Tips To Keep Memory In Tiptop Condition
Keeping the memory in good condition is a vital part of the brain’s
function. Every now and then, our actions greatly depend on a lot of
information we retrieve from our memory bank. Such information can either be
short term (such as specific tasks that we have to do) or long term (such as
the ability to drive a car or repeat an instruction we read from a book). While
long-term memory may come spontaneously without too much effort when the need
arises, short-term memory requires recalling information from the accumulation
of things stored in our memory. This is why you need to keep your memory in
great shape to achieve efficiency in your daily endeavors:
·
Keep your attention focused
on the needed information to be stored in your memory bank. Even with
distractions around you, stay focused on the subject. The more concentrated you
are on the information, the better the chances of retaining it in your memory.
·
Utilize the most ideal sense
or senses when gathering the information. This what we call acuity in sensing
our environment. Be aware of the color or details of a picture, or the
particular sound or smell of the thing involved. All our bodily senses are attuned
to collect information depending on the circumstance at hand. While our sense
of vision may be the most used in gathering information, our senses of hearing,
smell, taste, and touch are equally important and helpful in remembering
things, situations, and information about something or someone.
·
When you’re not sure that
the information you are about to remember would really be retained by your
brain, it would be better to write the information. This could be proven
effective especially in gathering very long and tedious information like
lecture notes or a personal interview. Just be sure you don’t forget that you
have a note at hand; and of course, don’t misplace the note.
·
Maintain a balance diet. A
well-proportioned diet will result to a conditioned memory. Oily and sweet
foods may cloud the memory. If you cannot completely eliminate a bad diet,
gradually cut down your intake of these memory-inhibiting foods. Doing it gradually
cushions the effect of withdrawal symptoms and you’ll get adjusted to the new
lifestyle you are creating. This is not only beneficial to the memory, but we
can say you’re on your way to a healthy life. Drinking lots of water brings
lots of advantages to your overall health, and memory is not an exception.
·
Don’t deprive yourself with
enough rest and sleep. Having enough sleep does not condone laziness;
oversleeping does. So don’t feel guilty resting or sleeping as long as it is
not overdone. You need it badly to keep you revitalized from the tiresome demand
of work.
·
Take time to relax. Breathe
deeply if you must. Keep your thoughts organized before acting on them. Keep
away from stress and anxiety. It may be impossible to completely eliminate
stress since it is part of our challenging generation, but try to keep it down
as much as possible. Stress may bring your memory into its inefficient level.
Avoid the habit of saying to yourself that you might forget things, because
you’re more likely to if you do. This just builds your anxiety level up to its
panic mode.
·
Stay positive, creative, and
energetic. Your memory needs to be within a circle of various things. Things
that come in various shapes, sizes, and colors can motivate your creativity.
This is a positive way of discovering your surroundings in all its variations
and diversities. Avoid being enclosed within the four walls of your room just
like you’re a prisoner. The only time to be enclosed is when you have to rest
or sleep. Don’t be a couch potato. There’s a very exciting world out there
waiting to improve your memory.
The very best way to improve your memory is between infancy and
adolescent. As we grow old, memory starts to fail. But a strong memory that we
can develop during the prime years of our lives will definitely enhance us to
be good thinkers. This can be done by continuously exercising our memory
through reading and other cognitive activities like the habit of solving
crossword puzzles. The more you do these, the better memory retention is
developed.
As far as health is concerned, high blood pressure can lead to stroke
and heart ailments. It also results to poor memory retention. Memory function
declines when blood pressure is high. Researchers have observed that people
with normal blood pressure, especially at midlife, have a higher cognitive
function. Concentration, decision-making, and remembering functions falter as a
result of high blood pressure. What is healthy for the body is likewise healthy
for the memory.