He began to notice that he cannot remember where he puts the keys or that he has again forgotten an important meeting, he cannot concentrate on important matters and that distracts all the time, does the new material remember badly or can the material recently completed remember?If so, you should think about how to improve memory and attention in adults and recover your previous state.
The first thing that comes to mind is to start a newspaper or a calendar in line with reminders, so as not to miss important events and meetings.But what to do with the information to be remembered and transferred to a long -term memory?
Unfortunately, everything is not so simple.Despite the variety of choice, forms of tablets production, a variety of additives and drugs, at this time there are not so many scientific confirmations that really improve brain activity and mental processes.And verifying the medicine worth $ 50, which promises to strengthen neuronal connections in the brain for just 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, to cover the entire volume or at least prepare for the exam, it is necessary not only to spend time for this.The problem of the problem is often a bad memorization, weakening of memory and the incorrect approach to the learning process.
Fortunately, there are effective methods to improve memory proven by science and ways to improve brain function, both in the short and long term perspective in the home, and even facilitate the process of preparation for the exam.Then we consider each of them separately.
Try meditation to improve attention concentration
Attention is one of the main components of memory.In order for the data to move from short -term memory in the long term, it is necessary to focus on this piece of material.Try to do important things of distraction factors, such as television, music, telephones, chats and other entertainment.
It is not always easy to do this, especially if you are surrounded by neighbors or noisy children.Try to highlight the moment in which no one interferes, so that you can concentrate on your work.
Memory and attention concentration are in approximately an area of the brain.It is demonstrated that with an increase in concentration through meditation, it leads to an improvement in brain performance and the process of memorization of an adult.
Meditation helps improve and develop working memory, which temporarily stores the necessary data during the day.In a nutshell, at any time in the brain there are 7 pieces of information, when a new part arrives, displaces the previous one, which is entered or does not enter a long -term memory.Meditation helps to get information that is needed in this period of time, faster.
How long will it have to see positive results, it is not known with certainty.In general, it can take 2 to 8 weeks.
Perhaps the soothing effect of meditation increases the ability to overcome mental noise (distraction factors) and focus on what you need to know at one time or another.
Here are some more effective forms:
- Disconnect all notifications when I study.
- Try to isolate yourself from the people you know while studying.Go to the library or in a coffee where they don't bother you.
- Work at the same time only in one theme, avoid multitasking and frequent change to another material.
Do not snuggle
To properly process this or that information, it must 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 at the same time at the same time.
Structure and optimize data
Researchers have found that the information is ordered in the brain in interconnected "groups".This brain capacity 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 of 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 so that a selection of brain data occurs faster.In other words, this is a simple way to remember complex information.For example, you can connect the term to remember, associating it with the subject very familiar.The best mnemonics are those that are associated with positive images or humor.You can think of a rhyme, a song or a joke to remember a certain segment of the material.
Acronica is the most used technique for associative memorization of lists or short sequences.
In everyday life, we are already so accustomed to Acronemes that we don't even notice them and we don't think about what words they consist.
When studying new knowledge, you can create your own abbreviations.
Disassemble the material in detail and repeat the past
To remember the information, you must first do it understandable to the brain and then repeat everything that was 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 that passes and days a week.
See the material again if you remember it well, then repeat it only once a week.
If there are difficulties in reproducing information, take it in a few hours or every two days.
And if you don't remember anything, study the material again for 10 minutes.After all, the cycle is repeated, again classify information on how it remembers and distributes its time to repetition and replacement of spaces.
View the information
The visualization of information often helps people better remember the material, because some people have more visual perception.Pay attention to photographs, graphics and tables in the same textbooks, for example.You can create your own diagrams, diagrams and drawings, use notes in the fields or color markers to remember significant moments and find the necessary ones quickly.
Tie new information to the already known
When studying an unknown 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 remember the recently received information.
Read aloud
The studies show that reading the material out loud facilitates the information memorization process.Teachers also support this concept and put it into 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.
Dedicate more time to complex information
What information is remembered the easiest at the beginning or at the end?Researchers have found that the procedure to study the data plays an important role in the speed with which 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 in the end.
