{"id":78209,"date":"2019-12-12T09:14:44","date_gmt":"2019-12-12T17:14:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/?p=78209"},"modified":"2019-12-16T18:01:03","modified_gmt":"2019-12-17T02:01:03","slug":"7-tips-on-how-to-train-your-brain-and-improve-your-memory","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/7-tips-on-how-to-train-your-brain-and-improve-your-memory\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Tips on How to Train Your Brain and Improve Your Memory"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

Our memory is the part of the brain where we encode, store\nand retrieve information. There are two types: our short term (or working\nmemory) and long-term memory. Short-term memory is how we remember things\ntemporarily, and it is thought that we can hold around seven items here at any one\ntime. When we no longer need this information however, it leaves us \u2013 unless it\nmakes it to our long-term memory. When we keep coming back to information, this\ncan be committed to a more permanent part of our brain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are many ways that we can boost our brain power and\nimprove our short and<\/em> long-term memory, so here are seven ways that you\ncan start today!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eating brain foods<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are some foods considered to be better than others for\nour memory, and therefore the preservation of our brains. According to\nresearch, the following \u201csuperfoods\u201d can help:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Green, leafy vegetables:<\/strong> These, as well as other\nplant-based foods, can potentially help your memory. This is because they are\nrich in healthy nutrients that are thought to slow cognitive decline. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Berries: <\/strong>We hear a lot about flavonoids when it comes\nto our brain, which are the natural plant pigments in berries. In a 2012 study\npublished in the Annals of Neurology, researchers found that women who consumed\ntwo or more servings of strawberries and blueberries per week were able to\ndelay their memory decline. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Omega-3:<\/strong> Fatty fish offers a lot of Omega-3 acids,\nwhich are healthy unsaturated fats thought to improve memory. It is recommended\nthat you try to eat fish at least twice per week, but choose those low in\nmercury such as salmon, cod or canned tuna. Alternatively, if you don\u2019t like\nfish, talk to a medical professional about taking a supplement instead. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exercising regularly<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It sometimes feels like the answer to everything is\nexercise, but it really does help in every way. Not only does it improve our\nfitness and get those good endorphins flowing \u2013 but the secretion of\nneuroprotective proteins could also help our cognitive abilities. In fact,\nresearch at the University of British Columbia has found that regular aerobic\nexercise could boost the size of the brain area that helps us with memory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Utilising brain training apps<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

However, not everything we do has to be about eating healthy\nand exercising. Why not give your brain a workout instead? One trial found that\npeople who did 15 minutes of brain training activities 5 days per week were\nable to see improvements in their brain function. There are many great ways you\ncan try this, including the likes of websites Lumosity and Game Show.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Playing board games<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What could be better than boosting your brain power and\nimproving your memory, while having fun with friends or family? In fact, it\nseems boards games could well be a winning combo. Firstly, the areas of the\nbrain responsible for memory formation is the hippocampus and prefrontal\ncortex, which are what we use when we play. Secondly, board games have the\nadded benefit of being sociable, and one study suggests that those with very\nactive social lives have the slowest memory decline. And considering a recent survey<\/a> has shown the\ntop emotions evoked when playing board games was satisfaction (82{54c12dad2cc2b53ae830e39915b1a3e70288dbcbbeb8bbf8395437c5dc3c512c}),\nfriendliness (81{54c12dad2cc2b53ae830e39915b1a3e70288dbcbbeb8bbf8395437c5dc3c512c}) and enthusiasm (76{54c12dad2cc2b53ae830e39915b1a3e70288dbcbbeb8bbf8395437c5dc3c512c}), it seems game playing is beneficial all\nround.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Becoming mindful with meditation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One way to improve your memory is through meditation. A recent\nstudy found that just a couple of weeks of meditation training can better your\ncognitive abilities. This is not surprising really, since so much of meditation\nis about focusing for longer, without letting other (less important!) distractions\nin. There are many ways that you can learn meditation, even doing it from the\ncomfort of your own home using apps such as The Mindfulness App, Headspace or\nCalm. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sleeping for a scheduled amount of time<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Some people make the mistake of skipping on sleep to cram more\ninto their day. However, this doesn\u2019t only compromise your physical and mental\nwellbeing, but your creativity, problem-solving and memory skills, too.\nAccording to Harvard, adults need 7.5-8.5 hours in order to be at their functioning\nbest. There are some rules you can put in place to help; try to go to bed at\nthe same time every night, as well as avoiding any devices before bedtime,\nparticularly those that emit a blue light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finding a new hobby<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Finally, brain exercises should involve something you need\nto learn<\/em>, rather than something you\u2019ve already mastered. Choose a new\nhobby \u2013 whether that be learning an instrument, a language or even a craft. Challenging\ntasks that require you to work through levels or stages offers the perfect\nopportunity to push yourself a little further each time, in turn, expanding\nyour memory. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sources:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018How Memory Works\u2019
\nhttps:\/\/bokcenter.harvard.edu\/how-memory-works<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Your Short-Term Memory Can Only Hold\n7 Items\u2019
\nhttps:\/\/curiosity.com\/topics\/your-short-term-memory-can-only-hold-7-items-but-you-can-use-this-trick-curiosity\/<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Foods\nLinked to Better Brain Power\u2019
\nhttps:\/\/www.health.harvard.edu\/mind-and-mood\/foods-linked-to-better-brainpower<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Role\nof Exercise on the Brain\u2019
\nhttps:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5091051\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regular Exercise Changes the Brain to\nImprove Memory, Thinking Skills
\nhttps:\/\/www.health.harvard.edu\/blog\/regular-exercise-changes-brain-improve-memory-thinking-skills-201404097110<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Mental\nExercising Through Simple Socializing\u2019
\nhttps:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/abs\/10.1177\/0146167207310454<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Playing\nBoard Games, Cognitive Decline and Dementia\u2019
\nhttps:\/\/bmjopen.bmj.com\/content\/3\/8\/e002998
\n
\n\u2018Top 10 Health Benefits of Board Games\u2019
\nhttps:\/\/howgameareyou.com\/health-benefits-board-games\/<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Our memory is the part of the brain where we encode, store and retrieve information. There are two types: our short term (or working memory) and long-term memory. Short-term memory is how we remember things temporarily, and it is thought … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14664,"featured_media":78216,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[37,31],"tags":[176,4640,4141],"yoast_head":"\n7 Tips on How to Train Your Brain and Improve Your Memory<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"There are many ways that we can boost our brain power and improve our short and long-term memory, so here are seven ways that you can start today!\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/7-tips-on-how-to-train-your-brain-and-improve-your-memory\/\" 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