الأربعاء، 26 نوفمبر 2014
Memory Booster
information for memory
For us to recall events, facts or processes, we have to commit them to memory. The process of forming a memory involves encoding, storing, retaining and subsequently recalling information and past experiences.
Cognitive psychologist Margaret W. Matlin has described memory as the “process of retaining information over time.” Others have defined it as the ability to use our past experiences to determine our future path.
When they are asked to define memory, most people think of studying for a test or recalling where we put the car keys. However, memory is essential in our everyday lives. We would not be able to function in the present or move forward without relying on our memory.
Causes of Memory Loss
It's the stuff movies are made of: After a blow to the head, a person wanders aimlessly, unable to remember who he is or where he came from. While such sudden, profound loss of memory is rare, memory loss is a problem that affects most people to a degree.
Whether it's occasional forgetfulness or loss of short-term memory that interferes with daily life, there are many causes of memory loss.
Medications. A number of prescription and over-the-counter medications can interfere with or cause loss of memory. Possible culprits include: antidepressants, antihistamines, anti-anxiety medications, muscle relaxants, tranquilizers, sleeping pills, and pain medications given after surgery.
Alcohol, tobacco, or drug use. Excessive alcohol use has long been recognized as a cause of memory loss.
Smoking harms memory by reducing the amount of oxygen that gets to the brain. Studies have shown that people who smoke find it more difficult to put faces with names than do nonsmokers. Illicit drugs can change chemicals in the brain that can make it hard to recall memories.
Sleep deprivation. Both quantity and quality of sleep are important to memory. Getting too little sleep or waking frequently in the night can lead to fatigue, which interferes with the ability to consolidate and retrieve information.
Depression and stress. Being depressed can make it difficult to pay attention and focus, which can affect memory. Stress and anxiety can also get in the way of concentration. When you are tense and your mind is overstimulated or distracted, your ability to remember can suffer. Stress caused by an emotional trauma can also lead to memory loss.
Nutritional deficiency. Good nutrition -- including high-quality proteins and fats -- is important to proper brain function. Deficiencies in vitamin B1 and B12 specifically can affect memory.
Head injury. A severe hit to the head -- from a fall or automobile accident, for example -- can injure the brain and cause both short- and long-term memory loss. Memory may gradually improve over time.
Stroke. A stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is stopped due to the blockage of a blood vessel to the brain or leakage of a vessel into the brain. Strokes often cause short-term memory loss. A person who has had a stroke may have vivid memories of childhood events but be unable to recall what he or she had for lunch.
7 tips to improve your memory
1. Eat Right
The foods you eat – and don't eat – play a crucial role in your memory. Fresh vegetables are essential, as are healthy fats and avoiding sugar and grain carbohydrates. You can find detailed information about nine foods for brainpower here.
For instance, curry, celery, broccoli,
cauliflower, and walnuts contain antioxidants and other compounds that
protect your brain health and may even stimulate the production of new
brain cells.
Increasing your animal-based omega-3
fat intake and reducing consumption of damaged omega-6 fats (think
processed vegetable oils) in order to balance your omega-3 to omega-6
ratio, is also important. I prefer krill oil to fish oil, as krill oil
also contains astaxanthin, which not only protects the omega-3 fats from oxidation but also appears to be particularly beneficial for brain health.
Coconut oil is another healthful fat for brain function. According to research by Dr. Mary Newport,
just over two tablespoons of coconut oil (about 35 ml or 7 level
teaspoons) would supply you with the equivalent of 20 grams of
medium-chain triglycerides (MCT), which is indicated as either a
preventative measure against degenerative neurological diseases, or as a
treatment for an already established case.
2. Exercise
Exercise
encourages your brain to work at optimum capacity by stimulating nerve
cells to multiply, strengthening their interconnections and protecting
them from damage.
During exercise nerve cells release proteins known as neurotrophic
factors. One in particular, called brain-derived neurotrophic factor
(BDNF), triggers numerous other chemicals that promote neural health,
and directly benefits cognitive functions, including learning.
