SUPPORT YOUR MEMORY
Experiences from years ago are more likely to come readily to mind as you get older. Unfortunately, at the same time, your short-term memory tends to suffer. That’s because forming new memories – essentially, recalling things that just happened – often becomes more challenging with age. People use countless tricks to create reminders for themselves, but these four memory-boosters are backed by science.
Make yourself laugh
In a small US study, older adults who watched a funny video performed better on a memory test taken afterwards than those who sat calmly for the same time period. Researchers believe that the effects are due to the stressreducing effect of laughter.
Pick up a pen
Next time you make a list, bypass your phone and handwrite it instead. This is better for the brain as you have to think about the information and then write it down, often paraphrasing it, in a way you’ll understand later. Typing doesn’t require the same level of mental processing, and those notes are easier to forget. For more memory emphasis, use a pen that’s not black – it’s easier to remember a note in coloured ink. The most memorable hue, says a German study, is red.
Draw your to-do list
Illustrating something you don’t want to forget may be even more beneficial than writing it down, according to a University of Waterloo study. You’re more likely to recall your sketch later, researchers believe, because drawing taxes motor, word, and visual skills. Plus, fully engaging in an activity such as drawing eases stress, says Dr Storoni – and stress reduces brainpower. ‘When you’re doing something that absorbs 100% of your attention, you don’t have the chance to let stress in,’ she says.
Close your eyes
It will help you conjure up more details of what you’re trying to remember. In a University of Surrey study, people who shut their eyes answered 23% more questions correctly when asked to recall a scene than people who kept their eyes open. Researchers believe it’s easier to visualise what you saw in the past and remember it more clearly when you eliminate current visual distractions by closing your eyes.