How to improve memory: useful exercises

Experts say the amount of memory is unlimited. But we do not always use it correctly. Mechanical memorization, which is practiced in educational institutions, is not an ideal method for improving memory. It consists of three components: natural potential, condition and good condition. This means that memory is sensitive to impact and today there are many ways to improve it.

Reasons for deterioration

The following factors lead to memory impairment:

• emotional stress;
• systemic depression;
• lack of sleep;
• infectious diseases;
• vitamin deficiency;
• drinking alcoholic beverages;
• smoking;
• brain damage;
• taking medications (antidepressants, sleeping pills);
• diseases: atherosclerosis, thyroid dysfunction, multiple sclerosis, diabetes mellitus;
• body aging.

Strengthen memory at home

The brain is a dynamic structure that responds to any impact. The right approach will help you achieve the desired result. Today, a sufficient number of techniques have been developed to improve memory.

Exercises

1. Let's start our discussion of this method with an exercise called "association". An implementation assistant is required. Ask them to read aloud some pairs of words that have a semantic connection to each other. For example, "notebook - pen", "winter - snow", "book - study". Your task is to memorize the maximum number of words. Then the assistant should read the first words, the second should be reproduced independently.
2. The second exercise is to improve your visual imagination. You need to close your eyes and imagine in detail every object, natural phenomenon or animal. It could be an oasis in the middle of the desert, a cat drinking milk, a bolt of lightning. A variety of options are possible. Next, take a piece of paper and describe the images presented in it in reverse order.
3. The third exercise is to improve your listening and memory information. Someone needs to read a set of words aloud. For example, "table, sky, computer, elephant, autumn, river, tree". Repeat these words first in the same order, then in the opposite direction. If there is no one around, you can do the exercise yourself. To do this, you need to get a book and read aloud the first words of each line.

4. The fourth exercise will give you the opportunity to train your memory and do your homework at the same time. Before you go to the store, write a list of products you should buy on the sheet. Read it several times. You can do this out loud or silently, as you like. Then leave the sheet at home and go to the store without it. Repeat this exercise whenever you need to buy.
5. Exercises aimed at activating the cerebral hemisphere will also help improve memory. The simplest of these is changing hands when performing an action. For example, comb your hair or hold the cup with your left hand (if you are with your left hand, then with your right hand). You can also go hiking on site. It is necessary to perform the exercise at a fast pace. When you lower the knee, a hand wave is made so that it rises above the head. The exercise should be repeated several times.

Games

Cards are placed in turn on the table. Some people can participate in the game. Each in turn turns over two letters. If they match, the participant gets them.

Playing with questions will also help train your memory. The topic does not matter. Each player asks questions to the rest of the participants. For a correct answer, five points are added, for a wrong one, two points are subtracted. Solving crossword puzzles will help to achieve tangible results.

Memory boost menu

Memory status depends on diet. Certain foods are the source of the substances the body needs:

1. Bananas provide the body with amino acids (carotene, methionine, tryptophan), easily soluble carbohydrates, vitamins PP, B1, B2.

2. Sprouted grains contain elements that energize the brain and normalize its function. These are selenium, copper, iron, zinc, calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus. Vitamins B9, B6, B5, B3, B2, B1.
3. Eggs are rich in amino acids. They include glutamic acid, methionine, cysteine, tryptophan, lysine. Also vitamins A, B2, B1, PP. They supply the body with proteins that are easily absorbed.
4. Honey is a source of carbohydrates. They can replace sugar. In its composition, honey contains glucose and fructose well absorbed. And also 22 of the 24 trace elements found in the circulatory system.
5. Fish - salmon, trout, salmon, herring. Consumption of these products will supplement the content of Omega 3 essential acid, the lack of which causes degenerative brain disease. This element has a direct impact on the development of intelligence, memory and cognitive functions.
6. Avocado improves the blood supply to the brain due to the presence of unsaturated fatty acids and minerals.
7. Dark chocolate contains flavonol, an element that prevents oxidation of the brain and normalizes blood circulation. Cocoa destroys substances that contribute to the formation of blood clots.
Apples inhibit oxidative stress that can lead to memory loss.
8. Tomatoes contain lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that destroys free radicals (substances that negatively affect the brain). Melatonin, which is also found in this product, will help slow down aging.
9. Walnuts containing lecithin have a positive effect on the brain by normalizing its activity. They also prevent premature aging. To feel the desired effect, it is enough to eat 5 nuts a day.
10. A handful of pumpkin seeds will provide the body with a daily requirement of zinc.
11. Cranberries and wild berries have a high content of vitamin C. Lemon also has this feature.
12. Tea has tonic properties. Contains caffeine and antioxidants to increase recognition. L-theanine relieves emotional stress.

