How to improve memory: useful exercises

Experts say the storage capacity is unlimited. But we don't always use it properly. Mechanical memorization, which is practiced in educational institutions, is not an ideal way to improve memory. It consists of three components: natural potential, stamina and fitness. This means that memory can be influenced, and today there are many ways to improve it.

Reasons for a deterioration

The following factors lead to memory impairment:

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

Strengthen storage at home

The brain is a dynamic structure that reacts to any influence. The right approach will help you get the result you want. A sufficient number of techniques have now 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 implementation. Invite him to read out several pairs of words that have a semantic connection with each other. For example "Notebook - Pen", "Winter - Snow", "Book - Study". Your job is to save 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 each object, natural phenomenon or animal in detail. It can be an oasis in the middle of the desert, a cat drinking milk and twinkling in the sky. A variety of options are possible. Next, take a sheet of paper and describe the images shown in reverse order.
3. The third exercise is to improve listening and storing information. Someone has to read a series of words. For example "table, sky, computer, elephant, autumn, river, tree". Repeat these words first in the same order and then in the opposite direction. If no one is around, you can do the exercise yourself. To do this, take a book and read the first few words of each line.

4. The fourth exercise gives you the opportunity to train your memory and do housework at the same time. Before going to the store, write a list of the products that you need to buy on the sheet. Read it several times. You can do this loudly or softly as you like. Then leave the sheet at home and go to the store without it. Repeat this exercise every time you need to shop.
5. Exercises to activate the hemispheres of the brain also help improve memory. The easiest way is to change hands when performing an action. For example, comb your hair or hold the mug with your left hand (if you are left-handed, use your right). You can also go for a walk on site. It is necessary to do the exercise at a fast pace. When lowering the knee, a hand movement is made that rises above the head. The exercise should 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 player turns over any two cards. If they match, the participant takes them.

Playing with questions also helps exercise your memory. The subject doesn't matter. Each player asks questions to the rest of the participants. Five points are added for a correct answer and two points for an incorrect answer. Solving crossword puzzles will help you get tangible results.

Menu to strengthen the memory

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

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

2. Sprouted grains contain elements that supply the brain with energy 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 provide the body with protein that is easy to digest.
4. Honey is a source of carbohydrates. You can replace sugar. Honey in its composition contains well-absorbed glucose and fructose. And also 22 of the 24 trace elements in the circulatory system.
5. Fish - salmon, trout, salmon, herring. By consuming these products, the content of essential omega-3 acids is replenished, the deficiency of which leads to degenerative diseases of the brain. This element has a direct impact on the development of intelligence, memory and cognitive functions.
6. Avocado improves the blood supply to the brain due to unsaturated fatty acids and minerals.
7. Dark chocolate contains flavonol, an element that prevents oxidation of the brain and normalizes blood circulation. Cocoa destroys substances that contribute to the formation of blood clots.
8. Apples inhibit oxidative stress, which 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 contained in this product, slows down aging.
10. Walnuts containing lecithin have a positive effect on the brain by 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 provides the body with zinc every day.
12. Blueberries and currants with wild berries are characterized by a high vitamin C content. Lemon also has this property.
13. Tea has tonic properties. Contains caffeine and antioxidants to improve exercise. L-theanine reduces emotional stress.

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

If you include a salad made from the following ingredients in your diet, your memory will be preserved:

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

Grate the ingredients on a coarse grater, season with oil, pour lemon juice over them and season a little salt. Then stir the salad well and enjoy the healthy, delicious food.

Poems and Music

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

1. Learn through stanzas, not lines. Lots of people make this mistake. Repeating a line many times and then switching to another can cause confusion in the verse. Short-term memory can perceive about 7 blocks. In order not to overload it, you need to divide the verse into an equal number of parts. Make 5 seconds between blocks.
2. First read the entire 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 a few lines. In this way we try to learn the whole verse.
3. Don't use quatrains to teach him. The work will fall into fragments and it will be problematic to fully reproduce it.

Listening to music is also one of the memory improvement methods. But they have to 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 possibilities

Live an active lifestyle, exercise, and go for walks in the fresh air. During exercise, the body releases hormones that improve brain function. Walking helps fill it with oxygen. Getting enough sleep is important so that the brain cells can regenerate. Lack of rest immediately affects your well-being.

The efficiency of the brain increases in deep sleep.

Stress is a direct memory hazard. 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 is necessary to struggle with it. This can be done with the help of physical exercises that involve the release of endorphins - the hormone of pleasure.

Drawing and reading are some of the techniques to help balance the emotional state. By imagining negative emotions on paper, you can look at the problem from the outside. When reading, attention is drawn to the plot of the book. This relieves mental stress.

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

1. Grate the horseradish root and 3 lemons. Add 3 tablespoons of honey to the resulting mass. Store in the refrigerator for 3 weeks. Take 1 teaspoon twice a day with meals.
2. Pour 10 g ginger, 250 ml 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 boiling water. Insist for 12 hours. Then strain and take 50 ml 4 times a day half an hour before meals.
4. Pour 250 ml of water over 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 course duration is 3-4 weeks.

With the help of medication, the state of memory can be influenced.

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

Express methods

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

1. Concentrate first. Focus and focus on what you need to remember. Do not let other objects draw your attention.
2. The next step is to create associations. Link the object you want to remember to something. Here you can fully rely on your imagination.
3. Let's continue with the third stage. The assignment should be repeated several times. This method will help you remember events or information without memorizing them.

If you are unsure whether you can concentrate, try the following exercise:

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

When creating associations, a known object should be used. The memory activity is arranged so that the best result is achieved when new facts are added to the sensations and feelings experienced.

Many people know the situation when the memory fails at the right moment. It's not just the elderly who face this. Anyone can master the methods to improve the ability to memorize. An integrated approach is recommended for a better result. You will feel the effect right from the start of the lesson.