15 Strategies For Improving Your Memory

There are several aspects to memory, including:

1. Deciding what we need to remember and what we need to discard.
2. Storing the things we need to remember in our memory.
3. Recalling that information when we need it.

…and this article will focus primarily on the second step.

So, without getting too technical, how does this work, ideally?

One of the key components in this process is the hippocampus (well, actually, there are two of them – one in each hemisphere).

The hippocampus plays a crucial role in the act of transferring items temporarily held in short-term (aka working) memory to our long-term memory.

Interestingly, the hippocampus is also involved in the processing of emotions. This is one reason why it’s easier to remember things or people that stimulate one of the more powerful emotions, like happiness or pain (e.g. people who made us laugh).

It follows, then, that to protect and improve our memory, we need to do everything we can to prevent damage to our hippocampus and to make it healthier.

For example, it was once thought that a damaged hippocampus caused mental health issues such as depression, but the latest research shows that this is all the wrong way round – depression can cause actual brain damage, by adversely affecting the hippocampus.

So, let’s get started with general strategies we can all use to protect and improve your memory.

Always Be Learning

People often say that the brain is like a muscle because the more you exercise it, the stronger it becomes.

Technically, of course, the brain is not a muscle but an organ, but the principle is sound – the more you use your brain, the healthier it will be.

And one way to challenge your brain is to learn something new (e.g. a new language, yoga, flying a plane, computer skills, drawing, a musical instrument).

Initially, of course, you will find this difficult, but the more you learn and practise, the easier it will become – but that’s a sign that you’re stretching your brain, which is good.

And there is no shortage of ways you can acquire new skills (e.g. books, videos, online courses, friends, local facilities like a yoga club).

Caffeine

This one is still somewhat controversial, in my opinion.

On the one hand, there are those who say that coffee (and, by implication, caffeine) is bad for you, and on the other, there are those touting its many benefits.

In the latter camp, there is a study out of John Hopkins where they did a placebo-controlled test and found that those who had taken a caffeine pill were better able to recall information.

Remember that coffee is not the only source of caffeine – it’s also present in black tea, dark chocolate, guarana berry, kombucha (which is a fermented tea), loose-leaf green tea, matcha tea, and yerba mate (which is a South American drink).

Chewing Gum

There isn’t consensus on this one either, but interesting research out of Japan in 2000 showed that the act of chewing stimulates activity in the hippocampus. They don’t yet know why – but we can certainly make use of the fact that it does.

Another researcher is quoted as saying, ““One interesting thing we saw in our study was that chewing increased heart rate. Anything that improves delivery of things like oxygen in the brain, such as an increased heart rate, is a potential cognitive enhancer to some degree.”

So, while many people frown on those who chew gum, there is a scientific reason why you might want to do it (in private, at least, if you’re concerned about how others may perceive it).

While the effect may be somewhat short-lived (about 20 minutes according to some studies), that time may be all you need (e.g. to take a test or remember a speech).

And you don’t need to chew gum – anything would do, although, to be fair, there are not many things you could chew for several minutes at a time.

Finally, try to find an organic gum if you can, and if that proves difficult, go for one that uses Xylitol (but be careful – Xylitol is toxic to dogs).

Do Nothing

Although it’s becoming harder and harder in today’s overcrowded, increasingly noisy world, sitting still and doing nothing can help anything you’ve just learned sink in.

Sometimes known as wakeful rest, even ten minutes of quiet time can help consolidate new information.

Don’t Be A Social Hermit

This may be more difficult for some than others, but studies have shown that having a full social life, especially when you grow older, can help prevent memory decline (and can also maintain your reasoning skills).

Healthy Diet

Just like you wouldn’t dream of putting the wrong type of fuel in your car, you shouldn’t put the wrong foods in your body. In fact, you would want to eat and drink only those things that offer the greatest benefits to your body and mind.

So, that means eliminating foods that are harmful (e.g. sugars) and increasing your consumption of brain-boosting foods (e.g. blueberries).

Rather than repeat information I have already shared, check out this article about foods that can improve your brain health.

Keep Your Brain Busy

Apart from learning something new (see above), anything that keeps your brain active can be beneficial to your overall mental health and memory abilities.

This might include reading, doing puzzles (e.g. crossword, nonograms, Sudoku), for example.

