Boost Your Memory

SADLY, it’s well known that some medical conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease, affect our ability to recall information.

Anxiety and depression can also make it harder to remember things.

Even in the absence of these conditions, though, most of us will struggle with memory sometimes.

Whether it’s losing your keys, forgetting someone’s name or going blank when you have to answer a question, we’ve all been there.

Why does this happen and how can we give our memory abilities a boost?

To find out, I had a chat with Gregory Fitzgibbon, psychological coach and an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society.

He told me that one cause of memory problems, which may not be widely recognised, is a learning problem called dyslexia. It is thought to affect about one in 10 people.

We tend to think of dyslexia as a problem with reading, but there is also an underlying difficulty with short-term memory.

Less surprisingly, alcohol can also make it harder to use your memory. So can smoking, an unhealthy diet, vitamin deficiency and poor fitness.

One of the main effects of these lifestyle problems is their impact on sleep, and poor sleep will disrupt your brain’s memory work.

A good night’s sleep prepares your brain for the day ahead. This is important because memory depends on the brain’s ability to direct its attention.

As we are bombarded with stimulation throughout the day, the brain is selective. It decides what is important, and what can be ignored.

While you are asleep, your brain is also processing information it took in during the day and storing away your memories in an orderly manner.

Even when we are alert, aural information is generally harder to remember than visual information.

One trick to get around this is to link the information you need to remember to a picture in your mind.

For example, if you meet someone called Mike, you could imagine him singing into a microphone. His name might come to mind more easily.

Generally, some of our memory ability does reduce as we get older.

In some medical studies, certain memory abilities also declined after retirement. So it is important to keep your mind active.

Whatever your age, it helps to think of your memory as a muscle. Giving it a workout keeps it strong.

Doing crosswords and puzzles can be part of this, but it’s not the whole answer. Our brains need meaningful activity, interaction with other people, and everyday problems to solve.

Any pursuit that requires your attention, participation and involvement will be beneficial.

Keep up a healthy lifestyle. It might also help to calm your brain with activities such as yoga and meditation.

Most of all, give yourself a good night’s sleep so your brain can do its best for you each day. ■