We’ve all been there before. You walk into a room, but you can’t remember why you went in there in the first place. Or, you see a familiar-looking face, but you can’t remember their name or how you know them.
In the U.S., 1 in 9 people over the age of 45 say they experience some memory issues like this.
While it can be indicative of a more serious cognitive issue, often it’s just a sign of natural aging.
So, can you improve your retention of information as you get older, or is it a lost cause?
This guide is here to help! Keep reading to learn a few tricks on how to retain more information and reduce memory issues.
1. Make an Association
One of the best ways to improve memory is to use what you already know. For example, if you’re trying to remember a name right after you meet someone, try to associate that person’s name with something you know about them.
If you meet someone named Joe and he’s a fan of football, you might try to associate his name with a famous football player named Joe, like Joe Montana.
Then, the next time you see him, your brain can help make that connection more easily than it would if you didn’t have anything to associate him to.
2. Get More Sleep
Do you regularly get 6-8 hours of sleep every night? If so, there’s a better chance that you won’t experience as many memory issues.
That’s because the brain uses the time we’re asleep to consolidate memories, sorting them into short-term and long-term memories.
If you’ve noticed that you’re having a hard time retaining information, take a look at your current sleep schedule to see if there’s a correlation.
As much as you can, try to get at least 7 hours of sleep so your brain has time to process what you’ve learned.
3. Exercise Your Brain
While it’s not technically a muscle, you should think of your brain that way, in that it needs to be exercised in order to work.
The more you challenge your brain with different exercises, the better your chances of memory improvement.
There are free apps you can download with fun brain games that help improve your memory, or you can do an occasional crossword puzzle to help flex the “muscles” of your brain.
Even just dialing a family member’s phone number from memory can help activate your memory and keep your brain healthy.
4. Use Visuals
Do you remember using flashcards when you were in school? Using visual aids can greatly improve your memory because it gives you a visual association your brain can use to recall information.
As an example, let’s say you want to learn a new computer skill. Instead of just reading an article on how to do it, instead, look for an explainer video.
By watching a visual, it may be easier for your brain to initially learn the information and it could help you remember what you learned later on as well.
5. Consider Using Vitamins or Supplements
There are a number of brain health supplements available to help you improve brain function and memory recall.
You might also have a vitamin deficiency that could make it harder for your memory to function as it should.
Talk to your doctor about vitamins that could help your memory or visit this page to learn more about how supplements can benefit your brain.
6. Read Out Loud
As we mentioned above, sometimes, reading information makes it harder to retain. But, depending on what you’re trying to learn, reading may be your only option.
In those cases, try reading the content out loud to yourself. By doing so, you’ll actually create two memories of the content: the memory of reading it and the memory of hearing it.
As a result, there’s a better chance that you’ll remember what you’ve read (and heard!) than if you were to only read it silently.
7. Try Meditation
Over the past few years, many people have started to put more of an emphasis on mindfulness. One part of living mindfully is practicing meditation, where you work to clear your mind and increase your awareness.
Practicing regular meditation helps increase your concentration. Over time, this can help you better recall information.
Meditation gives your brain a chance to slow down, so that the next time it needs to process information quickly, it’s more prepared to do so.
8. Exercise Your Body
We talked earlier about the importance of exercising your brain, but don’t forget about exercising your body as well.
Numerous studies have shown a link between exercising and brain health, and it’s believed that exercising regularly can help you improve your memory function.
So, the next time you go for a run, think about all the good it’s doing for your body and your mind.
9. Put What You’ve Learned Into Practice
Learning something is the first step to remembering it. But, if you don’t put what you’ve learned into practice, you’ll have a much harder time remembering what you’ve learned.
For example, let’s say you want to become a better cook. You can read through different cooking techniques and watch videos, but until you start cooking yourself, you’ll never fully grasp what you’re trying to learn.
The same goes for learning a new language. Memorizing vocabulary words in a new language is great, but unless you start speaking and writing in it, it will be harder for your brain to retain what you’ve learned.
10. Write Things Down
In our digital age, it’s easy to rely on apps and digital correspondence instead of handwritten notes.
However, physically writing things down can help you remember it more easily. Try using handwritten notes the next time you’re in an important meeting.
You might be surprised to learn you’ll remember more than you would if you took digital notes instead.
Improve Your Retention of Information Today
Now that you’ve learned 10 tips for improving your retention of information, go out there and learn something new!
By practicing the tips we covered above, you’ll find it much easier to recall new information than it had been in the past.
Looking for more valuable information like this? Read through our other articles, using the new tips you’ve learned today.
