You began to notice that you can’t remember where you put the keys or have again forgotten about an important meeting, you can’t concentrate on important matters and are distracting all the time, do you remember the new material poorly or can you remember the recently completed material?If so, then you should think about how to improve memory and attention in adults and regain your former state.
The first thing that comes to mind is to start a diary, or an online calendar with reminders, so as not to miss important events and meetings.But what to do with information that should be remembered and transferred to a long -term memory?!
Unfortunately, everything is not so simple.Despite the variety of choice, forms of producing tablets, a variety of additives and drugs, at the moment there are not so many scientific confirmations that they really improve brain activity and mental processes.And to check the drug worth $ 50, which promises to strengthen neural connections in the brain for only a couple of weeks, does not sound very tempting, especially if the appointment has occurred as a doctor as part of an advertising campaign.
In the 21st century of information technology, in order to cover the entire volume or at least prepare for the exam, it is necessary not only to spend time for this.The core of the problem is often precisely poor memorization, weakening of memory and the wrong approach to the learning process.
Fortunately, there are effective methods of improving memory tested by science and ways to improve brain function, both in the short and long -term perspective at home, and even facilitate the process of preparing for the exam.Below we consider each of them separately.
Try meditation to improve the concentration of attention
Attention is one of the main components of memory.In order for the data to move from short -term memory to a long -term, it is necessary to focus on this piece of material.Try to do important things away from distracting factors, such as television, music, phones, chats and other entertainment.
It is not always easy to do this, especially if you are surrounded by noisy neighbors or children.Try to highlight for yourself the time when no one will interfere, so that you can concentrate on your work.
Memory and concentration of attention are in about one area of the brain.It is proved that with an increase in concentration through meditation, it leads to an improvement in the performance of the brain and the process of memorizing an adult.
Meditation helps to improve and develop working memory, which temporarily stores the data necessary during the day.Simply put, at any time in the brain there are 7 pieces of information, when a new part comes, it displaces the old one, which is entered or not entered into a long -term memory.Meditation helps to pull out a piece of info that is needed in this period of time, faster.
How much time will it take to see positive results, it is not known for certain.In general, it can take from 2 to 8 weeks.
Perhaps the soothing effect of meditation increases the ability to overcome mental noise (distracting factors) and focus on what you need to know at one time or another.
Here are a few more effective ways:
- Disconnect all the notifications when you study.
- Try to isolate yourself from the people you know while studying.Go to the library or in a cafe where you will not be disturbed.
- Work at a time only on one topic, avoid multitasking and frequent switching to another material.
Do not cram
In order to adequately process this or that information, it should be studied in several approaches.Studies have shown that those who regularly teach this or that material in parts remember it much better than those who teach all at once at a time.
Structure and streamline the data
Researchers have found that the information is ordered in the brain in interconnected “clusters”.This ability of the brain to structure data can be used in everyday life.Try to combine similar ideas and terms together or make a scheme in the form of notes or group material from different books, so it will be easier to remember and select the necessary data from different sources.
Use mnemonics and reduction
Mnemonics are a memorization technique, often used by students in order for a selection of data from the brain to occur faster.In other words, this is a simple way to remember complex information.For example, you can connect the term that you need to remember, associating it with the subject well familiar to you.The best mnemonics are those that are associated with positive images or humor.You can come up with a rhyme, a song or a joke to remember a certain segment of the material.
Acronics are the most commonly used technique for associative memorization of short lists or sequences.
In everyday life, we are already so accustomed to acronemes that we don’t even notice them and do not think about what words they consist of.
When studying new knowledge, you can create your own abbreviations.
Disassemble the material in detail and repeat the past
To recall the information, you must first make it understandable to the brain, and then repeat everything studied again, then the information will definitely fall into a long -term memory.For example, read the definition of a key term, study the definition of this term, and then read a more detailed description of what this term means.Repeating this process several times, you will probably notice that you remember this term easier and faster after time.
To repeat the material studied, it is also recommended to divide it into three categories of complexity.For each of them, select the amount of time you spend and days a week.
View the material again if you remember it well, then repeat it only once a week.
If there are difficulties in reproducing information, then re -read it in a few hours or every other day.
And if you don’t remember anything, then study the material again for 10 minutes.After all, the cycle is repeated, you again sort information on how you remember it and distribute your time to repetition and replenishment of spaces.
Visualize the information
Visualization of information often helps people remember the material better, because some people have more visual perception.Pay attention to photographs, graphs and tables in the same textbooks, for example.You can create your own diagrams, diagrams and drawings, use notes on the fields or color markers in order to remember significant moments and find the necessary quickly.
Bind new information to the already known
When studying an unfamiliar material, find the time to think about how this information is related to what you already know.Having found this relationship, it will be easier for you to recall the recently received information.
Read aloud
Studies prove that the reading of the material aloud facilitates the process of memorizing information.Teachers also support this concept and put it in practice when they ask their students to teach new material to their classmates.You can also use this approach and study new material with your friend.
Devote more time for complex information
Which information is remembered the easiest at the beginning or at the end?Researchers have found that the procedure for studying the data plays a significant role in how quickly a selection occurs in the brain and the issuance of this information.And the material is best remembered at the beginning of the book and at the end.
