A cognitive scientist, my colleague Dr. Andrew Budson, says there are two ways that memories can be “lost” as we get older. One is simply that we haven’t found the right cue to access the memory. With the right cue — seeing the right person, hearing the right music, or smelling the right odor — we can suddenly recall the entire memory. The memory engram is intact. But memories can also degrade over time, which unfortunately happens to most old memories. Most lost memories in Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias are degraded and probably can never be retrieved.

We are beginning to understand the physical and chemical connections that occur in the brain when memories are formed and recalled. Memory isn’t magic: science is figuring it out. That’s exciting. But not as exciting as being able, whenever I want, to summon the memory of my wife’s face at the moment we were wed.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/can-we-restore-memories-weve-lost

Taking care of your memory only isn’t enough. You must take care of your health as a whole to maintain and improve your memory.

For example, a lack of exercise can lead to being obese. Being obese can lead to uncontrolled high blood pressure. Uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to a stroke. A stroke can then cause memory loss or, even worse, dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.

10 Brain Hacks That Help Improve Your Memory

10 Brain Hacks That Help Improve Your Memory

AGING

By Power of PositivityPublished on September 05, 2020Last modified September 29, 2020

Brain hacks can help boost your memory whether you are naturally forgetful or you are aging in life.

The human memory can be fickle. When you’re young, it seems you can remember everything with accuracy. As you get older, it’s natural to start forgetting things. However, you don’t want to forget so much that it impacts your quality of life.

One way to help prevent this is by improving your memory. There are many ways to do this, and surprisingly, most of the methods are simple to do.

Here are ten brain hacks that can help you improve your memory.

1. Exercise regularly.

You may think of exercise as a physical thing, but the mind and the body are connected. Taking care of your memory only isn’t enough. You must take care of your health as a whole to maintain and improve your memory.

Several studies prove an existing link between regular exercise and a stronger memory. For example, studies have shown that regular aerobic exercise can increase the size of the hippocampus, which is the area of the brain responsible for verbal memory and learning. A larger brain means a larger memory .Just remember that regular exercise can keep away diseases and conditions that may affect your memory, and it can also increase your memory capacity. It’s one of the most essential brain hacks you can do.

Lay off the sugar.

This is one of the best brain hacks because it will help your brain and your waistline. The food you eat can have a considerable impact on your memory. One of the biggest culprits is sugar. Studies show that people who have a diet that is high in sugar have trouble remembering things and are at an increased risk for dementia. This is true even if the person doesn’t have diabetes.

The hippocampus comes into play again when it comes to overindulging in sugar. It uses glucose to function, but too much glucose can make it malfunction. Therefore, overeating sugar can nearly crush your memory.

Know your learning style.

If you’re not an auditory learner, chances are you won’t remember half of what was said in a meeting. Conversely, if you’re an auditory learner, diving in and getting your hands dirty isn’t going to help you retain anything. That’s because you aren’t using your most robust learning style.

isualize things.

One of the most effective brain hacks is to visualize what you’re trying to learn or remember. This means to create a picture of what you’re trying to place in your mind. You may even need to close your eyes to see the image more vividly.

10 Brain Hacks That Help Improve Your Memory