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Whether it is a name, date or directions, there always seems to be
something new to remember. Yet you probably feel like there's just not
enough room in those little brain cells of yours to cram the latest
tidbit. And unfortunately you have no external hard drive. But don't
despair. Several recent studies reveal how memory works and what you
can do to improve it.
https://www.livescience.com/health/080912-top5-memory-facts.html
5 Things You Must Never Forget
By Greg Soltis, LiveScience Staff
posted: 14 September 2008 08:50 pm ET
1. The aided memory
Don't want to forget what you learned today? Sleep on it. Naps, ideally 90 minutes long, help you register the happenings and how-to's learned during the day. Then when you catch your z's at night, your brain creates memories of the day's events.
But overload your brain with long-term memories and you may struggle to remember recent events.
Scientists once thought that memory improved when new neurons were
created in the hippocampus, the region of the brain that forms
memories. Instead, a better memory may be possible in brains with less
new neurons developing in the hippocampus.
Recent studies also found that migraines, music, habits, zinc and thinking like a child each improved individual memory.
2. The jaded memory
Doctored photos can skew how you perceive the past, according to a recent study using
images of well-known demonstrations. The first was the well-known
picture of a man blocking a row of tanks in Tiananmen Square in 1989
with a crowd of spectators added to the original. And the second
photograph showed a 2003 anti-war protest in Rome, with both riot
police and a masked protester added to the picture. Those who viewed
the altered images recalled more violence and damage than actually
occurred, compared to those who saw the original snapshots. People who
looked at these altered images also felt less inclined to participate
in future demonstrations than those who viewed the original
photographs.
These results should not come as a big surprise. Participants of previous studies also thought their imagined images were real .
Other detriments to achieving total recall could include catching a cold, smoking a joint, playing football and being a guy, research shows.
3. The aged memory
Partially due to the decline in hippocampus function with age, the
elderly suffer from a loss of episodic memory. This impairs their
ability to recall more vivid memories — what was seen, heard or felt
during a previous event. And because we use the same parts of the brain to imagine and to remember, older adults may not only become forgetful
but also struggle to picture hypothetical situations. But some seniors
have staved off memory decline by maintaining active social lives and simply believing that they still have a good memory.
Interestingly, the risk factors for dementia — obesity, hypertension and high cholesterol — coincide with those for
cardio-vascular disease. Scientists found that having only one of these
three risk factors doubles the chance of getting dementia. And
suffering from all three risk factors makes dementia six times as
likely. Controlling for these three factors can save both the heart and
brain. But the factors of genes and age cannot be denied.
The elderly may improve their memory in a few weeks by eating well, exercising and keeping mentally sharp. To prevent drops
in blood glucose, seniors should eat five meals daily. These should be
high in whole grains, antioxidants and omega-3 fats. And the golden
years should consist of brisk daily walks, stretches, relaxation
exercises, brainteasers or other mental stimulants. Consistent mental
exercise has been shown to cut the risk of dementia in half.
4. The educated memory
Educated individuals often have more knowledge at their disposal. Studies show that the more you know, the easier it is to learn about related topics. And the degree-holding older crowd outperforms its less educated counterpart on mental-status tests.
But the ability to remember what was learned seems to decline at a faster rate.
Granted, the more one knows, the more one has to forget. But don't
expect the springs of your education to feed the fountain of youth
against memory loss.
Those with a higher working-memory capacity sacrifice this advantage
when sweating bullets during pressure-filled situations. For example, worrying about potential mistakes on an exam squanders brain activity that could otherwise be devoted to
recalling a synonym for "fastidious" or calculating the surface area of
a sphere.
5. The devastated memory
Poignant events have a more lasting impact compared to lackluster experiences that usually don't stay in the
brain's long-term storage unit. And our recollection of events that
triggered a bad memory are more likely to be accurate than memories from more uplifting times in our lives. This is because
these trying times compel the brain to focus on a specific detail.
Trying to forget a bad memory is possible, but will likely require many attempts. If successful, your
brain will first negate the sensory aspects of the memory before
removing the actual memory.
And don't forget that from an evolutionary standpoint, it makes
sense that traumatic times have a long shelf life. The survival of a
species is enhanced by its ability to remember threatening situations
and then avoid them when they happen again.
- 5 Ways to Beef Up Your Brain
- Video – A Turn-Off Switch for Alzheimer's
- Elephant's Legendary Memories Help Herds Survive