The information in the middle is often lost, but this problem can be solved if it repeats it several times.Another strategy is to try to reformulate in his own words what he learned to be easier to remember.
Change the usual environment
Another excellent way to develop memorization is to change the situation to study the material.Change the place at the audience or time of day to study the material.By adding an element of novelty to your training sessions, you can increase the efficiency of spent effort and information memorization.
Remember before writing
Teachers often say they record things before starting to teach them, so that the material is better remembered.
Remember and mentally repeat what you write, and not only 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 return this information mentally in your head, will transfer it to a long -term memory.
Sleep and don't forget to take a nap if possible
Most students are trying to devote more study time and completely forget about sleep.But this only worsens the situation, because lack of sleep affects memorization, as well as some other cognitive skills.
The connection between sleep and memory is confirmed through numerous studies, because many know that memory consolidation occurs during sleep.It follows that sleep quality is directly related to the clarity of memories.If sleep quality suffers, you will soon notice that memories avoid it.On the contrary, with a sufficient amount of sleep from more than 8 hours, remembering certain points is much easier and faster.
Studies also showed that it can improve memorization with a short dream.One of the most famous studies in this area showed that a fast dream (only half an hour or so) increases the brain's ability to maintain information.The researchers asked two groups of people to remember a set of images with several 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 confiscated, significantly retained more information about images (85%) compared to those who did not sleep at all (60%).
The reason, again, consists of the consolidation of memory: the brain needs a dream so that this process is good, so a small dream will only benefit.
Conclusion:If you want to use your memory reserves to the fullest, give the body a sufficient amount of sleep.
Train
Physical exercises are known in which they contribute to the improvement of cognitive skills, the concentration of attention, the blood circulation of the brain due to the flow of oxygen to their cells and the mood.
Training also causes the release of catapsin protein in the brain.This stimulates the growth of neurons (brain cells) and creates additional connections in the hippocampus, the brain area that is responsible for long -term memory and memorization.
The effectiveness of the exercises to improve brain function was tested by several studies, so let's talk about this in the first place.In one of them it was shown that only a few minutes of easy exercises lead to an instant improvement in memory.The participants in the experiment carried out exercises of different intensity, and the scientists at this time 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 recalls the principle of "who, where and when"), as well as in a dentate and hippocampus turn, has improved.
Therefore, in just a few minutes or even an hour of exercises, you can improve your memory.To start, you can try a run or walk tape, in addition, most people will dominate this.
Baby coffee and tea
Caffeine is a fairly well known remedy to increase brain function.In large quantities, it is harmful to health and even dangerous, but there is no doubt that it improves memorization.
In a study by John Hopkins, a group of volunteers who did not consume food with caffeine in general, and the second received additives with caffeine 200 mg 5 minutes after they were offered to see the photos were proposed.The next day they were even more photos, 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, faced much better with the definition of which images were similar to the original and could even name the difference in them.
Tea and coffee contain the greatest amount of caffeine, in addition, they also have many other advantages, for example, the presence of antioxidants.Try to receive its portion of caffeine from natural varieties of tea and coffee, and not of 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 preferably not before bedtime.
Eat Flavonoid Rich Products
Products that contain saturated fats and trans fats (red meat, oil) are very harmful to memory.And just during the preparation for exams, students often eat many 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 brain health and causes memory loss.
To improve memory, it is recommended to eat useful products for the brain, more fish, olive oil, integral grain, nuts, blueberries.
In the long run, products with a high flavonoid content will help 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 demonstrated that they are an excellent preventive agent against cancer, as well as blueberry consumption for several weeks slows down the memory reduction process.
In another study, it was revealed that regular blueberry consumption for 12 weeks improves spatial memory.The first signs of improvement already appeared in the third week of the experiment.
The black chocolate containing 70 or more % cocoa is also known for improving the brain.
Medications and additives
If you want to improve the functioning of the brain using additives, omega-3 fatty acids are considered the best.
When choosing additives and before taking tablets, pay attention to the label, omega-3 fats should be obtained from highly purified fish oil, preferable to fish varieties found in cold waters, since they contain less mercury.They improve memory, especially in the elderly and other cognitive functions.