Nothing is more annoying than a memory lapse. You are there looking for the name of this actor, you have it on the tip of your tongue, but nothing comes…
If this scenario happens to you regularly, know that there are some tips to help you work on your memory. Because like any other organ of our body, our brain must be stimulated, from a psychic point of view and from a cognitive point of view.
There are several types of memory
Today, neuroscience distinguishes 5 types of memories:
- The perceptual memorywhich imprints all of our auditory, visual, olfactory, gustatory or tactile perceptions;
- The working memorywhich retains information as long as it serves us to perform a task (remembering a telephone number, a contact person, etc.);
- The procedural memory, which allows us to automatically perform a series of gestures (tie your shoelaces, walk, brush your teeth, etc.);
- The semantic memorywhich brings together all of our knowledge and expertise;
- The episodic memorywhich brings together all of our memories.
These types of memories are grouped into two categories: short-term memory (working memory) and long-term memory (semantic, procedural, episodic, perceptual).
What determines a good memory?
There is no miracle solution to keep everything in memory. Our brain is not a computer that can store everything: it selects. In addition, scientific studies have shown that several factors influence our ability to memorize or restore memories.
1. Sleep well:
During REM sleep (the time of night when dreams occur), our brain sorts, stores and registers all the information of the day. It is therefore advisable to sleep enough, that is to say between 7 and 8 hours a night, so that our brain can memorize properly.
In addition, good sleep allows you to concentrate better, and therefore to learn better, throughout the day. So try to respect your sleep cycles, because fatigue causes a lack of clarity of mind, slow thinking and short-term memory failures.
2. Train daily through playful memory exercises!
By reading or playing crosswords, you can also work on your memory. Indeed, by practicing a pleasant activity, your brain learns more and has an easier time retaining information over the long term.
Some games and brain exercises are directly available on the internet. They allow you to test and maintain all your cognitive skills, such as visual search, categorization, visual memory or memory of places tests.
In addition, these games make it possible to limit the appearance of neurodegenerative diseases and to better face aging!
3. Practice a physical activity:
When we play sports, our brain creates new neurons and secretes molecules like norepinephrine that will improve attention, learning and memorization.
Physical activity also allows you to empty your head and oxygenate your brain, to come back more focused than ever!
It is advisable to exercise for 30 minutes a day to get all the benefits of this practice.
4. Find your own learning and memorization technique
To memorize information, you have to create a calm atmosphere to be able to concentrate.
But there are also several learning techniques: mnemonic tricks, visualizations, associations of ideas, creation of mental images… It’s all about finding yours. To remember your shopping list, for example, you can view your fridge to find the ingredients to buy! You can also learn the list in song!
5. Eat well!
To maintain your memory over the long term, you must eat enough:
- The good sugars (slow sugars) which release glucose, the essential fuel for the brain;
- Good fats (vegetable oils, fatty fish, etc.) which thin the membranes and allow better transmission of information;
- Animal and vegetable proteins;
- Vitamins, and mainly foods containing vitamin B (B1, B6, B9 and B12), which plays an essential role in maintaining normal cognitive and psychological functions.
Conversely, a diet rich in calories and additives, but also stimulants (alcohol, drugs, tobacco, etc.) are aggravating factors that wreak havoc by weakening the connections between neurons. They are therefore to be avoided.
6. Carry out memory workshops
Memory workshops offer cognitive stimulation and long-term memorization training. They exist everywhere in France. For more information, contact your municipality or directly on the internet. Many associations offer sessions for all ages.
7. Maintain social ties with loved ones
To preserve his memory, we also need social stimulation, seeing different people. Indeed, the more we strive to lead a rich and varied social and intellectual life, the more we have the possibility of boosting our memory!
When and who to consult?
Most of the time, memory problems are mild and just require some monitoring. But when memory difficulties are recurrent, disabling or impact your daily life, do not hesitate to talk to your general practitioner who will refer you to a neurologist. A battery of tests (brain imaging, neuropsychological assessment, etc.) will be carried out beforehand to determine the state of your memory and the possible treatments.
Did you know ? Contrary to popular belief, our memory does not weaken as we age. Indeed, even if our memory performance tends to weaken, memory loss would be more related to a lack of stimuli in our brain functions, to genetic factors and to bad lifestyle habits.
LR