How to improve memory naturally

The human memory is responsible for the unity of the psyche, giving it individuality and acting as a unifying factor for perception, imagination, speech and thought.

The memory function is involved in the work of practically all types and levels. Learning and education, the acquisition of personal experience, the meaning of everyday life and work are based on it. With its help we reproduce impressions, memorize certain information, orient ourselves in space, ride a bicycle and drive a car.

The brain's ability to work efficiently and focus attention can be significantly increased by various methods. These include special mnemonic techniques, acquiring new information (e.g. learning foreign languages), taking certain dietary supplements, avoiding 'memory-damaging' foods, physical activity, etc.

In this article we will look at the causes of memory deterioration and the most effective ways to 'recalibrate' it in a healthy way, so that our readers can choose the methods that are right for them. However, it is recommended to approach the problem of improving memory and brain function in a complex way - i.e. by using several methods in parallel.

Why does memory deteriorate?

Even in the absence of severe diagnoses (dementia, Alzheimer's disease, etc.), memory and cognitive functions can deteriorate in old age due to:

• Loss of nerve cells and intercellular connections;
• accumulation of specific beta-amyloid proteins in the body. Important. During sleep, the brain 'cleanses' itself of excess beta-amyloid ten times faster than during wakefulness. This is why healthy sleep is extremely important not only for improving memory, but also for preventing Alzheimer's disease, the development of which is also associated with an excess of these proteins and the formation of amyloid plaques on neurons;
• "information 'overload', when the brain discards and forgets seldom-used information as useless junk;
• uncontrolled high blood pressure, atherosclerosis of the head arteries, overweight and obesity, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia (increased levels of triglycerides and 'bad' cholesterol), etc.

However, memory processes and concentration of attention can also deteriorate at a young age, including due to:

• mental problems - anxiety, depression and other similar conditions that unfortunately often accompany modern man;
• tumors or infections of the nervous system - such conditions require thorough diagnosis and mandatory treatment;
• vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin) deficiency. It participates in blood circulation processes and stabilizes the nervous system;
• obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, accompanied by snoring and temporary stops in breathing during sleep. This leads to hypoxia (lack of oxygen) of the brain, sharply worsens sleep and daytime activity, and thus memory, which, as mentioned above, is closely linked to sleep quality.

At any age, the problem can be caused by taking certain drugs, some of which have side-effects that include impaired memory and concentration. Such drugs are numerous even among the "popular" ones, for example:

• first-generation antihistamines (antiallergics) - chloropiramine, clemastine, diphenhydramine;
• medicines "for blood pressure" and treatment of angina, tachycardia - beta-blockers atenolol, carvedilol, metoprolol, propranolol, sotalol, timolol;
• statins to lower blood cholesterol levels (atorvastatin, fluvastatin, lovastatin, pravastatin, rosuvastatin, simvastatin) - in parallel, they lower cholesterol in the brain, which adversely affects memory
• some anticonvulsants - carbamazepine, valproate;
• sedatives containing ethyl alcohol and phenobarbital (a very undesirable combination);
• some sleeping pills - eszopiclon, zaleplon, zolpidem;
• some tricyclic antidepressants - amitriptyline, clomipramine, desipramine, doxepin, imipramine, etc.

For this reason, only a doctor should prescribe and cancel such drugs.

Effective ways to improve memory

Physical activity

Physical exercise is undoubtedly beneficial for the brain and really helps improve memory in people of all ages. For example, aerobics improves verbal memory (for words) and strength training - associative memory.

Motor activity improves blood circulation and can stimulate the production of neuroprotective proteins, thereby speeding up the growth and development of neurons - the cells that, through electrical and chemical signals, receive information from the outside, process it, store it, transmit it and discard it.

An experiment involving 144 people aged between 19 and 93 found that just 15 minutes of exercise on a stationary bike can significantly improve cognitive skills.

Mental exercises, puzzles, games

A great gym for the mind is neurobics, "aerobics for neurons". This includes a variety of exercises, including counting backwards, reading texts and saying the words "backwards", selecting several words starting with the same letter, drawing synchronized with both hands, etc.

Various intellectual games help not only to develop memory, but also to relax and distract from everyday problems. These can be chess or checkers, scrabble, "word" games with or without cards, solving puzzles, crosswords, sudoku, etc.

Even cell phones and other gadgets can be used for such training. In an experiment involving 42 adults with moderate cognitive impairment, all subjects showed improvements in memory test scores after 1 month of specialized mobile games.

Reading and learning new things

Reading, including reading aloud and narrating what has been read, helps not only to improve memory, but also to increase intelligence, enrich vocabulary, and become an interesting interlocutor for different types of people.

George Washington University School of Medicine and Medical Sciences professor Richard Restak notes that it is particularly useful to read literary works, not non-fiction. Fiction literature "improves" concentration, including by helping the reader memorize minor details of the story.

As for learning new things - these can be any skills that interest you, the most useful for memory training being learning a foreign language (or even several languages), as well as learning music and drawing - this has been confirmed by experts in the scientific journal Aging & Mental Health. This learning is particularly useful for people aged between 50 and 60, as this age group is at increased risk of memory deterioration.

