Do you have any tips to improve memory? Lately, I have found myself to be very forgetful and have a hard time memorizing lessons for my classes.
Is it because I have too much on my mind? What can I do to improve my memory?

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Any info received on this forum should be checked with your doctor!

    

Puzzles. Take up Sudoku or some other brain games. They keep your brain active and sharp. I love Sudoku and logic games. If you have a roommate or family around, strategy type board games are effective while you use your brain to outwit an opponent.

I'm not convinced that there are viable short term memory improvement solutions. Long term, I think that we can achieve benefits.

Without being too repetitive, I'd say nutrition is up there as most important. By nutrition, I mean, reduce intake of unhealthy food and beverages ( or eliminate them ). The chemicals we are used to consuming, ie; preservatives, hormones, etc. are not helping. Eat wholesome and organic where possible.

Then there is focus. Focus is something that is elusive to many of us. It is the primary method of fine tuning the brain to be able to achieve absolute concentration upon a thought. Focus is something that we can all learn by practice. Improvements here, along with excellent nutrition, can and will, improve memory and every function of the brain.

edit: I need to proof read before saving. lol.

Having too much on your mind could definitely be the cause of your memory problems.
I have never heard of quick fixes but there are a few things you can do to improve your memory.
I'm sure you've heard of Ginseng. Ginseng is an herb that can be used to reduce stress and improve memory.
Years ago, I had a classmate in college who used to take it in order to help his memory. According to him, it worked. I think it comes in pill form.
Before you go out and buy a bottle, I would recommend you talk to your doctor first and find out if it's right for you. Some people are sensitive to it and get diarrhea,an upset stomach, a rash, etc. There are several side effects so research it first.
Another thing that affects memory is the lack of sleep. Make sure you get at least 8 hours of sleep.
You can also exercise your mind with games. A new study just came out that showed that playing Tetris altered the brain and made it bigger! Isn't that amazing? It's suppose to help improve memory. So video game playing is good for you!
Good Luck! I hope I helped!

Jessica

Ditto to all of the above.

I might be biased but I'd add, learn some memory techniques, to the list. Not only will the techniques themselves help but they will also give you more confidence in your memory. If you've convinced yourself you have a poor memory, or that you cannot remember things, then that will become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Simple techniques would include

• Visualisation (aka linking)
• Chaining (related to Visualisation) - This will allow you to memorise, in order, a simple list, maybe up to 25 objects or actions (the easiest things to remember), quite easily.
• Simple peg lists (number rhyme, number shape, body pegs) - These will allow you to memorise a simple list of 20-30 items, and recall them in any order quite easily.
• Stories (work best when they can be Visualised as well).
• Acronyms & Acrostics (the simplest to use but without a lot of care also the weakest - work best when they can be backed up by a Story, that can in itself be Visualised).

If you find those of you might invest some time in more advanced methods such as:

• The Method of Loci (aka Journey, Roman Room, Memory Palace).
• The Major System for encoding numbers for easier memorisation (aka phonetic number system, phonetic mnemonic system).
• Other encoding techniques specific to the subjects you need to learn (or the principles to generate your own).

HTH

Great recommendations all around here. I'd like to make a quick point on something that Adam Rulli-Gibbs mentioned. Hopefully I don't go too far off topic. But this is something dear to me and a principle that I wholly subscribe to.

The point being, convincing oneself of a negative condition, example being poor memory, and it becoming a reality. The principle is a two way street. We have absolute power over how we internalize and accept truth. If our truth is a negative and focus becomes fixed on this negative truth, it will manifest itself. Likewise for a positive condition or truth, or any entity for that matter, we may bring it about by accepting it without question as truth. Anything is possible when we have an overwhelming faith in the truth, in what we believe without question. So the power of thought works both ways.

Get adequate sleep!

Lack of sleep can make your memory poor. Try also to take Vitamins that helps to boost your memory.

Hi brother,
I m quite satisfied with the suggestion given by healthy mom. Along with gingeng you can use Gotu kola, Ginkgo also for better results. U can refer mamaherb.com and search for amnesia there, you will get lot many herbal remedies there.

Hello Friends......

1.Begin to access your visual cues

2.Another way to use this approach is in conversation.

3.Practice changing your physiology

Thanks

STAY OFF THE INTERNET!!!
The computer will turn your brain into mush! No, but seriously there have been significant advancements in the area of biomolecular research concerning memory. Two of which are Cytidine and Choline. These amino acids are essential for the transmission of nerve impulses and healthy cell membranes. Over time the aging process makes it more difficult for nutrients to enter the cells of the central nervous system. As a result, the neurons break down and deteriorate, producing symptoms that range from loss of energy, memory, the ability to concentrate, and mood. Both cytidine and choline serve as compound catalysts to bridge absorption to the cell membranes. Researchers found that the supplement increased levels of energy produced in the brain. Studies also suggest that participants reported increase in memory recall, as well as being more alert and sleeping better.