How to improve memory: useful exercises

Experts say the amount of memory is unlimited. But we don't 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 fitness. This means that memory can be influenced and today there are many ways to improve it.

Reasons for deterioration

The following factors lead to memory impairment:

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

Strengthening memory at home

The brain is a dynamic structure that reacts to any influence. 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 "associations". An assistant is required for the implementation. Ask him to read aloud several pairs of words that have a semantic connection between them. For example, "notebook - pen", "winter - snow", "book - study". Your task is to memorize the maximum number of words. Then, the assistant must read the first words, the second must be reproduced independently.
2. The second exercise is to improve your visual imagination. You need to close your eyes and imagine in detail any object, natural or animal phenomenon. It could be an oasis in the middle of the desert, a cat drinking milk, lightning in the sky. A wide variety of options is possible. Then, take a piece of paper and describe the images displayed on it in reverse order.
3. The third exercise is to improve your ability to hear and remember information. Someone needs to read a set of words out loud. For example, “table, sky, computer, elephant, autumn, river, tree”. Repeat these words first in the same order and then in the opposite direction. If there is no one around, you can do the exercise yourself. To do this, you must pick up a book and read the first words of each line out loud.

4. The fourth exercise will give you the opportunity to train your memory while doing household chores. Before going to the store, write a list of the products you need to buy on the sheet. Read several times. You can do this out loud or silently, however you like. Then leave the sheet at home and go to the store without it. Repeat this exercise whenever you need to shop.
5. Exercises that aim to activate the cerebral hemispheres also help to improve memory. The simplest of these is to change hands when performing an action. For example, comb your hair or hold the cup with your left hand (if you are left-handed, then with your right). You can also go hiking on site. It is necessary to perform the exercise at a fast pace. When lowering the knee, a hand wave is made so that it rises above the head. The exercise must be repeated several times.

Games

The cards are placed face down in a row 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.

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

Menu to strengthen memory

The memory status depends on the diet. Certain foods are the source of substances necessary for the body:

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

2. The 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. They include glutamic acid, methionine, cysteine, tryptophan, lysine. Also vitamins A, B2, B1, PP. They provide proteins to the body that are easily digested.
4. Honey is a source of carbohydrates. They can replace sugar. In its composition, honey contains glucose and fructose well absorbed. And also 22 out of 24 trace elements found in the circulatory system.
5. Fish - salmon, trout, salmon, herring. The consumption of these products will replenish the content of the essential acid omega 3, a deficiency that causes degenerative diseases of the brain. This element has a direct impact on the development of intelligence, memory and cognitive functions.
6. Avocado improves blood flow 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 contribute to the formation of blood clots.
8. Apples inhibit oxidative stress that can lead to memory loss.
9. 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 to slow aging.
10. Nuts containing lecithin have a positive effect on the brain by normalizing their activity. They also prevent premature aging. To feel the desired effect, just eat 5 nuts a day.
11. A handful of pumpkin seeds will provide the body with a daily need for zinc.
12. Wild berries, blueberries and currants are rich in vitamin C. Lemon also has this characteristic.
13. Tea has tonic properties. Contains caffeine and antioxidants to improve cognition. L-theanine relieves emotional stress.

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

The introduction of a salad made with the following ingredients in the diet will help maintain memory:

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

Grate the ingredients on a coarse grater, season with olive oil, drizzle with lemon juice and a little salt. Then stir the salad well and enjoy the healthy and tasty food.

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 stanzas, not lines. Many people make this mistake. If you repeat one line several times and then move on to another, you will end up getting confused in the stanza. Short-term memory is capable of perceiving approximately 7 blocks. In order not to overload it, you need to divide the verse into the same number of parts. Make 5 seconds between the blocks.
2. Read the entire poem first 2-3 times. At the same time, try to visualize the plot of the work. Now read it again and you will find that you have already memorized some lines. In this way, we try to learn the entire verse.
3. Do not use blocks to teach you. The work will be divided into fragments and it will be problematic to reproduce it completely.

Listening to music is also one of the methods to improve memory. But these must be classic pieces. 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 and Georg Friedrich Handel have this ability.

Other ways

Lead an active lifestyle, exercise and take a walk outdoors. During exercise, the body releases hormones that improve brain function. Walking will help to fill it with oxygen. Getting enough sleep is essential for brain cells to regenerate. The lack of rest immediately affects your well-being.

The efficiency of the brain increases during the deep sleep phase.

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

Drawing and reading are some of the techniques to balance the emotional state. Portraying negative emotions on paper allows you to see the problem from the outside. In the reading process, attention is shifted to the plot of the book. This relieves psychological stress.

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

1. Grate horseradish root and 3 lemons. Add 3 tablespoons of honey to the resulting dough. Refrigerate 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 of 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, half an hour before meals.
4. 1 tablespoon of mountain ash bark, pour 250 ml of water 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.

It is possible to influence the state of memory with the help of medicines.

If this is your choice, do not self-medicate. The medication is taken only after consulting a doctor.

Express methods

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

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

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

1. First, take a deep breath and hold the air for five seconds. In that case, the palms of the hands need to be clenched in a fist.
2. Then exhale slowly and open your hands.
3. After this exercise, you will feel relaxed and improve your concentration.

A familiar object must be used when creating associations. The memory activity is organized so that the best result is achieved if new facts are added to the sensations and feelings experienced.

Many people are familiar with the situation when the memory starts to fail at the right time. It is not just older people who face this. Anyone can master the methods to improve memory capacity. For best results, an integrated approach is recommended. You will feel the effect at the beginning of classes.