Healthy sleep

The brain is equipped with its own glymphatic system to "clean up waste", including harmful amyloid proteins. These "wastes" are most actively removed during the deep nocturnal sleep phase - ideally between 22:00 and 02:30.

Also, during night sleep, short-term memories become long-term. Every pupil and student knows that information learned before sleep will stay in memory much better than if we try to reproduce it without prior sleep. This is also confirmed by numerous experiments, in one experiment, children who were able to sleep before taking a memory test performed 20% better than their "no sleep" peers.

Meditation to improve memory

Meditation practices soothe, reduce pain and blood pressure, and increase gray matter, which decreases with age and negatively affects memory. A study in a Taiwanese college showed that students who practiced meditation had significantly better spatial working memory than their non-meditating peers.

In general, meditation can improve short-term memory at any age, and in older people - even compensate for age-related cognitive decline.

Diet and food supplements to improve brain function

Memory and diet

Dietary adjustments to improve memory must include

• Reducing or giving upalcohol. Ethanol (alcohol) has an extremely negative effect on memory, destroying neuronal connections, which is a rather difficult task to restore;
• reducing saturated fat consumption. This includes reducing consumption of fatty meat and fatty dairy products - the saturated fats in these can accelerate "wear and tear" of the walls of blood vessels in the brain. Brain cells are made up of lipids, so we don't need to deprive the body of fats, - but it is advisable to increase the amount of unsaturated fats, which are found in abundance in vegetable oils, nuts, avocados, oily fish. Also, it is not necessary to give up meat completely, but if you have decided to switch to a vegetarian diet, consult a doctor about taking extra iron, vitamin B12, some amino acids, etc. - lack of these disrupts oxygen transportation to brain cells and brain functions "wither";
• giving up foods with added sugar - this adversely affects the hippocampus and blood vessels in the brain, increasing the risk of atherosclerosis. What's more, sweet drink abuse is associated with markers of early-stage Alzheimer's disease. Keep in mind that added sugar is not only present in sweets, but also in fast food, various semi-finished products, etc.

In addition, changes in memory-related genes may be linked to overweight or obesity. Scientists' observations on a group of 18-35 year olds have established that a high body mass index (BMI) is directly linked to 'poor scores' on memory tests.

Obesity also increases the risk of developing dementia. Therefore, the best diet for the brain is a classic healthy diet.

Food supplements 'for memory

The brain's ability to work efficiently and focus attention can be enhanced with the help of dietary supplements. For example, Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), which are found in large quantities in fish oil, have been shown to be quite effective. They reduce the risk not only of developing cardiovascular disease, but also of reduced cognitive function. Omega-3 PUFAs provided a positive effect in an experiment with adults showing initial symptoms of memory loss.

Vitamin D and the brain. Vitamin D deficiency leads to many dangerous consequences, including impaired cognitive function. It has been observed that in older people with a vitamin D deficiency, memory deteriorated more rapidly than in their peers without the deficiency. It is therefore recommended to have a blood test to determine the level of this vitamin and, in case of a deficiency, to take it in the form of food supplements.

Other supplements to improve memory and attention. Vitamins useful for the brain are recognized as vitamin B12, B6, E; macro and microelements - iron, magnesium; the organic compound phosphatidylserine, a derivative of phosphoric acid; herbal supplements - curcumin (a known antioxidant that reduces the number of amyloid plaques on neurons), as well as ginkgo biloba.

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In addition, the doctor may prescribe additional nootropic or other drugs, which can be used in parallel with food supplements.

Techniques to improve memory and concentration

The most effective methods for achieving this goal in the modern world are:

• the loci method, or "memory palace" / "temples of the mind" - a method used, among others, by Sherlock Holmes in the popular British series Sherlock;
• other mnemotechnical techniques, from which each person can choose a suitable one - e.g. association / visualization methods, rhyme, word consonance, etc...;
• awareness - this is a part of, but not a substitute for, the meditation mentioned above. In the state of awareness, a person concentrates completely on the situation, but at the same time senses and controls their sensations and surroundings. Awareness has a positive effect on reducing stress, improving memory and attention focus, and reduces the risk of "cognitive decline" in older people.

It is also extremely important for improving memory and brain function to avoid multitasking. At first glance, living and working constantly multitasking seems to be more effective than concentrating on a single task. However, "multitasking supermen" run the risk of disrupting the proper functioning of their brain sooner or later. The problem is:

• during the constant switching between different tasks the brain consumes much more glucose, which leads to rapid fatigue, increased exhaustion and craving for sweets (and, as we noted above, sugar is a dangerous enemy of memory and cognitive processes);
• it reduces gray matter density in the anterior cingulate cortex of the "multitasking" brain. As a result, automatic bodily functions suffer, including blood pressure and pulse regulation, as well as decision-making mechanisms, emotion control, empathy and perception in general;
• multitasking activates the production of stress hormones - cortisol and adrenaline. The consequences - narrowing of the arteries, suppression of the immune system, increased blood sugar levels, fertility problems, obesity and much more, but nothing good.

Therefore, try to plan your working time rationally to get out of the multitasking regime, if you find yourself in it. Time management techniques, the use of special time planning apps, dividing large tasks into smaller "segments" for gradual accomplishment, etc. can help you in this - detailed information on all these methods can easily be found on the internet.