Information in the middle is often lost, but this problem can be solved if you repeat it several times.Another strategy is to try to rephrase in your own words what you learned to make it easier to remember.
Change the usual environment
Another excellent way to develop memorization is to change the situation for studying the material.Change the place in the audience, or the time of the day to study the material.By adding an element of novelty to your training sessions, you can increase the efficiency of the effort expended and the memorization of information.
Remember before writing down
Teachers often say to record things before starting to teach them, so that the material is better remembered.
Remember and mentally repeat what you write down, and not just rewrite without thinking about it.
This process will not be difficult, because the information will remain in short-term memory for about 10-20 seconds.And mentally driving this information back in your head, you will thus transfer it to a long -term memory.
Sleep and do not forget to take a nap if possible
Most students are trying to devote more time of study and completely forget about sleep.But this only worsens the situation, because the lack of sleep affects memorization, as well as some other cognitive abilities.
The connection between sleep and memory is confirmed by numerous studies, because many know that memory consolidation occurs during sleep.It follows that the quality of sleep is directly related to the clarity of the memories.If the quality of sleep suffers, then soon you will notice that the memories will elude you.Conversely, with a sufficient amount of sleep from 8 + hours, remembering certain points is much easier and faster.
Studies also demonstrated that you can improve memorization by short sleep.One of the most famous studies in this area showed that a quick sleep (only half an hour or so) increases the ability of the brain to maintain information.Researchers asked two groups of people to remember a set of pictures with various images, and then after about 40 minutes showed a set of cards.One of the groups in these 40 minutes managed to take a nap.
Results:The group that seized, retained significantly more information about pictures (85%) compared to those who did not sleep at all (60%).
The reason, again, consists in the consolidation of memory - the brain needs a dream so that this process is good, so a little dream will only benefit.
Conclusion:If you want to use your memory reserves to the maximum, give the body a sufficient amount of sleep.
Train
Physical exercises are known in that they contribute to the improvement of cognitive abilities, concentration of attention, blood circulation of the brain due to the flow of oxygen to its cells and mood.
Training also causes the release of catepsin protein in the brain.This stimulates the growth of neurons (brain cells) and creates additional connections in the hippocampus - the area of the brain that is responsible for long -term memory and memorization.
The effectiveness of exercises to improve brain function was proven by a number of studies, so let's talk about this in the first place.In one of them it was proved that only a few minutes of easy exercises lead to instant improvement in memory.Participants in the experiment performed exercises of various intensity, and scientists at this moment observed a change in brain activity.
The results showed that during the execution of these exercises, the connection between the areas of the brain, responsible for the creation of new episodic memories (autobiographical memory, which remembers on the principle of “who, where and when”), as well as in a dentate gyrus and hippocampus, has improved.
Therefore, in just a few minutes or even an hour of exercises, you can improve your memory.To begin with, you can try a treadmill or walking, besides, most people will master this.
Drink coffee and tea
Caffeine is a fairly well -known remedy for increasing brain function.In large quantities, it is harmful to health and even dangerous, but there is no doubt that it improves memorization.
In one study by John Hopkins, one group of volunteers was proposed not to consume foods with caffeine in general, and the second was given additives with caffein 200 mg 5 minutes after they were offered to see the pictures.The next day they were shown even more pictures, some of them were identical to the past or similar to something, and there were also new ones.
The group that took caffeine the day before, coped much better with the definition of which pictures were similar to the original and even could name the difference in them.
Tea and coffee contain the largest amount of caffeine, in addition, they also have a lot of other advantages, the presence of antioxidants, for example.Try to receive your portion of caffeine from natural varieties of tea and coffee, and not from sweet carbonated energy drinks.In addition to caffeine, green and black tea contains components that improve memory.It is recommended to drink them all day, but it is preferably not before bedtime.
Eat products rich in flavonoids
Products that contain saturated fats and trans fats (red meat, oil) are very harmful to memory.And just during preparation for exams, students often eat a lot of unhealthy foods, which is even worse for the brain.
Numerous studies have shown that these products can even lead to Alzheimer's disease and dementia in the future, which causes irreparable damage to the health of the brain and cause memory loss.
To improve memory, it is recommended to eat products useful for the brain more fish, olive oil, whole grain, walnuts, blueberries.
In the long run, products with a high flavonoid content will help to improve memorization, and cocoa berries are especially useful in this regard.Flavonoids are anti-inflammatory compounds contained in plants and improve the health of the cardiovascular system.In some studies, it was also proved that they are an excellent preventive agent against cancer, as well as the consumption of blueberries for several weeks slows down the process of reducing memory.
In another study, it was revealed that regular blueberry consumption for 12 weeks improves spatial memory.The first signs of improvement appeared already in the third week of the experiment.
Dark chocolate containing 70 or more % cocoa is also known for improving the brain.
Medicines and additives
If you want to improve the functioning of the brain using additives, then omega-3 fatty acids are considered the best.
When choosing additives and before taking any tablets, pay attention to the label, omega-3 fats should be obtained from highly purified fish oil, preferable from fish varieties that are found in cold waters, as they contain less mercury.They improve memory especially in older people and other cognitive functions.