image source, Getty Images
Where did we keep the bike and car keys? What is the name of that distant relative who met at the wedding? What is the name of that movie you saw on OTD yesterday?
We often get confused like this. As we age, it becomes harder to remember many things.
However, this wear and tear is inevitable, says Richard Restock, a neurologist and professor at the George Washington University Hospital School of Medicine and Health in the US.
Richard Restock, who has a perfect memory even at the age of 81, says that we can keep our brain active by exercising it every day, just like exercising our body.
In a conversation with the BBC, Restock shared some key tips for training and strengthening our memory.
image source, Getty Images
1. Read fiction books
There is no dispute that non-fiction books are a great source of knowledge and information. But fiction is very helpful in improving your memory.
“Nonfiction books don’t require a lot of memorization. For example, you can read the table of contents and focus on the ones that interest you,” Restock says.
“In contrast, reading fiction requires more memory. Especially when reading a complex novel, where characters appear and disappear. You might meet a person in the second chapter and then not appear in the novel until the tenth chapter.
Retaining the continuity of the story, remembering the connections between the characters and the details of the plot requires a great deal of memory.
image source, RICHARD RESTAK
Richard Restock
2. Turn the words into pictures
These are the basic principles. For example, suppose someone’s last name is Greenstone. To remember this, Restock recommends imagining a deep green stone in your mind.
This simple technique will help you remember it without any problem.
Another trick experts use is to create a mental map of places they are most familiar with to connect them to things they want to remember.
If the goal is to remember to buy milk and bread, Restock says, he compares the words to two places on his mental map to make sure he doesn’t forget.
“I would imagine milk coming out of the chimney of my house and spilling onto the street. Similarly, when I pass a library, I would imagine that instead of books on its shelves, there is bread,” he says.
image source, Getty Images
3. Play mind games with your friends (even when you’re alone)
It is a favorite game of Restac to play when family members are together or at any party event. He refers to this as “20 questions”.
A person or a group must think about a person, a place or an object. The other person or group has to figure it out within 20 questions. All twenty questions have to be answered with only yes and no.
The difficulty with this game is that both sides have to remember both the questions and the answers to avoid giving false information.
If you are a sports lover, remember all the players of your favorite team. Once you have them in mind, play alphabetically and try to list the players in that order.
4. Use technology (but smartly)
It’s not a bad idea to carry a list of things you want to buy at the supermarket or a photo of something you haven’t bought yet that you want to buy.
Although the use of smartphones and other devices can weaken our memory, we can use technology to our advantage.
For example, when going to the supermarket, remember what you are going to buy first so that you don’t forget something. Restock suggests that we then look at the list we have prepared.
“This does not mean that tools can be used as a substitute for memory. Rather, it can be used to use the brain first and then test its performance.”
image source, Getty Images
5. Naps are essential
Various studies have also shown that short naps are necessary to aid memory.
Restock, who usually takes a daily nap, says it helps absorb, consolidate and store information. Later, it can be taken when needed, he said.
“We took two groups of students and allowed one group to take a nap after learning something. The other group was not allowed to take a nap. And we found that the nappers learned better,” explains Restock.
A nap of 20 to 40 minutes is recommended. “Snoozing beyond this level can affect your night’s sleep. So, it’s a good idea to set an alarm when you take an afternoon nap or tell someone to wake you up if you sleep past a certain time.”
6. Eat healthy foods
Restock says it’s important to avoid certain foods that are high in fats, salts, and highly processed foods.
“These foods are not good for memory because they reduce blood flow to areas linked to long-term memory, they cause high blood pressure, diabetes.”
“These are all factors that can lead to dementia[memory loss],” Restock explains.
BBC Tamil on Social Media: