of Michigan by testing two groups of people who were asked to remember a list of certain items. At the same time, one group was invited to take a walk in the garden, and the other - to walk around the city. The first group had 20% better memory. But the researchers did not stop; they tested the subjects again. This time people were shown photographs of natural landscapes and cityscapes. The results were repeated!
The next time you forget something, open pictures of green forests on your computer and your memory will come back to you.
Play
Computer games may be great, but they are unlikely to improve your cognitive function. But logical and strategic games will have a positive effect on memory and attentiveness. The most suitable games are chess, sudoku and the like. The gray cells in your brain will thank you.
Use neuro-linguistic programming (NLP)
The concept of NLP is relatively new, but it is very effective. The main idea is that the limits of human capabilities are invented by man himself, so they can be destroyed by self-hypnosis.
Basically it works like a placebo. Meditation is an excellent prelude to NLP, and when combined with diet, aromatherapy and training, you will effectively improve your memory and mental abilities.
Use aromatherapy
Perfume is not only a pleasant aroma, but also a way to revive memories. Aromatherapy is one of the most available means memory improvements. Many studies have proven the effectiveness of rosemary and mint.
Experiments conducted on mice confirmed that rosemary increases alertness and helps prevent age-related memory loss. Peppermint has similar properties, so next time you're studying for an exam, stock up on peppermint chewing gum.
Get acupressure or acupuncture
Acupuncture has been used in Chinese medicine for centuries and produces excellent results in almost any area, so it is not surprising that it is also effective for improving memory.
Every part of your body is laced with nerves and energy channels. You can activate specific points using a very fine needle or finger pressure.
To stimulate your memory and remember something important, apply gentle pressure to your temples with your fingertips for a few seconds. This way you will relieve stress and remember, for example, where you put your keys.
Visualize Memories
A study conducted at the University of Helsinki confirmed that people have powerful visual memory. Matching certain images with new information helps to recall that information when seeing the same picture again. That's why it's so easy to tear up when looking at old photos.
Stop multitasking
Multitasking is one of the biggest productivity misconceptions in the history of the human race. Even though all companies look for this skill in future employees, it actually significantly reduces the quantity and quality of things that can be accomplished within a given time.
To improve your memory and become more productive, stop doing too many things at once and start focusing on one thing at a time. Do the most important tasks first, then take a short break. Leave the easiest tasks for last. It is better to plan meetings in the first half of the day.
Communicate
Communication is good for the brain and overall mood. Don't underestimate the power good conversation, even if you are not very interested in him. Simply chatting about recent events can improve memory by stimulating multiple areas of the brain at the same time.
The process of speaking keeps the contact points between neurons, synapses, active, which is necessary for good memory.
Of course, even hard training is unlikely to teach you to remember 30-digit numbers at a glance, but it is quite possible to improve your memory. And there are quite working tools for this. Let me make an analogy: not everyone can become a great opera singer, but if you take vocal classes, you can learn to sing better.
Memory, scientifically speaking, is the mental process of acquiring, storing, retaining and reproducing information.
When remembering, three important processes occur in our brain: first we encode the information, then we store it in order to return to it when needed, and then (if that moment comes) we try to reproduce it. The work of all computers is organized according to the same principle. Only they lack the process inherent in humans - forgetting. There is no need to be afraid of forgetting; it is a natural phenomenon. The brain must delete unclaimed information. The main thing is to learn not to forget really important things.
Types of memory
There are several types of memory, each of which requires its own training.
- Sensory. Retains information received directly from the senses. This is visual, auditory memory. The information is not retained for long, only 0.1–3 seconds.
- Short-term. Retains information for a limited time (up to 30 seconds) and cannot store data about large quantities objects. To remember something, there is a proven method - repetition. Without repetition, information simply disappears over time.
- Long-term. Stores information for a long time (hours, years, sometimes a lifetime). Moreover, simple rote memorization will not help you remember something reliably - mental interpretation, processing of the material, as well as establishing connections with existing knowledge is necessary. Storing information is one thing, but reproducing it is quite another. Sometimes the necessary knowledge is easy to get to the surface, sometimes it requires serious effort.
