Constant stimulations driven by digital communications, and stressful lifestyles explain this trend.
The good news is that whether you’re studying for your exams, trying to learn an upcoming presentation, or just want to be more productive during your day at work, there are techniques to improve your memory.
And these don’t involve purchasing expensive pills with no scientific evidence to back them up.
Techniques to Improve Memory
So, if you’re curious to know how to improve your memory and concentration naturally, here are 7 science-backed ways to help you recall information, improve your focus and boost your productivity.
Stay Active
What if we told you that 10 minutes of light intensity exercise can instantly boost your memory and concentration? That’s what a recent study has revealed!
Indeed, the report shows that mild exercise can boost the connectivity between two brain areas involved in the information retention and storage process: the dentate gyrus and hippocampus.
What’s more, research has shown that aerobic activities can help protect your brain and strengthen cognitive functions such as memory. That’s because aerobic activity promotes your brain’s natural ability to create new neural connections and adjust over time. And one of the key places this phenomenon takes place is in the hippocampus, which also happens to be a key area of the brain for memory and concentration.
Eat Food High in Flavonoids
Flavonoids are a compound found in plants and foods such as colored fruit, wine, cocoa, and tea with powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. Flavonoids have been touted with many health benefits including preventing cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, dementia, Alzheimer’s, and improving cognitive functions.
Practice Meditation
Meditation is well-known for improving physical and mental health. But it has also been proven to enhance cognitive skills. For instance, a few studies have shown that meditation can help increase your attention span, and improve your ability to focus while completing certain tasks. And you don’t need to meditate for hours every day. Just 13 minutes a day can help significantly boost your memory and improve your attention! In fact, it’s one of the best ways to increase both long and short-term memory.
Avoid Multitasking
We’ve already mentioned that multitasking influences the focus. Additionally, the research from Stanford University revealed that heavy multitaskers exhibited reduced memory capabilities. Multitasking simply overwhelms the brain which leads to mental exhaustion and poor performance. It’s better to focus on one task at a time, allowing your brain to function more efficiently.
Do Not Use Your Phone Immediately
Modern technology has its place. Unfortunately, it has made us mentally lazy. Before you reach for your phone to google the answer, make a serious attempt to retrieve the information mentally. This process helps strengthen the neural pathways in your brain.