13 Effective Ways to Improve Your Memory (Backed by Science)

You will get to know about it soon.

Let me state some facts before we move ahead on the benefits of meditation.

Your brain is made up of white and gray matter. White matter helps in transmission of signals among nerve cells. While the gray matter is essential for memory and contains nerve cells.

As you age, the gray matter declines, which affects your memory and cognition.

Meditation has shown to improve gray matter in your brain

Besides, studies have shown that relaxation techniques and meditation improve short-term memory in people of all age groups.

Even if you have no experience of meditation, you can improve memory recall in just eight weeks by practicing it.

Lastly, a study also demonstrated that college students who practiced meditation had better spatial memory – the ability to hold and process information in your mind about the positions of objects in space.

So, take a break once in a while and empty your mind with meditation. Not only will you feel relaxed, but you also remember more.

I am going to break the bubble and explain how exercise can benefit your mental health as well.

You may find it difficult to trust me, but you cannot neglect the results of scientific studies.

Research indicates that exercising, even for 15 minutes, improves your cognitive performance, despite your age.

Studies have also shown that exercise triggers the secretion of proteins that protect your brain cells. It thus aids in the growth and development of nerve cells, improving brain health.

Besides, regular exercise in midlife can also lower the risk of dementia while you age.

I can go on and on, but it will all boil down to one thing, exercise!

Lack of sleep can be one of the causes of poor memory.

Remember how I told you; your brain consolidates memory while you sleep.

When memory is first recorded in your brain (in the hippocampus), it is "fragile" as it can be easily forgotten. Sleep pushes the memory in the part of the brain – the neocortex – that is responsible for permanent storage.

Basically, your short-term memory is strengthened and gets converted into long-lasting ones.

Studies are also proof of the link between your sleep and memory.

According to a study by PLoS One, if you are sleep deprived, you could be negatively impacting your memory.

It is seen that the sugar-laden diet leads to poor memory functions and reduced brain volume, especially the area of your brain that retains short-term memory.

A study showed that individuals consuming sugary beverages had poorer memories and brain volume as compared to those who consume lesser sugar.

So, next time you see food or drink with added sugar, you know what to do!

So, what does this mean when it comes to memory?

What it means is maintaining weight is crucial to keep your mind in the best condition possible.

Various studies have shown an association between obesity and cognitive decline.

Personally, I was surprised to know that obesity can cause your memory-associated genes to hamper your memory.

It can also cause inflammation and insulin resistance, which has harmful effects on your brain.

In a study, people with higher-than-normal weight were seen to perform poorly in memory tests.

Besides, being overweight increases your risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, which destroys your cognitive functions.

This doesn't mean that you stress yourself for reducing weight. Exercise and a healthy diet will help you here!

I suspect what I am going to write next is going to put smiles on the faces of game lovers all over the world.

Playing games is an effective and fun way to boost your memory

Word recall games and crosswords are primarily dedicated to training your memory, strengthening your memory.

A study showed that playing memory training games for eight hours over a month, improved performance in memory tests.

In one more study, it was seen that 15 minutes of training, five days a week, improved working memory, short-term memory, problem-solving, and concentration.

Besides, it also lowers the risk of dementia in older adults.

So, play your way for a better memory!

A diet rich in refined carbs, such as cereals, cakes, and cookies, may damage your memory.

These foods have a high glycemic index. This means your body can quickly digest these foods, increasing your blood sugar levels.

Studies have shown a link between refined carbs and cognitive decline.

In one study, kids on refined carbs, such as noodles, white rice, and fast food, had poorer working and short-term memory.

Besides, adults on daily ready-to-eat breakfast, such as cereals, had reduced cognitive functions as compared to those who did not consume it so frequently.

In a study, individuals, who consumed 200 mg of caffeine for a day, performed better on recall tests than those who didn't.

One more study found that adults who took caffeine in the morning had better short-term memory.

One more reason to love coffee!

A 12-week study improved spatial memory by supplementing the diet with blueberries.

Besides, a study on nurses over 70 years of age showed including two servings of blueberries or strawberries helped in reducing memory decline.

However, more research is needed to understand how berries can improve memory. In particular, berries are high in flavonoids, which can strengthen connections of your brain, improving your long-term memory.

And even if the benefits don't turn out to be that good, they are still healthy for your body.

A study showed that participants who chewed gum during the study had a better memory recall, and their results were more accurate than those who didn't.

While there is no concrete evidence, it's worth a try.

Besides, chewing gum increases activity in the hippocampus, which is an essential area for memory, improving memory recall.