There are many usual methods of how to improve memory, such as using pictures, doing crosswords and puzzles to “train the brain”, but the problem is that most of these methods involve a fair amount of mental effort.
According to a report published by the British website Spring, memory and concentration can be improved and cognitive functions strengthened through the following 13 science-backed techniques, which require relatively no mental effort and do not involve spending any money or taking any pharmaceutical drugs:
1. A good mood improves memory
Research has found that something as simple as a bag of candy is enough to improve memory and focus. Improving mood can help strengthen memory and the ability to make decisions.
There is plenty of research showing that younger adults are more creative and cognitively flexible when they are in a good mood. But because of the cognitive decline associated with aging, there has been no assurance that a good mood will be able to help older people. So the new findings hold Good news.”
Expressive
2. Rehearsal for only 40 seconds
A study finds that practicing just 40 seconds of remembering an event can be the key to lasting memory improvement. Psychologists have found that when you practice remembering an event, a part of the brain responsible for improving memory and cognitive functions is activated.
“The results of the study show that a short training period has a significant effect on the ability to remember complex, real-world events over periods ranging from one to two weeks,” said researcher Dr. Chris Beard.
3. Remind by “Pairing”
The research shows that association reminders are a great tool to help improve memory for something in the future. For example, looking at a picture of family members gathered at a desk can remind them to call and tell them they might be late for coming home for dinner. Small cues in the environment also help him remember to perform certain actions in the future.
Vegetables support memory
4. The smell of rosemary
A small study found that smelling rosemary essential oil can improve memory, concentration, and the ability to recall future events.
5. Write down the problems
To carry out complex tasks, humans rely on “working memory,” which is responsible for moving information in and out of consciousness. More efficient working memory contributes to better learning, planning, reasoning, and concentration. Working memory capacity can be improved indirectly by expressive typing. Sitting down for 20 minutes a few times a month to write about the problems one encounters can help improve one’s working memory in 5 weeks.
6. Eat vegetables
A study found that eating vegetables – not fruits – helps improve memory. The study included 3,718 people over the age of 65 who lived in Chicago. Professor Martha Claire Morris, lead researcher of the study, explained that by comparing “people who consumed less than one serving of vegetables per day, those who ate at least 2.8 servings of vegetables per day saw their rate of cognitive change slow down by about 40%.” A decline equivalent to about 5 years younger than the age.”
7. Landscapes
Going out to see nature has a magical effect on a person, his memory and concentration. In one study, people who took a walk around a nursery performed 20% better on a memory test than those who went for a walk through busy streets. Surprisingly, just looking at pictures of nature at home has a beneficial effect, too.
8. Saying the words out loud
A study found that saying words out loud or audibly leads to a 10% improvement in memory.
Chocolate (iStock)
9. Eat hot chocolate
A study finds that consuming two cups of hot chocolate per day can help maintain brain health, due to the flavanol-rich cocoa that promotes cerebral blood flow.
10. Practice meditation
A recent study revealed that participants who meditated for 4 sessions of 20 minutes each, once a day, were able to improve memory, focus, and brain function.
11. Exercise
A study found that long-term memory is indirectly improved by exercise because it leads to a more accurate representation of memories in the hippocampus.
12. Memory performance test
Simply asking oneself whether or not one will remember something is in itself an unusual way of improving one’s memory. It even increases memory performance by nearly 50% in some tasks.
13. Memory coding
The results of a study showed that humans understand language better if it is accompanied by gestures, and gestures can also be used to encode memories. Researchers found that in an experiment teaching Japanese verbs to English speakers, gestures during learning helped improve memory. Participants who used hand gestures to indicate that word were able to remember nearly twice as many Japanese words after a week.