You may be feeling that your memory is not what it used to be, or you could use a memory improvement to help you memorize and retain all the information you are fed through various media available today. You are not alone! Everyone feels at one time or another their mind may be getting sluggish, or they have what most people call “brain fog.” It is natural. You could be having a day where your blood sugar is not where it should be, or you have too much stress and it’s blocking out your ability to memorize. For most people this is only temporary. If your memory is starting to affect the way you live your life then you need to see a doctor about the cause. It could be diabetes, a blockage in your heart, or too much stress. All of these can be treated, but cannot be ignored.
Memory is the process of recalling learned that is either learned or experienced through one of our senses — hearing, vision, smell, touch or taste. There are two types of memory, short-term and long-term. Short-term memory is your brain’s ability to remember information for a very short time — from a second to one day. Your long-term memory gives you the ability to recall information that has been save. If your memory is slowing down you may be processing information ineffectively. If so, there are games and exercises that can help improve your memory.
Here are a few ways to improve your memory. Just remember, one of the best ways to memorize and retain what you learn is to have fun. Humor is remembered more than learning from a list or reading a text.
Board Games
Nothing is more fun than spending time with the family on a rainy day playing a game of Scrabble, Risk or Parcheesi. These are not just simple games, however, they help to sharpen your mind and improve your memory. Scrabble sharpens both your short-term and long-term memory, while Risk and Parcheesi stimulate both sides of the brain.
If you don’t have someone else to play with, try a crossword puzzle, Sodoku or Mahjongg. All these stimulate your working memory and long-term memory, and are excellent brain boosters to help make new brain cell connections.
Take a Sentimental Journey
Get out the scrapbooks and go down memory lane — by yourself or with someone who would be interested. It will not only help to stimulate your brain and bring back old memories, you may be able to pick out new pieces of information you had overlooked or forgotten before. Try to recall as many details about the people and places as you can from the photos. Put the books away and come back to them in a day or two and you can probably recall more details you had forgotten the last time.
Make Up Stories
A fun game for parents and grandparents (or even aunts and uncles) is to make up a story from simple objects laying around the house. This will improve your long-term memory and add more neuro-connections. Get random objects and line them up and link them together with a story. The kids will enjoy helping you and it can become a great tradition they will enjoy for a long time. Get as overly dramatic as you can, trying to visualize the story as you put it together.
Later, try to remember the objects and the story and them tell the story backwards. The next time you are in a situation in which you need to remember a string of facts, create a story that incorporates all those facts. This is a great memory technique!
Making learning and memorizing fun, through different memory techniques and memory games, will keep your mind young and your memory intact for a very long time.
From the Desk of Ron White
Sources:
Livingstrong.com — Games That Help with Memory: http://www.livestrong.com/article/153773-games-that-help-with-memory/
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