Long-term memory is usually divided into two types:
- declarative (knowledge about the world and specific events);
- procedural (memory of body movements and how to use objects in the environment).
Exercises for memory development
1. Schulte tables
Schulte tables help not only to master speed reading techniques. They also train peripheral vision, attentiveness and observation - in general, a necessary set for the development of visual memory.
2. Aivazovsky’s method for developing photographic memory
If you have seen Aivazovsky's paintings, you will understand that his method works: to stop the movement of the wave and transfer it to the picture, both attentiveness and memory are required. So, what you need to do: for 5 minutes, look closely at the object you want to remember, notice all the smallest details. Then close your eyes and try to reproduce the image of the object as accurately as possible. With regular training you can develop this skill.
3. Learn by heart
The more you work out in the gym, the better developed your muscles are. The same principle works with memory. Learn by heart: poems, to-do and shopping lists, excerpts from prose, monologues of movie characters, dosage of medications. If you are bored at home, look out the window and remember the license plates of cars passing by. Memorize everything, and try not just to memorize it mechanically, but to come up with associations. The results will not keep you waiting.
4. Eavesdrop
Do you want to develop your auditory memory? Eavesdrop. Yes, we know, mom told you it was indecent. But what lengths will you go to for the sake of your own memory? When traveling on a tram or subway, listen to what the people around you are saying. And, as in Aivazovsky’s method, close your eyes and reproduce everything you heard - with exact intonations, remember people’s faces. This way, you will not only better perceive information by ear, but you will also easily be able to capture emotions in your voice.
5. Take different routes
Walking along the beaten path is not only boring, but also useless for memory. Give your brain new experiences. Be careful when you go home: remember signs, houses, shops. In general, any new activities enhance brain activity, so do not deny yourself anything and visit museums, theaters, cafes, cinema, holidays and festivals.
6. Make up stories
This method is suitable for remembering lists: lists of to-dos, purchases, events. Just tie everything into one story. The plot should develop consistently and logically, but imagination can be used to the fullest. More vivid images are easier to remember. It could be a fairy tale, it could be a mnemonic phrase ( famous example- “Every hunter wants to know where the pheasant sits”). This method will help both adults and children remember.
Have you ever heard Churchill's famous phrase “Who owns the information, owns the world”? In this age, to succeed, you need keep in mind an incredibly huge amount of data: names, phone numbers, addresses, attendance, passwords...
Of course, for convenience, you can keep a notebook or diary, but sometimes life is so dynamic that it is not possible to use notes. What to do? Of course, use your memory! And now we’ll tell you how to develop and train it so that it doesn’t let you down at the right moment.
Memory development
- Try brushing your teeth with your left hand if you're right-handed, and right hand, if you are left-handed. This way you train both hemispheres, develop your thinking speed and memory.
- When you go to the store, train yourself to keep your shopping list in your head and not on a piece of paper. IN otherwise By the time you're 60, you won't be able to go out shopping at all.
- If you like watching movies, this exercise will seem like child's play to you: after each viewing, scroll through the movie in your memory from beginning to end. It will take no more than 20 seconds, but the benefits are simply enormous!
- Read educational literature every day. Ideally, 1 book per week. It turns out that you will master 52 books in a year and 520 books in 10 years!
- If you really need to develop supermemory, learn at least part of a poem every day. The scheme is the same as with books: 1 verse per week, 52 verses per year, 520 verses in 10 years. Impressive, right?
- Don't forget to eat properly and nutritiously! Walnuts, honey, seaweed (kelp), fish - all these products not only help improve memory, but also improve your health.
- If you still smoke, get rid of this bad habit.
- Fall in love! Nitric oxide is produced in the blood, which restores damaged blood vessels and stimulates brain activity.
- Get outdoors more often. The more oxygen enters the blood, the better the memory becomes.
- Move! Remember: life is movement. If you have excess weight, it's time to get rid of it.
