We’ve all been there: You get to the grocery store and completely blank on what you need to buy, or maybe you forget the names of people you know you’ve met a dozen times. If you want to learn how to improve your memory and avoid these situations, these five tips can help.
- Get enough exercise and sleep. Physical activity increases oxygen to the brain, which enhances its activity. When you’re sleep deprived, your brain doesn’t operate at full capacity. Get a full eight hours to improve your memory.
- Hang out with friends. While many people think that completing a complicated puzzle improves your brain’s capacity for memory, this isn’t entirely true. Our brains want to remember things that make us happy, such as spending time with friends.
- Decrease stress. Chronic stress destroys brain cells and damages the hippocampus, both of which are necessary for memory. Check with a doctor to see if anti-anxiety medication may benefit you.
- Improve your diet. Certain nutrients in food can help to improve memory, including omega 3s in fish, vitamins in fruits and veggies, and antioxidants in green tea.
- Try new things. Stimulating your brain with activities that are out of the ordinary keeps it growing and developing. Read a difficult book, start an art project, or learn an instrument to help improve your memory.
How to Improve Your Memory [Help Guide]
Top 10 Ways to Improve Your Memory [Discovery]
7 Tricks to Improve Your Memory [Health]