A 2010 study on primates published in Neuroscience also
revealed that regular exercise not only improved blood flow to the
brain, but also helped the monkeys learn new tasks twice as quickly as
non-exercising monkeys.
This is a benefit the researchers believe would hold true for people as well.1 In a separate one year-long study, individuals who engaged in exercise were actually growing and expanding the brain's memory center one to two percent per year, where typically that center would have continued to decline in size.
To get the most out of your workouts, I recommend a comprehensive program that includes high-intensity interval exercise, strength training, stretching, and core work, along with regular intermittent movement.
3. Stop Multitasking
Used for decades to describe the parallel processing abilities of
computers, multitasking is now shorthand for the human attempt to do
simultaneously as many things as possible, as quickly as possible.
Ultimately, multitasking may actually slow you down, make you prone to
errors as well as make you forgetful.
Research shows you actually need about eight seconds to commit a
piece of information to your memory, so if you're talking on your phone
and carrying in groceries when you put down your car keys, you're
unlikely to remember where you left them.
The opposite of multitasking would be mindfulness, which helps you
achieve undistracted focus. Students who took a mindfulness class
improved reading comprehension test scores and working memory capacity,
as well as experienced fewer distracting thoughts.2
If you find yourself trying to complete five tasks at once, stop
yourself and focus your attention back to the task at hand. If
distracting thoughts enter your head, remind yourself that these are
only "projections," not reality, and allow them to pass by without
stressing you out. You can then end your day with a 10- or 15-minute
meditation session to help stop your mind from wandering and relax into a
restful sleep.
4. Get a Good Night's Sleep
Research from Harvard indicates that people are 33 percent more likely
to infer connections among distantly related ideas after sleeping,3
but few realize that their performance has actually improved. Sleep is
also known to enhance your memories and help you "practice" and improve
your performance of challenging skills. In fact, a single night of
sleeping only four to six hours can impact your ability to think clearly
the next day.
The process of brain growth, or neuroplasticity,
is believed to underlie your brain's capacity to control behavior,
including learning and memory. Plasticity occurs when neurons are
stimulated by events, or information, from the environment. However,
sleep and sleep loss modify the expression of several genes and gene
products that may be important for synaptic plasticity.
Furthermore, certain forms of long-term potentiation, a neural process
associated with the laying down of learning and memory, can be elicited
in sleep, suggesting synaptic connections are strengthened while you
slumber.
As you might suspect, this holds true for infants too, and research
shows that naps can give a boost to babies' brainpower. Specifically,
infants who slept in between learning and testing sessions had a better
ability to recognize patterns in new information, which signals an
important change in memory that plays an essential role in cognitive
development.4
There's reason to believe this holds true for adults, too, as even
among adults, a mid-day nap was found to dramatically boost and restore
brainpower.5 You can find 33 tips to help you get the shut-eye you need here.
5. Play Brain Games
If you don't sufficiently challenge your brain with new, surprising
information, it eventually begins to deteriorate. What research into
brain plasticity shows us, however, is that by providing your brain with
appropriate stimulus, you can counteract this degeneration.
One way to challenge your brain is via 'brain games,' which you can
play online via Web sites like Lumosity.com. Dr. Michael Merzenich,
professor emeritus at the University of California, who I interviewed two years ago,
has pioneered research in brain plasticity (also called
neuroplasticity) for more than 30 years, has also developed a
computer-based brain-training program that can help you sharpen a range
of skills, from reading and comprehension to improved memorization and
more.
The program is called Brain HQ, and the website has many different
exercises designed to improve brain function and it also allows you to
track and monitor your progress over time. While there are many similar
sites on the Web, Brain HQ is one of the oldest and most widely used.
If you decide to try brain games, ideally it would be wise to invest at
least 20 minutes a day, but no more than five to seven minutes is to be
spent on a specific task. When you spend longer amounts of time on a
task, the benefits weaken. According to Dr. Merzenich, the primary
benefits occur in the first five or six minutes of the task. The only
downside to brain games is that it may become just another "task" you
need to fit into an already busy day. If you don't enjoy brain games,
you can also try learning a new skill or hobby (see below).