Laugh

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying that laughter is the best medicine, but recent scientific studies have provided proof – laughing improves your memory.

This is because laughter decreases levels of the so-called stress hormone, cortisol, which can impair your memory and damage your overall brain health.

Meditation

According to a well-known study published way back in 1956 by George Miller, the human brain can only store about seven items in working memory at any one time.

And it turns out that meditation can actually help strengthen this short-term memory.

Studies have demonstrated that people who are brand new to mindfulness meditation can use that technique to improve their memory recall in as little as eight weeks.

In a similar vein, meditation, which is well known for its ability to assist in concentrating, has been proven to improve working memory abilities and standardized tests in just a fortnight.

Reduce Or Eliminate Alcohol

This one probably won’t be popular, but drinking too much alcohol has been shown to damage your hippocampus – the part of the brain that is crucial for transferring information you need to remember from working memory to long-term memory.

So, how much is too much?

The answer is lower than you might imagine.

Researchers in England found that people who drink between 14 and 21 units of alcohol per week (which is roughly in line with government guidelines on recommended maximum consumption) can be enough to shrink your hippocampus by almost two thirds (and by over three quarters for those consuming 30+ units per week).

The good news is that the cells in your hippocampus can start regenerating within 48 hours of abstaining from alcohol.

Regular Exercise

I’ve said in many articles that regular exercise has many benefits, but let’s focus here on the effects on the brain.

Research (on both humans and animals) has found that exercising regularly can:

1. Boost memory recall.
2. Improve spatial memory.
3. Increase general cognitive abilities.
4. Slow down the decline of memory in older people.

And this doesn’t mean you have to go and join a gym (unless you want to, of course) – even a walk can help.

The reason for this is that your brain perceives exercise as a type of stress, which triggers your “freeze, flight, or fight” response.

This in turn stimulates the production of a protein called Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), which protects and repairs your memory neurons.

All of this is enhanced by the release of endorphins, which tend to minimize the discomfort of exercise, block the feeling of pain, and are even linked with a euphoric sensation.

Other studies have shown that exercising (especially aerobic exercise) can increase the size of your hippocampus, which can then improve your memory.

Relaxation

Being stressed is generally bad for our overall health (e.g. adverse effects on our immune systems, poor sleep, raised blood pressure), but the increased cortisol levels in our bloodstream also impair our memory – not so much our short-term memory, which may actually be improved, but our long-term memory.

There are many great ways to relax, including meditation and mindfulness (see above, and other articles on this site), as well as tai chi, yoga, and even something as simple as breathing exercises.

Sleep

While sleep has been a bit of a mystery for a long time, most scientists do agree that one of its purposes is to allow us to consolidate our memories.

I have already written an article about how to get a good night’s sleep, and while it is primarily aimed at people with depression, the principles apply on a broader basis too.

Even naps are beneficial – as little as a 40-minute nap has been proven to improve recall abilities.

Stay Healthy

This may be easier said than done these days, but many common physical ailments can have an adverse effect on cognitive abilities, including memory.

These health problems include:

• cardiovascular disease
• diabetes
• hormonal imbalances

Also of concern is the fact that some medications (including both prescription and over-the-counter) are suspected of decreasing cognitive skills, including some:

• anti- drugs (e.g. antibiotics, antidepressants, antihistamines, antispasmodics)
• sleeping pills
• statin drugs

Watch Less Television

Studies conducted recently have linked watching TV with memory loss. In fact, if you’re middle-aged (i.e. 40 – 60 years old), as few as four hours of television a day can apparently increase your risk of dementia.

Not only is TV a largely passive way to spend your time, which means your brain is not actively working the way it should, but think of all the things you could accomplish (e.g. learning something new, doing projects around the house, spending time with your kids, getting some exercise) instead of sitting in your chair watching the box.

Conclusion

Whatever else might happen to our bodies, we can usually rely on keeping our memories – they form a key component of who we are and what makes us us.

So it makes sense to do everything we can to maintain our cognitive skills and prevent our memory abilities from declining.

Most of the above strategies are ones that most of us could easily adopt, so choose one that appeals to you most, try it, and then gradually incorporate others over time.

Additional Resources

These are suggestions for those who wish to delve deeper into any of the above:

1. Keep Your Brain Alive