The brain needs carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and amino acids to function properly.

Including a salad made from the following ingredients in the diet will help preserve memory:

• carrots;
• beets;
• half of celery root;
• parsley;
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil;
• half a lemon.

Grind the ingredients on a coarse grater, season with oil, pour in the lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Then stir the salad well and enjoy the healthy, delicious food.

Poetry and music

Another effective way to help develop memory is to memorize poetry. There are some guidelines to achieve the desired result:

1. Learn with verses, not lines. Many people make this mistake. If you repeat one line many times and then move on to another, you end up getting confused in the stanza. Short-term memory is able to perceive approximately 7 blocks. In order not to overload it, you need to divide the string into the same number of parts. Take 5 seconds between blocks.
2. First read the whole poem 2-3 times. At the same time, try to visualize the plot of the work. Now read again and you will find that you have already memorized a few lines. In this way we try to learn the whole verse.
3. Do not use quadrilaterals to learn it. The work will fall into fragments and it will be problematic to reproduce it completely.

Listening to music is also one of the methods for improving memory. But these should be classic parts. Music creates vibrations in the air that promote relaxation and have a positive effect on the brain. The works of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Johann Sebastian Bach, Georg Friedrich Handel possess this ability.

Other ways

Live an active lifestyle, exercise and take a walk in the fresh air. During exercise, the body releases hormones that improve brain function. Walking will help replenish your oxygen supply. For brain cells to regenerate, you need to get enough sleep. Lack of rest immediately affects your well-being.

Brain efficiency increases during the deep sleep phase.

Stress is a direct risk to memory. It has a devastating effect on brain cells and the hippocampus, the region responsible for creating new memories and reproducing old memories. Therefore, it is necessary to fight with it. This can be done with the help of exercise, during which the release of endorphins - the hormone of joy - occurs.

Drawing and reading are some of the techniques to balance your emotional state. Painting negative emotions on paper allows you to look at the problem from the outside. During the reading process, attention is transferred to the book plan. This relieves psychological stress.

There are also recommendations for improving memory in traditional medicine. Let’s look at some recipes:

1. Grind horseradish root and 3 lemons. Add 3 tablespoons of honey to the resulting mass. Refrigerate for 3 weeks. Take 1 teaspoon twice daily with meals.
2. 10 g ginger, pour 250 ml boiling water, add mint and lemon balm. Drink 1-2 glasses a day.
3. Add 1 tablespoon of mint and a similar amount of sage with two cups of boiled water. Insist for 12 hours. Then drain and take 50 ml 4 times a day half an hour before meals.
4. 1 tablespoon mountain ash bark, add 250 ml of water and boil for 10 minutes. The mixture should be infused for 6 hours, then drain and take 1 tablespoon three times a day. The duration of the course is 3-4 weeks.

it is possible to affect the state of memory with the help of medication.

If this is your choice, do not treat yourself. Medications are taken only after consulting your doctor.

Express Methods

If you need to fix something quickly in memory, simple exercises will help:

1. Focus first. Focus and direct it on what needs to be remembered. Do not allow your attention to be diverted to other objects.
2. The next step is to create associations. Associate with something the object you are trying to remember. Here you can rely entirely on the imagination.
3. Now let's move on to the third stage. The association must be repeated several times. This method will help you remember any event or information without memorizing it.

If you are unsure about your ability to concentrate, try the following exercise:

1. First, inhale deeply and hold the air for five seconds. In this case, the palms should be clenched into a fist.
2. Then pull out slowly and open your hands.
3. After this exercise you will feel relaxed, it will improve your concentration.

A known object should be used when creating associations. Memory activity is regulated in such a way that the best result is achieved if new facts are added to the feelings and sensations experienced.

Many are aware of the situation when at the right moment the memory starts to fail. It is not just older people who face this. Anyone can master the methods to improve their ability to memorize. For a better result, an integrated approach is recommended. You will feel the effect already in the beginning of the hours.