6. Master a New Skill
Engaging in "purposeful and meaningful activities" stimulates your
neurological system, counters the effects of stress-related diseases,
reduces the risk of dementia and enhances health and well-being.6 A key factor necessary for improving your brain function or reversing functional decline is the seriousness of purpose
with which you engage in a task. In other words, the task must be
important to you, or somehow meaningful or interesting — it must hold
your attention.
For instance, one study revealed that craft activities such as
quilting and knitting were associated with decreased odds of having mild
cognitive impairment.7
Another study, published earlier this year, found that taking part in
"cognitively demanding" activities like learning to quilt or take
digital photography enhanced memory function in older adults.8 The key is to find an activity that is mentally stimulating for you.
Ideally this should be something that requires your undivided attention
and gives you great satisfaction… it should be an activity that you look forward to doing, such as playing a musical instrument, gardening, building model ships, crafting or many others.
7. Try Mnemonic Devices
Mnemonic devices are memory tools to help you remember words,
information or concepts. They help you to organize information into an
easier-to-remember format. Try:
- Acronyms (such as PUG for "pick up grapes")
- Visualizations (such as imagining a tooth to remember your dentist's appointment)
- Rhymes (if you need to remember a name, for instance, think "Shirley's hair is curly)
- Chunking, which is breaking up information into smaller "chunks" (such as organizing numbers into the format of a phone number)
The foods you eat – and don't eat – play a crucial role in your memory. Fresh vegetables are essential, as are healthy fats and avoiding sugar and grain carbohydrates. You can find detailed information about nine foods for brainpower here.
For instance, curry, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, and walnuts contain antioxidants and other compounds that protect your brain health and may even stimulate the production of new brain cells.
Increasing your animal-based omega-3 fat intake and reducing consumption of damaged omega-6 fats (think processed vegetable oils) in order to balance your omega-3 to omega-6 ratio, is also important. I prefer krill oil to fish oil, as krill oil also contains astaxanthin, which not only protects the omega-3 fats from oxidation but also appears to be particularly beneficial for brain health.
Coconut oil is another healthful fat for brain function. According to research by Dr. Mary Newport, just over two tablespoons of coconut oil (about 35 ml or 7 level teaspoons) would supply you with the equivalent of 20 grams of medium-chain triglycerides (MCT), which is indicated as either a preventative measure against degenerative neurological diseases, or as a treatment for an already established case.
2. Exercise
Exercise encourages your brain to work at optimum capacity by stimulating nerve cells to multiply, strengthening their interconnections and protecting them from damage.
During exercise nerve cells release proteins known as neurotrophic factors. One in particular, called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), triggers numerous other chemicals that promote neural health, and directly benefits cognitive functions, including learning.
A 2010 study on primates published in Neuroscience also revealed that regular exercise not only improved blood flow to the brain, but also helped the monkeys learn new tasks twice as quickly as non-exercising monkeys.
This is a benefit the researchers believe would hold true for people as well.1 In a separate one year-long study, individuals who engaged in exercise were actually growing and expanding the brain's memory center one to two percent per year, where typically that center would have continued to decline in size.
To get the most out of your workouts, I recommend a comprehensive program that includes high-intensity interval exercise, strength training, stretching, and core work, along with regular intermittent movement.
3. Stop Multitasking
Used for decades to describe the parallel processing abilities of computers, multitasking is now shorthand for the human attempt to do simultaneously as many things as possible, as quickly as possible. Ultimately, multitasking may actually slow you down, make you prone to errors as well as make you forgetful.
Research shows you actually need about eight seconds to commit a piece of information to your memory, so if you're talking on your phone and carrying in groceries when you put down your car keys, you're unlikely to remember where you left them.
The opposite of multitasking would be mindfulness, which helps you achieve undistracted focus. Students who took a mindfulness class improved reading comprehension test scores and working memory capacity, as well as experienced fewer distracting thoughts.2
If you find yourself trying to complete five tasks at once, stop yourself and focus your attention back to the task at hand. If distracting thoughts enter your head, remind yourself that these are only "projections," not reality, and allow them to pass by without stressing you out. You can then end your day with a 10- or 15-minute meditation session to help stop your mind from wandering and relax into a restful sleep.
