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No computer in the world can map out the intricacies of the human brain. The computing power in one small corner of the brain is beyond any machine we could create. And did you know that even with how powerful the brain is already, there are things seniors can do to make their brain even more expansive?
The human memory alone is vast. According to fun facts from Clinical Neurology Specialists, the human brain’s memory capacity is about 74 terabytes. That’s in the cerebral cortex alone. To put that in perspective, the massive data centers for the IRS – all combined together – use about 150 terabytes.1
So if our capacity for memory is that great, why aren’t we using it?
That’s one of the biggest mysteries that science has yet to figure out. According to a video report from the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy, we tend to forget 50% of what we learned an hour ago, and after 24 hours, we have forgotten 70% of what we learned. By the end of a week, we’ve forgotten 90% of what we learned.2
Some experts believe that this happens because the brain wants to keep ample room for memories that matter more. This is an evolutionary quirk that we still carry. Our brains are always alert for danger, and letting go of the memories that don’t seem to matter to safety is a way the brain tries to protect itself.
That’s also the reason why something dangerous that happened in the past, such as an auto accident, is often etched in your memory as clearly as if it was happening again right now. If you’ve ever been in an emergency, you likely remember even the most minor details. Your brain was in overdrive and soaking up anything that might be useful to survival and safety. Seniors seeking protection may be interested in medical alert systems that can summon assistance 24/7 at the press of a button.
So your brain tries to protect you by throwing away some memories. That makes sense. But it isn’t much of a comfort when you’re looking for your car keys!
How to Improve Your Memory
Despite the fact that your brain tries to eject memories that don’t matter to your survival, there are ways to train your brain to remember more. Those individuals who have excellent memories likely didn’t get there without some practice. These tips can help you get there too.
1. Play the “Quiet Mind” Game
This fantastic game is one you play with only your breath and your thoughts. While sitting or lying in a comfortable position, take in a deep breath. As you breathe in, think of a word that begins with the letter “A.” As you exhale, say that word in your mind. When you draw another breath, think of a word that begins with the letter “B.” And so on as you work your way through the alphabet.
If you are feeling like a challenge as you relax, choose a word category. For example, you might think of words that pertain to food. Thus “A” becomes apple, “B” becomes banana – you get the idea!
This process allows you to relax, concentrate, and prime your mind for taking in more information.
2. Focus on One Thing
Improve your concentration by focusing on one thing and one thing only, for the span of ten seconds. Studies have shown that you must concentrate fully on something for at least eight seconds to encourage that information to move from your short-term memory to your long-term memory. Ten seconds ensures you’re giving yourself ample time.
When you block out the rest of the world and focus on one thing, the attention can be quite intense. That intensity makes an impression on your memory banks. The more you focus on that one thing, the more your brain believes it’s important, and so starts to work to save all the details.
That’s a very good reason to literally slow down and be present.
3. Get More Sleep
Sure, there might have been times back in college when you stayed up all night to cram for a big test the next morning. Your short-term memory was working on overdrive! By the time you completed the test (and, hopefully, passed it), you were well on your way to forgetting everything you had just studied.
But if you want to make things stick in your long-term memory, getting more sleep can definitely help. As you sleep, your brain processes memories and thoughts, getting rid of what it deems unnecessary information and helping you remember things that matter. Sleep allows the body to consolidate what it keeps into long-term memory.
So if you don’t get enough sleep for several days in a row and then begin forgetting things left and right, the sleep deprivation is the reason. Go to bed early to get back on track.
If you find that you consistently have trouble with getting enough sleep, it’s time to talk to your doctor and get a personal alarm button for your safety. Sleep deprivation drives up your risk for falls, and a panic button will help you stay safe during a trying time.
4. Get More Exercise
As you exercise and your heart rate goes up, the blood pumps faster through your body. It carries more oxygen with every breath to meet the energy demand of your muscles. That also means it carries more oxygen-rich blood to the brain. That might explain why studies like this one in The Journal of Aging Research found that women were able to recall things much more easily after working out than they did before exercise.3
But it isn’t just the short-term memory that benefits. Regular exercise can keep that brain boost going. Studies have found that women who kept up with their exercise regimen over the span of six months showed strong improvements in their spatial and verbal memory.
Whether you are just starting out with an exercise plan or you’ve been testing your mettle for years, wearing a mobile medical alert bracelet or wristband with GPS can work wonders for your confidence and peace of mind.
5. Practice Your Handwriting
The world moves faster every day. While making a digital grocery list on your phone or sending a text to a friend to update them on your life might seem perfectly normal these days, there are some things we lose in exchange for that level of convenience.
In terms of memory, keeping information in your phone means that your brain won’t remember it as readily as it would otherwise. Remember that your brain remembers things it deems important – if you typed it out quickly and then turned your attention to other things, what you just typed won’t stick.
But if you slow down – quite literally – and write out something in longhand, your odds of remembering it rise dramatically. And those same studies have found that it doesn’t matter if you go back and read it again. Simply the act of writing out what you want to remember can be enough to make you remember it. Your brain sees you doing something different and special for that particular memory, and so it assigns a lot of weight to it.
6. Let the Music Play (Or Not)
Studies have tackled the question of whether music helps your memory or actually hurts it, and the results are mixed. Research has found that listening to music before you read something can give you better recall of whatever you learned. However, any sounds while actively studying can distract you enough that your short-term memory can’t hold onto the information.
So scientists recommend that when you really want to remember something you are reading, listen to music in the moments before you read to wake your brain up, and then read in silence. Though it might feel strange at first, you could notice amazing results with your memory in the long run.
7. Draw While You Talk
The next time you’re on the phone with a friend, pick up a notepad and pen and start to draw something. It doesn’t matter what you draw. It’s the act of creating circles and lines and curves on paper that helps you keep track of what is being said.
While it might look like someone who doodles isn’t paying attention to what’s happening around them, the opposite is actually true – the drawing keeps the brain active and allows for better focus.
Researchers studied this phenomenon by comparing the recall of those who doodled while listening to a boring phone message to those who simply sat still and listened. Those who doodled remembered 29% more details than those who didn’t. Now’s the time to brush up on your art skills!
The Trouble with Doorways
All of these tips will help you improve your long-term and short-term memory. But we still need answers about this age-old mystery: “Why did I walk into this room?”
It’s a frustrating phenomenon that happens to all of us at some point. You walk into a room with clear purpose but the moment you stop moving, you can’t remember what in the world you went into that room for in the first place.
You might even turn around, walk out of the room, and then walk back in – hoping that it will somehow “reset” your memory and you will suddenly remember why you went in there.
You’re right that your memory is doing weird things. But it’s a feature, not a bug.
Researchers set up an experiment where participants placed an object in a container and then carried it a certain distance. Some of them walked through a doorway, while others simply walked across the room. Those who walked across the room usually remembered what object they had just placed in the container. But those who walked through a doorway often went completely blank and couldn’t tell you what they put in the container just a moment before.
Scientists aren’t sure why this happens, but it seems as though walking through a doorway triggers your brain to restart your memories. The other side of that doorway is a new environment with new things to process, and thus, your brain begins that process immediately and forgets everything else.
So the next time you walk into another room and completely forget why you did it, rest assured you’re not alone!
