Forget Something? 10 Easy and Not So Easy Tips to Improve Memory

Forget Something? 10 Easy and Not So Easy Tips to Improve Memory
By Vonnie Kennedy
June 17, 2011

Why is it that I can't remember where I put the receipt to a blouse I bought last week, but I can quickly recall who sang "Wild Thing," a popular song in the 60s?

As we age, we often experience those senior moments that frustrate us to no end. Need some tips to help to improve your memory? I've listed several below; some are easy, but others take some effort.

Easy:

1. Chew Gum: Japanese researchers believe chewing gum increases heart rate which delivers extra oxygen to the brain.

2. Take a Nap: Nap Researchers from the University of California claimed that napping can restore brainpower by up to 40 percent.

3. Eat Olive Oil and Avocados: According to scientists at the University of California, Irvine, some of the compounds in olive oil and avocados can activate memory-enhancing signals in the amygdala, "the part of the brain that handles emotional memories."

4. Increase Your Magnesium: By taking the recommended daily allowance (420 mg per day for men and 320 mg per day for women) of this mineral, it may help enhance cognitive abilities. Magnesium is also found in fish, apples, bananas and whole-grain cereals.

5. Enjoy the Smell of Fresh Cut Grass: Neuroscientists at the University of Queensland, Brisbane have discovered the following: "the scent of fresh-cut grass triggers two sections of the brain -- the amygdala (which deals with emotions) and the hippocampus (which deals with memory)." Don't feel like mowing the lawn? Google some combination of the terms "scented candles or fragrance oil: fresh-cut grass". You'll find an array of choices for purchase.

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Not So Easy:

6. Exercise: Neuroscientist Peter Snyder, a researcher at Brown University's Alpert Medical School and Rhode Island Hospital has found a significant chemical change in the hippocampus during aerobic exercise due to the boost in a brain protein called BDNF. Yes, we all know that exercise is necessary for everybody!

7. Lose Weight: According to an article entitled: "Weight loss improves memory, research shows", in USA Today, written by Nanci Hellmich, if we have a healthy body, we will have a healthier brain. Okay, we know that, too.

8. Stay Mentally Activity: Doing crossword puzzles, reading something different than you normally would, driving alternate routes, and learning something new are all excellent ways to keep your memory stimulated.

9. Social Interaction: Depression and stress can contribute to memory loss. Too tired to go out after work? Push yourself!

10. Declutter: Tips listed by the Mayo Clinic Staff in their article: "Memory loss: 7 tips to improve your memory", included getting organized. Whether it be at home, work, and/or your wallet, making sure things are in order can definitely help your memory.

Try a few of these tips and maybe you'll discover a decrease in your "senior moments".

By the way, the receipt for that blouse was in my wallet, right where I put it, and the song Wild Thing was a hit in 1968 by The Troggs.

Source: http://www.empowher.com, Forget Something? 10 Easy and Not So Easy Tips to Improve Memory.

Connections [3]

You have already done Connections [1] and Connections [2]; now, try Connections [3] as follows!

Look at the following image for 2 minutes; keep in mind how the shapes are connected (note that how many connecting lines exist in the image):

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Now, read the following news to spend some time:

Brain training computer games ‘can improve your child’s grades within weeks’


By DAVID DERBYSHIRE
Last updated at 1:51 PM on 14th June 2011


Brain training computer games can improve children's grades within weeks, scientists have found.

A study showed that video puzzles designed to exercise a child's 'working memory' boosted reasoning and problem solving skills for at least three months.

The findings are the latest to show that giving the grey matter a daily work out can sharpen wits and intelligence.

Brain training video games have been heavily promoted by computer company Nintendo in the last few years as a way of stimulating the mind and improving IQ.

However, some studies have challenged whether the games - which test memory, recall and mental problem solving - do any good.

The new research, by psychologists at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, tested the effects of brain training on 62 school children with an average age of eight and nine.

Half the children were given a daily 15-minute work-out using a selection of video games that tested working memory - the brain's ability to 'hold' information while it solves a problem.

Examples of working memory in action range from following a teacher's instructions to drawing on past experience to answer questions at job interviews.

It has an impact on every aspect of how the brain works.

In one test, the children were shown a picture of a lily pond and the image of a frog that appeared for three seconds at any one of six locations.

The youngsters had to press a key every time the frog was at the same location it occupied a given number of times before - and another key if it was in a different location.

The rest of the children used the time to test their general knowledge and vocabulary, the researchers report in the journal the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Even three months after the training ended, the students given the brain training did better on tests of abstract reasoning and problem solving, they found.

Dr Susanne Jaeggi, who led the study, said: 'The current findings add to the literature demonstrating that brain training works, and that transfer effects may even persist over time.'

However, the effectiveness of brain training varied hugely from one child to another, and is not guaranteed to work for all youngsters, they found.

Two years ago a study at Stirling University found that simple brain training games intended to boost working memory improve grades within a matter of weeks. Some students benefitted so much they shot from the bottom to the top of the class.

However, other commercially available programmes failed to help children, they found.


Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk, Brain training computer games ‘can improve your child’s grades within weeks’.

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Without looking at the previous image, connect the following shapes as they are connected in the above image:

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Image Remembering - Type 1 - No. 1

Image Remembering - Type 1 - No. 1

Like "Word Remembering - Type X", the mind workouts entitled as "Image Remembering - Type X", developed by G. R. Roosta,  form one of the best methods for improving human memory, precision, and cognitive control.

Review the following images for 3 minutes, and keep in mind how many times each has been illustrated here:

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Now, read the following article to spend some time before getting back to the above exercise:

10 Ways to Boost Your Brain Power

By Cynthia R. Green

Published May 26, 2011 | FoxNews.com

Brain fitness is a hot topic at work. Our jobs require sharp intellectual performance for everything from recalling important client or product information to learning training materials or just keeping track of key documents. No wonder corporate leaders and entrepreneurs alike have taken notice of this current health trend.

