- INSIDER spoke to two experts about things you can do on a daily basis to improve memory.
- Specific techniques include repeating things out loud, and thinking in pictures.
- Other tips include exercising, getting enough sleep, being social, and avoiding multitasking.
Memory is one of the most precious functions our brain has.
INSIDER spoke to two experts to figure out a few simple things you can do on a daily basis that will help to improve your memory. One expert is Joel Salinas, a neurologist and author of "Mirror Touch." The other is Ron White, a two-time national memory champion who teaches memory training around the world.
Keep scrolling to see what you can do to keep your memory in good working order.
According to Salinas, memory works in three basic steps: encoding, recording, and retrieval. Repeating information gives your brain another opportunity to encode the information you're hearing, which subsequently makes it easier to condense, store, and retrieve this information later, Salinas said.
He compares the process to blazing a trail in the woods. The more times you walk the same trail, the clearer the pathway will become and the easier it will be to find the next time. Similarly, when you repeat information, you're strengthening neural pathways that will help you retrieve that information in the future.
Both White and Salinas emphasize the importance of making associations when trying to remember pieces of information. Salinas says that attaching a mental image or another sense to a piece of information provides the memory with a "hook" that will help it to recall that information.
For example, if you're trying to remember names, White suggests thinking of a picture to represent that name. If the name is Lisa, think of the Mona Lisa. If it's Brian, think of a brain. It's it's Steve, think of a stove. Then, when you see those people the next time, you'll remember the picture you associated with their name, which will help you remember the name.
White says this technique — commonly known as the "memory palace" — is what he used to set the record for memorizing a full deck of cards in the shortest amount of time.
White says to start off by imagining the pieces of furniture in a room in your apartment or house. Then assign those pieces of furniture a piece of information that you're hoping to remember. You're effectively turning pieces of furniture into a storage places for your data.
For example, let's say you're trying to memorize a to-do list for the day, and one of the tasks on your list is buying a gift for a friend's baby shower. Imagine your living room couch, then imagine a baby bottle sitting on the couch. According to White, "storing" that bottle on your couch will cause you to remember the word bottle, which will then trigger you to remember that you have to buy a baby shower gift.
According to Salinas, your memory works best when your attention is focused completely on the information you're trying to remember.
He says that you'll have a much easier time memorizing the items on a grocery list if you're only thinking about that grocery list. If, however, you're looking for your car keys and texting at the same time, it's going to be tough to remember the items on your list.
In addition to completing only one task at a time, Salinas also says that being in a relaxed mental state helps our brains to focus, and therefore improves memory. This is because when we're relaxed, our mind is less likely to wander, allowing us to slow down and focus on one piece of information, giving our brains a better chance at encoding, recording, and retrieving that information, Salinas told INSIDER.
He says research has shown that exercises such as deep breathing, meditation, and taking walks are all useful techniques for relaxation.
Physical activity isn't just beneficial for your body; it's beneficial for your brain too. Salinas told INSIDER that when we exercise, our brain produces molecules that help with synapse formation and brain cell repair, both of which benefit memory function.
Exercise also combats buildup in the brain's blood vessels that can lead to the death of brain cells, Salinas says.
Let's say you're trying to memorize a long speech. Salinas recommends breaking the speech down into single sentences or ideas and memorizing those one by one instead of trying to get the whole speech down in one fell swoop. Or if you're trying to remember a credit card number, group the numbers into threes and memorize those groups individually.
Salinas says your brain has an easier time digesting information in smaller rather than larger chunks.
Salinas says that sleep plays a vital role in memory. While we sleep, our brains re-run simulations of events that happened during the day, securing those moments and pieces of information for the long term, according to Salinas. Memories that aren't reviewed are dropped off.
Salinas also says that recent discoveries have shown that over time, our brains accumulate a protein known as amyloid, which has been linked to Alzheimer's disease. However, when we sleep, our brain is able to clear this toxic protein, meaning that a full night's sleep can not only decrease the likelihood of dementia, but also increase memory function, according to Salinas.
According to Salinas, our brains are much better at recognizing information than recalling it. While recall simply involves retrieving stored information with no prompt or hint, recognition refers to when your brain is given a reminder to help retrieve a piece of information.
For example, Salinas says if you're trying to remember someone's name, you're likely going to have an easier time if you're reminded what letter the name begins with, as opposed to just trying to think of the name randomly.