Top 10 Ways to Train Your Memory ...

Photo Credit: scampion

As well as stimulating your imagination, reading causes your brain to memorize information about characters, plots and feelings, to create mental images. So reading increases your memory, your intelligence and your vocabulary. It’s time to check out the must-read book list and invest in one now - and don't be scared to diversify your book collection!

Photo Credit: Tektum

Okay, so I said ways that don’t include spending a fortune, but older versions of Brain Training are now quite cheap, and there are a lot of pre-owned versions around. Playing once or twice a day for half an hour will keep you thinking, and it’ll plot a graph of your performance, too!

Photo Credit: maliburachel

Getting enough rest is vital to keep your brain in good condition, so if it has been a while since you got your full eight hours, make it a priority. Being tired makes the brain find it much harder to do simple tasks, and really affects your mental ability so concentrate ongetting a good night sleep.

Photo Credit: La ciudad visible (moving my residence to Paris)

Think about something you’d love to learn to do, and do it. Try your hand at a new hobby- maybe sewing, or pot making, or painting. Write a poem or a story. Do something that you can’t do, and let your brain try to figure it out. This will improve your recollection of how you do similar things, and stimulate your mind, too.

Photo Credit: TomLA

Do something a bit strange. Swap your morning coffeefor tea, write with your other hand, mix up your routine. Your brain will have a pattern of behaviour, and if you mix it up, it’ll have to reprocess, which will sharpen it up and rewire your memory.

Photo Credit: stitchindye

Do something with numbers. Manually calculate your grocery shopping bill as you walk around, or do some mental arithmetic. Using your maths skills from school will not only engage your memory, it’ll really sharpen your skills, too.

Photo Credit: cookipediachef

Do you really need a GPS in your car? Stimulate your memory by discovering how to get from point A to point B. Look at things to guide your way, landmarks or rare flowers or bus stops. Take in all the sights, so you can get there and back. A simple and free way to boost your brainpower!

Photo Credit: agirlfromozbutnot

Tell someone, or maintain a journal about your past. Not just the easy to access memories but the ones you have to think hard about. Your memory is a powerful tool, but only if you revisit your memories. If you don’t, you’ll overwrite them.

Photo Credit: chingers7

Learning a foreign language is definitely on my list of things to do before I die. But instead of a whole language, just memorize a phrase or a poem. Something that you have to teach your brain and recall it everyday. See how long it takes before it is completely committed to memory. Your brain will relish the challenge, and the ability to absorb something different.

Photo Credit: Mukumbura

Learn a new word every day. The word, how you pronounce it, and what it means. Try to use it occasionally in conversation if you can or just think about it so that it stays in your head. At the end of the week, see how many you can remember!

Your memory is an important tool but as you age, if you don’t use it, you really will lose it. These tips can take as little as a few minutes each day, and you're sure to feel the benefits. I’m trying to do them all at least once a week! Have you got a brain boosting tip? Please share it with me!

Top Photo Credit: lisa makes