5 Essential Factors to Improve Memory

5 Essential Factors To Improve Memory What factors help improve memory? Here are five factors that are proven to significantly improve memory, help you learn and recall more and be less forgetful. 1. Positive Attitude While ever you think you have a bad memory that is exactly what you will have! If you say, I can’t remember numbers or, I’m no good with names you are making a self-fulfilling prophesy. You are conditioning your brain with negative thoughts and statements.Your brain will ensure that what you say and think is true and make it almost impossible for you to improve your memory. So banish those thoughts from your mind right now! If you ever catch yourself thinking or saying something negative about your memory, immediately say, Cancel! Cancel! Every day my memory is getting better, better and better! You CAN improve your memory; commit to doing so and celebrate every achievement no matter how small. 2. Healthy Lifestyle Maintaining a healthy lifestyle pays huge dividends.Practise these healthy habits that improve memory: * Exercise. Any form of aerobic exercise such as running, cycling, or even walking briskly, performed for 15 minutes per day will increase the flow of blood, oxygen and nutrients to the brain. This will enhance your brain performance, improve memory and reduce the risk of disorders that lead to memory loss. * Diet. A balanced diet is essential for a healthy body and a healthy mind. Research indicates that certain nutrients enhance brain function and improve memory.These include: the B vitamins (especially B6, B12 and folic acid) found in spinach and other dark leafy greens, broccoli, asparagus, strawberries, melons, black beans and other legumes, citrus fruits, soybeans; antioxidants like vitamins C and E, and beta carotene found in blueberries and other berries, sweet potatoes, red tomatoes, spinach, broccoli, green tea, nuts and seeds, citrus fruits, liver; and omega-3 fatty acids found in fish such as salmon, herring, tuna, halibut, and mackerel, walnuts and walnut oil, flaxseed and laxseed oil. * Sleep. Sufficient good quality sleep is essential for memory consolidation (storing things you have learnt during the day). Lack of sleep impacts your concentration and ability to absorb new information. 3. Organisation Give yourself less to remember by organising your life. Keep a To Do list of all the tasks, big or small, that you want to get done. Use a diary to keep track of birthdays, anniversaries, appointments, events and due dates for bills and to schedule tasks from your To Do list.Use sticky notes for reminders; for example, stick one on the front door to remind you to switch the answer machine on when you leave the house. Organise your possessions; a place for everything and everything in its place is a good maxim. Even if being organised does not improve your memory, you will receive a lot of the same benefits, for example, you will not have to search for your keys anymore! 4. Memory Techniq ues and Systems Memory techniques and systems help you learn and recall information.Start with simple techniques such as chunking, breaking up information into smaller, easier to remember chunks, and build up to the more complex systems. You will then have an arsenal of tools to help you memorise anything you want. 5. Practise Use it or lose it! The brain needs exercise just as your body needs exercise to perform at its best and not deteriorate. When you learn a new memory technique practise it until it becomes second nature.Keep your brain active: play memory games and brain games, do puzzles. Try something new: a new hobby, learn to play a musical instrument, learn a foreign language. By regularly exercising your brain with new challenges you will stimulate the development of new nerve connections that can help improve memory. Pay attention to these essential factors to improve memory and you will soon find yourself less forgetful and able to learn and recall new information with ease.