Between working from home, homeschooling, and trying to get the shopping and the laundry done, it’s no wonder so many of us have been asking each other, “What day is it again?” I swear, ya’ll, the way things have been going this year, I couldn’t even remember how to remember—until I looked it up. If you’re in the same boat, I’m pleased to share theses simple ways to improve your memory.
Eat a Healthy Diet
Now look, I know that during stressful times, many of us take comfort in comfort food. But sugary sodas and lots of simple carbs (you know the list—cakes, cookies, white bread, chips, etc.) seem to contribute to cognitive decline. Cut back on added sugar and read your labels because you know that breakfast cereal is full of added sugar.
Exercise and Get Enough Sleep
Exercise pumps up the oxygen to your brain. Even if it’s just a morning walk, exercise will perk up your mind. An alert brain takes in a lot of information but processes most of it while you’re asleep. If you’ve been suffering from insomnia lately (and who doesn’t, from time to time), cut down on caffeine, turn off the screens an hour before bed, and try listening to music, guided meditation, or a podcast designed to help you get to sleep.
Write Lists by Hand
It’s so tempting and convenient to use your phone to store all kinds of information. I mean, once you’ve called somebody or put them on your contact list, you never have to remember their number again, right? That is, of course, if you can remember where you left your phone. There are even apps for keeping grocery lists. But one of the simplest ways to remember is to write things by hand. It may take some practice to remember how to write by hand—or to write legibly enough to read what you just wrote down—but the activity of handwriting makes recalling the information you wrote down easier.
Play Games
Exercising your body helps your brain, and exercising your brain helps it, too. Get a book of brain teasers, crossword puzzles, and apps that make you recall words or information. These all give your brain a workout. They might not prevent memory decline, but they may help with things like quizzes and tests where you must recall information.
Don’t Walk Through a Doorway
There’s a reason you can’t remember why you just walked into a room. It’s weird, but scientists at the University of Notre Dame discovered that the act of walking through a doorway can make you forget. They’re not sure why, but they think it might be that walking from one room to another makes your brain think that the room you left is less relevant than the room you just entered. It drops the memory of the previous room because brains just can’t keep everything at the top of your mind all the time. It’s not you; it’s the doorway. Well, that’s a relief!
