Need a boost?

Follow our easy tips:

1 SIP BEETROOT JUICE

Those who downed a glass did better in memory tests than those who drank a placebo, found scientists at Northumbria University. The nitrates are thought to help boost blood flow to the brain.

2 FLOSS YOUR TEETH

People with gum disease tend to score lower in memory tests. This is because infected gums release inflammatory by-products into the bloodstream that go to areas of the brain involved in recall, say dental researchers from the University of Central Lancashire.

3 TAKE A NAP

A daytime doze of 45-60 minutes can boost memory performance, according to researchers at Saarland University in Germany. Longer sleep during the night is important for embedding long-term memory.

4 MAKE A FIST

Ball up your right hand when trying to remember a number or list. When you want to retrieve the information, clench your left hand. US researchers think this can activate the brain regions which are key for storing and recalling information.

5 SAY IT ALOUD

Saying what you want to remember out loud to yourself – or even mouthing it silently – helps, according to research published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition.

6 CHEW IT OVER

People who chewed gum during long- and short-term memory tests scored much more highly than those who didn’t, found UK psychologists. The action is said to boost oxygen supply to the brain.

7 GET ONLINE

US scientists compared the brains of middle-aged people who rarely used the internet with more experienced users. The latter group had more active areas in the ‘prefrontal cortex’, which controls the ability to remember complex information.