Improve Your Memory With These Useful Tips

A strong memory depends on the health and vitality of your brain. Whether you study for final exams, if you are a professional who works and are interested in doing everything possible to stay mentally active, or if you are a senior looking to preserve and improve your gray matter as you get older, there are many things that you can do to improve your memory and mental performance

They say you cannot teach new tricks to an old dog, but when it comes to the brain, scientists have discovered that this adage simply is not true. The human brain has a surprising capacity to adapt and change, even in old age. This ability is known as neuroplasticity. With the right stimulation, your brain can form new neural pathways, alter existing connections and adapt and react in ever-changing ways.

The incredible ability of the brain to remodel is valid when it comes to learning and memory. You can harness the natural power of neuroplasticity to increase your cognitive abilities, improve your ability to learn new information and improve your memory at any age. These 9 tips can show you how.

Tip 1: Train your brain

When he reaches adulthood, his brain has developed millions of neural pathways that help him process and retrieve information quickly, solve family problems and perform common tasks with minimal mental effort. But if you always stick to these worn-out roads, you're not giving your brain the stimulation it needs to keep growing and developing. You have to shake things up from time to time!

Memory, like muscle strength, requires that you "use it or lose it". The more you exercise your brain, the better you can process and remember the information. But not all activities are the same. The best exercises for the brain break your routine and challenge you to use and develop new brain pathways.

Four key elements of a good activity to stimulate the brain:

It teaches you something new. No matter how intellectually the activity demands, if it's something you're already good at, it's not a good exercise for the brain. The activity should be something that is not familiar and outside of your comfort zone. To strengthen the brain, you must continue learning and developing new skills.

It is challenging. The best activities to stimulate the brain require your complete and close attention. It is not enough that you have found the activity a challenge at any given time. It must still be something that requires mental effort. For example, learning to play a new and challenging piece of music counts. Play a difficult piece that you have already memorized no.

It is a skill that you can develop. Look for activities that allow you to start at an easy level and grow as your skills improve; always press the envelope to continue expanding your capabilities. When a previously difficult level begins to feel comfortable, that means it's time to approach the next level of performance.

Tip 2: Do not skip the physical exercise.

While mental exercise is important for brain health, that does not mean you never need to sweat. Physical exercise helps your brain stay sharp. It increases oxygen to the brain and reduces the risk of disorders that lead to memory loss, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Exercise also improves the effects of useful brain chemicals and reduces stress hormones. Perhaps most importantly, exercise plays an important role in neuroplasticity by stimulating growth factors and stimulating new neuronal connections.

It is rewarding. The rewards support the learning process of the brain. The more interested and engaged you are in the activity, the more likely you are that you will continue to do so and the greater the benefits you will experience. So, choose activities that, although challenging, are still pleasant and satisfying.

Think of something new you have always wanted to try, such as learning to play guitar, pottery, juggling, playing chess, speaking French, dancing tango or mastering your golf swing. Any of these activities can help you improve your memory, as long as you keep it challenged and engaged.

By: Preeti Narula

Content: https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-living/how-to-improve-your-memory.htm