4. Get a Good Night's Sleep
Research from Harvard indicates that people are 33 percent more likely to infer connections among distantly related ideas after sleeping,3 but few realize that their performance has actually improved. Sleep is also known to enhance your memories and help you "practice" and improve your performance of challenging skills. In fact, a single night of sleeping only four to six hours can impact your ability to think clearly the next day.
The process of brain growth, or neuroplasticity, is believed to underlie your brain's capacity to control behavior, including learning and memory. Plasticity occurs when neurons are stimulated by events, or information, from the environment. However, sleep and sleep loss modify the expression of several genes and gene products that may be important for synaptic plasticity.
Furthermore, certain forms of long-term potentiation, a neural process associated with the laying down of learning and memory, can be elicited in sleep, suggesting synaptic connections are strengthened while you slumber.
As you might suspect, this holds true for infants too, and research shows that naps can give a boost to babies' brainpower. Specifically, infants who slept in between learning and testing sessions had a better ability to recognize patterns in new information, which signals an important change in memory that plays an essential role in cognitive development.4 There's reason to believe this holds true for adults, too, as even among adults, a mid-day nap was found to dramatically boost and restore brainpower.5 You can find 33 tips to help you get the shut-eye you need here.
5. Play Brain Games
If you don't sufficiently challenge your brain with new, surprising information, it eventually begins to deteriorate. What research into brain plasticity shows us, however, is that by providing your brain with appropriate stimulus, you can counteract this degeneration.
One way to challenge your brain is via 'brain games,' which you can play online via Web sites like Lumosity.com. Dr. Michael Merzenich, professor emeritus at the University of California, who I interviewed two years ago, has pioneered research in brain plasticity (also called neuroplasticity) for more than 30 years, has also developed a computer-based brain-training program that can help you sharpen a range of skills, from reading and comprehension to improved memorization and more.
The program is called Brain HQ, and the website has many different exercises designed to improve brain function and it also allows you to track and monitor your progress over time. While there are many similar sites on the Web, Brain HQ is one of the oldest and most widely used.
If you decide to try brain games, ideally it would be wise to invest at least 20 minutes a day, but no more than five to seven minutes is to be spent on a specific task. When you spend longer amounts of time on a task, the benefits weaken. According to Dr. Merzenich, the primary benefits occur in the first five or six minutes of the task. The only downside to brain games is that it may become just another "task" you need to fit into an already busy day. If you don't enjoy brain games, you can also try learning a new skill or hobby (see below).
6. Master a New Skill
Engaging in "purposeful and meaningful activities" stimulates your neurological system, counters the effects of stress-related diseases, reduces the risk of dementia and enhances health and well-being.6 A key factor necessary for improving your brain function or reversing functional decline is the seriousness of purpose with which you engage in a task. In other words, the task must be important to you, or somehow meaningful or interesting — it must hold your attention.
For instance, one study revealed that craft activities such as quilting and knitting were associated with decreased odds of having mild cognitive impairment.7 Another study, published earlier this year, found that taking part in "cognitively demanding" activities like learning to quilt or take digital photography enhanced memory function in older adults.8 The key is to find an activity that is mentally stimulating for you. Ideally this should be something that requires your undivided attention and gives you great satisfaction… it should be an activity that you look forward to doing, such as playing a musical instrument, gardening, building model ships, crafting or many others.
7. Try Mnemonic Devices
Mnemonic devices are memory tools to help you remember words, information or concepts. They help you to organize information into an easier-to-remember format. Try:
- Acronyms (such as PUG for "pick up grapes")
- Visualizations (such as imagining a tooth to remember your dentist's appointment)
- Rhymes (if you need to remember a name, for instance, think "Shirley's hair is curly)
- Chunking, which is breaking up information into smaller "chunks" (such as organizing numbers into the format of a phone number)
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