Image created using dalle-2 and edited using quotemaker
I am aware of how annoying it can be when you warm up a pot of soup by setting it on fire, only to be reminded of the smell of burnt soup; when you drop your phone on the couch and can't remember where you put it; or when you keep looking for your pen even though it is on the hand you were using to search for it.
You tend to think that something is wrong with your memory. Well, that’s not really the case. Ninety-nine percent (99%) of the forgetting that happens to all of us is normal.
In order to develop a sharp and powerful memory, there are things we can do that can help us boost our memory function.
Neuroscientist and author Lisa Genova shares 9 strategies or tactics we can use to build a stronger mind.
So, without further ado, let's get into it.
“The first essential ingredient in creating a memory that’s going to last longer than this present moment is attention” ~Lisa Genova.
If I dropped my phone on the table and didn't pay attention to where I put it, I won't remember where I dropped it; it's as simple as that.
“Your brain will never remember what you don’t pay attention to,” says Lisa Genova.
If you must build a strong mind, then you must combat stress at all costs, most especially chronic stress.
“Under chronic stress, your body will just keep dumping adrenaline and cortisol, and it can’t shut off. This is bad for memory. You’re actually shrinking your hippocampus–the part of your brain that’s essential for forming consciously held memories is going to be smaller. You’ll be inhibiting "neurogenesis," the birth of new neurons”. ~ Lisa Genova.
It is clear from Lisa Genova’s explanation that stress kills brain cells and must be combated at all costs. Hopefully, there are several things you can do to fight stress.
By practicing mindfulness, engaging in exercises, and also meditating, you can help restore the size of your hippocampus, which has been affected by stress.
For me personally, exercises and meditation are great ways to put your mind in a relaxed mood. So many people are familiar with exercises but not meditation, even though they know that it’s beneficial for them.
So, here’s a quick 9-second meditation that you can practice to help restore your cortisol levels and help save your hippocampus, including your ability to remember. This tip is being recommended by the neuroscientist Lisa Genova.
Step 1: Close your eyes if you can
Step 2: Breath in through your nose to the count of four
Step 3: Hold for a second and
Step 4: Finally, exhale through your nose to the count of four.
Do this repeatedly, gently, and notice how you feel. This act of breathing in and out through your nose helps send signals to your mind and body that you’re safe.
If you want to know just how important sleep is in building a strong memory, then work vigorously all through the night and get just 2 hours of sleep and see what happens. You wake up looking drowsy, unmotivated, forgetful, and weak. This has a severe effect on your memory.
“ Your hippocampus consolidates the information you’re learning into a lasting memory that you can consciously retrieve while you sleep.” ~ Lisa Genova
There are ethics you have to follow if you must get quality sleep, but the major one is to avoid taking your phones with you to bed. When it is sleep time, phones are out.
Studies have shown that caffeine is good for memory because it increases your attention. So anything that can boost your attention can also boost your memory. But you have to avoid taking it in excess. Moderation is key.
Creating associations is another way or tactic one uses to build a stronger mind. But what do I actually mean by “creating associations?”
Let me explain it this way. Have you ever linked a picture to a particular thing just for you to recollect that memory? If you have, then you’ve just created an association. The whole point of creating associations is to make you remember things effectively.
Maybe you told me that your name is Lionel. It’s possible to forget your name. But I can tie that name to something or someone like the legendary football icon Lionel Messi.
This means I have been able to create an association between you and Lionel Messi, which helps me to remember your name anytime, any day.
So using an image as a representation of a particular thing can help you recollect that memory. We call this “the Baker-Baker paradox”
The best way to build a stronger memory is repetition. The power of practice and rehearsals. Intuition tells us that more practice leads to better memory. More precisely, research reveals that both short- and long-term memory require constant practice.
One of the ways to improve memory is to write it down. Keeping a journal of things you want to remember is a good way to build your memory. Why even bother to fill your head with things anyway when you can write them down?
By trying to pull out a memory or store a memory you’re testing yourself which eventually helps builds a stronger mind. So whenever you meet a long-time friend at the grocery store, before he tells you his name, try to recollect to see if you can retrieve that information from your brain.
Some people think that googling is a lazy way to learn but actually it isn’t. You can always google to cross-check facts while continuing a conversation. Googling is a great way of building a stronger memory. Once you’ve googled it, you can remember that information anytime.
I believe that when you apply these 9 tips, you can indeed build a stronger mind.
