My sense of direction is terrible!

Nina Donohoe, an occupational therapist specialising in spatial awareness and author of Steps in The Right Direction

(senseofdirection.co.uk), says we all have grid cells in our brains, which are special neurons that allow us to understand our position in space. In 58 per cent of us, these light up strongly when we’re facing north, so we instinctively know how to orientate ourselves, but in others, the signal is weaker. However, you can improve your inner satnav with these tips:

Navigating while driving…

don’t rely on your satnav all the time – use it as a tool, but train yourself to do without. use google maps street view to do a “virtual journey” of your route before you set off – yes, it’s time-consuming, but it’s also highly effective. practise it until you know it and do it in reverse too, to help you get home. note significant markers like a tree or a shop. the more you do this, the better you’ll get.

ON a journey Of any kind…

look where you’re going. it sounds obvious, but most people who claim to have no sense of direction aren’t really that interested in the journey itself. instead of chatting with your companion, notice where you are in relation to the roads and landmarks around, make connections to buildings and streets and whether you’re turning left or right, and even where the sun is (if it’s out).

ON a walk in the country…

worried you won’t find your way back? look over your shoulder every 40 or 50 paces. take a mental snapshot of the landscape, try to note landmarks, such as gates, unusual-shaped trees or church spires. your unconscious memory will do the rest of the work for you and put the jigsaw together, helping you recognise your route on the way back.