While it’s likely true that much of what we see and hear, is best forgotten, there are times, when we are in school, formal training, on a job, or in family or social interaction, when learning or remembering new information becomes imperative.
So with this being the month that students typically return to school, and senior memories continue to fade, we wanted to share some of the best strategies ever for improving info recall, both for students and seniors wishing to improve their memories.
On our website home page we have an article/section focused on Memory Improvement. We will draw some, but not all, from that. So you may want to go back and go through that after reading this. But much of what we will present here was not included there. See below.
As noted in that article there are basically Two Ways to improve memory: Improve the organic health of our brain, and learn and apply the Principles and practices needed to make the most of our organic memory.
Most of what is featured on this website is intended to do the first, i.e. assist readers in improving the health of their brain. Beginning with the Personal Assessment, to help identify areas of weakness or vulnerability, and how to sure up and strengthen the neurons and networks of our brain, in order to optimize it’s ability to perform at full capacity.
So in this blog we will review with you some of the most important principles and practices for utilizing our brains various abilities for storing and retrieving information.
In the American Brain Council’s library we have more than 30 books (hard cover and PDFs) on how to make the most of your memory, each one sharing a variety of strategies. But underlying these strategies are the following 7 principles, which if well understood and applied, would enable a person to develop their own effective strategies. These are easily remembered by the acronym ARECORD. If we want an extraordinary memory we need to make A memorable RECORD, of new information by doing the following. First, we must pay, and what have we got to pay?
A Attention - the longer we pay attention to something the more likely we are to remember it.
R Relate or associate this new info with something else that’s easy for us to remember.
E Envision – Most of us are more visual learners. We remember what we see better than what we hear. So clearly imagining an unusual or extraordinary association between the new info and easily recalled info will make it easier for us to remember the new info.
C Concrete – It’s easier to envision something if it’s concrete. Using concrete pictures to remind
us of concepts and actions – like a heart for love, and a magnifying glass for search.
O Organize the information is a manner or place where we can easily find it.
R Rehearse the information, with spaced repetition, and questions.
D Deliver or teach the information to others. That will help engrain it into our own brain.
Now for some of the best strategies based upon these principles.
First we would invite you to watch this video by Mike Dee, who went from getting D’s in high school to becoming a strait A student in the top 5% of his College, simply by learning how to learn better. In this short video about some of the strategies he used, you will see how all but 1 of his 6 practices apply the principles noted above, to accelerate recall and retention. (The one exception – dual thinking – helps by applying creative thinking, more than memory.)
If you have 15 min click on this link and watch that Youtube video now. (skip ads)
Note the first practice applies the Loci method. (Note Loci is the root for location.) This strategy of associating new info with well known locations, is one of the oldest and most popular memory practices in the world. Note how many of the A RECORD principles noted above are applied in this strategy?
How about the Chain or Link method. This is great for remembering lists from shopping lists, to
categories of things or “To do” lists. Remember he notes that making these associations extraordinary, or even “ridiculous” will usually make them more memorable.
The dual thinking method used by Thomas Edison may facilitate the recall of dreams, but it is more about harnessing creativity, followed by physical application, to test the effectiveness of different approaches. Edison, was also a meticulous note taker. He wrote things down, which also reinforces memory and allowed him to revisit ideas later.
Immersion is another great practice. The more we can learn about a given topic the more connections we can make and recall. This is where a good AI program can help us to better understand and recall concepts.
He also touches on Mind Mapping. This is a visual organization technique where you start with a central topic and branch out with connected keywords, ideas, and images to represent relationships and organize information. It is effective because it aligns with how the brain naturally processes information to improve memory retention and recall by connecting complex data, and enhancing creative thinking. To create one, place your main idea in the center, add branches for key concepts, and use colors, symbols, and keywords to make the connections clear. Here is a nice review of this strategy for students.
https://www.mindmaps.com/build-better-study-habits-with-mind-mapping-for-students/
The Feynman technique, simply put, is teaching or sharing what you just learned with others. The more you share what you’ve learned about something, the more you will recall about that something down the road. This also applies his final strategy mentioned here, that of Spacing Repetition. Repetition is the “mother of memory” but it causes info to stick better, if the other principles are applied first, and then that info is reviewed again and again over time, like 10 min later, later that day and/or just before bed, and again the next day and following week.
For a more in-depth dive into this topic by one of the world’s top experts is this field go back to our article on Memory Improvement, and watch the Jim Quick video under Strategies and Techniques. Or simply click here to take you there. https://www.abcbrain.org/memory-improvement/strategies-techniques/
If you are a bit crunched for time after the first minute of introductions go to 5:50 and listen until 7:40 then skip to 1:17:45 for his “3 Keys to an Amazing Memory,” and memorization. And note how many of his strategies are built on the above noted 7 principles.
In his presentation he talks about various practices that can improve memory, some of which are aimed at improving our organic memory. Of course feeding the brain nutritious foods is essential. See Step 1 under the Brain Health Essentials tab. But besides that here are 10 more great ideas for a memory enhancing lifestyle, followed by 10 of the top strategies, and a few key nutrients.
Two of the best single supplements for memory for adults are:
Huperzine- A and Sage.
Most supplements take several days or weeks to build up in one’s system, before much improvement is seen, however, both of these plant based products have been shown to improve memory within 2.5 hours, in healthy individuals. However, if the health of a brain has been compromised they may not have much if any effect, until the underlying issues have been addressed. That is why a Personal Assessment, and perhaps some blood work, are often important for a better understanding of what nutrients may be needed.
For a single formulation Neumi’s Neuro formulation, discussed in last September’s blog, has produced some impressive results, enabling seniors and other adults to recall information much quicker. Especially when they are otherwise healthy. And there are many other brain formulas that have been shown to be helpful as well. For a more complete review see How to Improve Your Memory and Reduce Your Risk for Dementia, advertised below.
With children one needs to be more cautious, as they seldom need as much. But what they don’t need is a lot of sugar. However, children with attention deficits have been shown to make some very significant improvements on select supplements. Including more recently the Neuro product, which contains, among a dozen other things, a small amount of caffeine from green tea, which paradoxically has a calming effect on some children with ADHD, although that may stimulate memory in adults. Otherwise, the Omega-3’s, and some whole food supplements like Juice Plus, have been shown to be quite helpful.
If you or someone you know has a special interest in improving memory, rather it be for school, their job, or simply because they are concerned and want to make sure they do not fall into the clutches of dementia, you/they might want to also consider our course on How to Improve Your Memory and Reduce Your Risk for Dementia, now on Special for only $39 (Less than the cost of a copay to see someone who’s not an expert in this field.)
This comes with a free coupon for a Personal Assessment, plus a video review of relevant insights on our website and beyond. As well as a PDF copy of 50 Ways to Improve Your Memory. A collection of the best practices on earth for improving memory. And last but not least, a 30 minute personal zoom or phone consult with a professional memory coach, who will review with you your assessment and provide personal guidance on what, of all of this, might be most helpful and appropriate for you! If interested simply send an email to David@abcbrain.org for more information about that offering.
Otherwise we hope the above will be helpful for you and your family, in developing and preserving one of the most important abilities that you have - a good memory!
American Brain Council