Although the science of brain health remains young, the research clearly indicates that there is much we can do to improve how well we multitask and remember details such as names. Building better brain health can help us boost these skills and also lower our risk of serious memory loss.

The findings can be surprising, as they often suggest activities that we don’t usually associate with brain fitness, such as staying socially active or getting regular exercise.

Here are 10 brain-smart things you can start doing right now to boost your brain power at work. You can do them in five minutes, or spend more time on them over the course of the day if your schedule allows. All are geared to giving your brain an awesome on-the-job workout.

Slideshow: Foods to Boost Your Brain Power


1. Rearrange Your Desk. Clear some clutter from your life. Folks who are organized remember better. Why? Because they have mastered one of the secrets to better memory -- getting organized. Spend five minutes organizing your desk, getting rid of what is non-essential. Keep out papers that require immediate attention, filing away what you can. Look over how your desk is organized and see if you can think of a better way to put it all together.


2. Read a Poem. Reading poetry gets us to think out of our workday "box" and is a wonderful source of intellectual challenge and pleasure. Find a poem and spend five minutes reading and musing it over. Bring a book of favorite poetry to keep on your desk or visit the website of the Academy of American Poets at www.poets.org. You can even sign up for their "Poem a Day" program and get a poem sent to your inbox each day.


3. Take a 5-Minute Yoga Break. This tip is all about bringing a little "ohm" into your life. Yoga is the perfect brain-health exercise. It supports aerobic workouts by building strength and stamina, trains our focus, and is a terrific resource for maintaining emotional balance. The Kripalu Center offers a series of such breaks you can download to your computer or other media player on their website at www.kripalu.org.


4. Doodle. Do you doodle? Many of us (including folks such as Bill Gates and former President Clinton) do. But did you know that doodling is good for your brain health? Recent research suggests that doodling helps us maintain focus and remember more effectively. A recent study published in Applied Cognitive Psychology found that subjects assigned a doodling task performed 29 percent better than their non-doodling counterparts on a surprise memory test covering the material they were learning simultaneously. Doodling improves attention, making it more likely that you will acquire things that you later want to recall. So when you are in a meeting or on a conference call, go ahead and doodle -- no need to apologize.


5. Keep Up Your Social Network. Studies have shown that folks who are more social have an associated reduced risk for memory loss. In one recent study, Harvard researchers found that persons with lower levels of social interaction were much more likely to show memory problems after six years than their more social peers. Remember, no man -- or woman -- is an island. Reach out from behind that desk and connect with your family and friends for five minutes. It’s good for your soul and good for your brain.


6. Play Online. Research has shown that we can better maintain intellectual skills critical to our work performance by giving them a good "workout." One of the best ways to keep these skills sharp is to play games against the clock, since timed activities force us to focus, think fast and be nimble in our approach. Games we play online tend to be timed and can give our brains a terrific skills challenge. So take a few minutes during lunch or as your schedule permits to get your brain in the game.


7. Jump Some Jacks. Here's a tip that's pretty basic, but packed with brain boosting power. Aerobic exercise is one of the best things we can do for our brain, as it revs up our daily performance and reduces our long-term dementia risk. Jumping jacks are a simple calesthenic exercise you can do in a small space that will quickly get your blood pumping.


8. Wear Your Watch Upside Down. Give your brain a little stretch each time you check your watch by wearing your watch upside down. This subtle change doesn't take much effort, but will force your brain to think out of its comfort zone in making sense of time gone a bit topsy-turvy. These kinds of "neurobic" activities may seem simple and fun, yet are a terrific way to challenge your brain's flexibility and routine.


9. Plan Some Brain Healthy Meals. Invest five minutes in laying out a meal plan for the upcoming few days. Giving some thought in advance to what you are going to eat will increase the chances that you will make brain healthy food choices. Deciding ahead can also get you organized and save you time shopping and cooking your meals (and who doesn't need more time?).


10. Learn How to Remember a Name. Here's a smart tip we can all really use: Spend time learning some simple memory strategies to boost your memory for names. For example, try repeating information as you hear it. This easy technique will force you to focus on what you are learning and give you the chance to rehearse it, increasing the odds that you'll remember it. Or use my Connections Technique and make a connection between what you are learning and something that you already know. Meeting Florence? Connect her name to a famous Florence, such as Florence Nightingale, or to the city of Florence in Italy.


Cynthia R. Green, Ph.D. is a nationally recognized clinical psychologist and brain health/memory fitness expert, and the founder of Memory Arts. Dr. Green is also the author of several books, including “Total Memory Workout: 8 Easy Steps to Maximum Memory Fitness” (Bantam Books). Read more about her on her website http://www.totalbrainhealth.com/.

[source: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/05/23/10-ways-boost-brain-power/]

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OK, now answer the following questions! Do not refer to the above list, just use your memory!

1) For how many times did the fish image appeared in the list?

2) In this list, which image has been illustrated more frequently?

3) Which one less frequently?

4) Which one in average?

5) Can you name the distinct images?

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Answer:

1) For how many times did the fish image appeared in the list?
Three

2) In this list, which image has been illustrated more frequently?
Flower

3) Which one less frequently?
Luggage

4) Which images have been illustrated for five times?
Luggage, Sun, and Sunglasses

5) Can you name the distinct images?

1. Orange Juice
2. Umbrella
3. Flower
4. Sun
5. Fish
6. Flip Flops (Slippers)
7. Luggage
8. Sunglasses
9. Sign Pole
10. Lamp
11. Ball
12. Hat