How to improve memory: useful exercises

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

Causes of Deterioration

The following factors can cause memory impairment:

• emotional stress;
• systemic depression;
• lack of sleep;
• infectious diseases;
• vitamin deficiency;
• drinking alcohol;
• smoking;
• brain injury;
• medication (antidepressants, sleeping pills);
• diseases: atherosclerosis, thyroid dysfunction, multiple sclerosis, diabetes;
• body aging.

Strengthening memory at home

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

Exercises

1. Let's start a discussion about this method with an exercise called "associations". An assistant is needed for implementation. Ask him to read aloud several 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. The assistant must then read the first words, the second must be reproduced independently.
2. The second exercise is to improve your visual imagination. You have to close your eyes and think in detail about any object, natural phenomenon or animal. It can be an oasis in the middle of the desert, a cat drinking milk, lightning in the sky. There are various possibilities. Then take a sheet of paper and describe the pictures in reverse order.
3. The third exercise is to improve your listening and memory. Someone needs to read the phrase 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 take a book and read the first words of each line aloud.

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 need to buy on the page. Read it several times. You can do it as loud or quiet as you want. Then leave the page at home and go to the store without it. Repeat this exercise every time you need to shop.
5. Exercises aimed at activating the hemispheres of the brain will also help improve memory. The simplest of these is to change hands by performing an action. For example, comb your hair or hold the cup with your left hand (if you are left, then with your right). You can also walk on site. It is necessary to perform the exercise at a fast pace. When the knee is lowered, a hand wave is made so that it rises above the head. The exercise should be repeated several times.

Games

Cards are laid face down on the table. Several people can participate in the game. Each in turn turns over any two cards. If they match, the participant takes them.

A game with questions will also help train memory. The topic is not important. Each player asks the other participants all the questions. Five points are added for a correct answer, two points for an incorrect answer. Softening crossword puzzles will help you achieve tangible results.

Memory boost menu

Memory status depends on diet. Some foods are a source of nutrients for the body:

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

2. Sprouted grains contain elements that provide energy to 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. These 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. Honey contains well-absorbed glucose and fructose. And also 22 of the 24 trace elements found in the circulatory system.
5. Fish - salmon, trout, salmon, herring. The use of these products will supplement the essential Omega 3 acid content, the lack of which causes degenerative brain diseases. This element directly affects the development of intelligence, memory and cognitive functions.
6. Avocados improve 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 brain oxidation and normalizes blood circulation. Cocoa destroys substances that promote blood clots.
8. Apples inhibit the development of oxidative stress, which causes memory loss.
9. Tomatoes contain lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that destroys free radicals (substances that affect the brain). Melatonin, which is also found in this product, will help slow down aging.
10. Walnuts, which contain lecithin, have a positive effect on the brain, normalizing its activity. They also prevent premature aging. To feel the desired effect, it is enough to eat 5 nuts a day.
11. A handful of pumpkin seeds will provide your body with daily zinc needs.
12. Wild berries in blueberries and currants are rich in vitamin C. Lemon also has this property.
13. Tea has tonic properties. Contains caffeine and antioxidants to improve cognition. L-theanine relieves emotional stress.

Carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and amino acids are needed for the brain to function properly.

Including salads made from the following ingredients will help preserve memory:

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

Grate the ingredients on a coarse grater, season with oil, pour lemon juice and a little salt. Then mix the salad thoroughly and enjoy a healthy, tasty meal.

Poems and music

Another effective way to help develop memory is to memorize poetry. There are several guidelines for achieving the desired result:

1. Learn by stents, not lines. Many people make this mistake. If you repeat one row many times and then move on to another, you may end up with a stanza. Short-term memory can accommodate about 7 blocks. In order not to overload it, the poem should be divided 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 some lines. In this way we try to learn the whole article.
3. Don't use foursome to teach him. The work will be divided into fragments, and it will be completely difficult to reproduce it completely.

Listening to music is also a way to improve memory. But they must be classical compositions. Music creates vibrations in the air that promote relaxation and have a positive effect on the brain. This ability belongs to the works of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Johann Sebastian Bach, George Friedrich Handel.

Other types

Get an active lifestyle, exercise and go for a walk in the fresh air. During exercise, the body releases hormones that improve brain function. Walking will help fill it with oxygen. You need enough sleep for brain cells to regenerate. Lack of rest immediately affects your well-being.

Deep sleep increases brain efficiency.

Stress is a direct threat to memory. It has a devastating effect on brain cells and the hippocampus, the area responsible for creating new memories and reproducing old ones. That is why it must be fought. This can be done through exercise, which releases endorphins, a pleasure hormone.

Drawing and reading are some of the ways to balance an emotional state. Representing negative emotions on paper allows you to look at the problem from the outside. During the reading process, attention is paid to the plot of the book. It relieves psychological stress.

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

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

Medications can affect memory status.

If this is your choice, do not self-medicate. The medicine should only be used after consulting a doctor.

Express methods

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

1. Focus first. Focus and focus on what you have to remember. Do not allow your attention to shift to other objects.
2. The next step is to form associations. Associate it with something you are trying to remember. Here you can fully rely on your imagination.
3. Let's move on to the third step. The association must be repeated several times. This method will help you remember any event or information without memorizing it.

If you're not sure about your ability to concentrate, try this exercise:

1. Take a deep breath first and hold for five seconds. In this case, the wrists must be pressed in the fist.
2. Then slowly exhale and open your hands.
3. After this exercise you will feel relaxed, it will improve your concentration.

You must use a familiar object to create associations. The operation of memory is arranged so that the best result is achieved when new facts are added to the experienced feelings and emotions.

Many people are familiar with a situation where memory begins to decline at the right time. It is not just older people who are affected. Anyone can learn techniques to improve memorization. For best results, an integrated approach is recommended. You will feel the effect at the beginning of the lessons.