The 9 Best Exercises to Strengthen Memory
The countless brain training apps, supplements and exercises that promise to boost memory aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. However, there are some simple tricks that you can try to strengthen your memory.
One trick is to test yourself. Self-testing helps improve recollection, especially if you quiz yourself while attempting to remember something. Another is to read information aloud. This engages multiple senses and is more effective than rereading.
1. Recall Testing
Often when people forget something, it’s because they don’t have enough practice recalling the information. Recall testing is one of the best exercises to strengthen your memory, especially when done regularly and with increasing difficulty.
Researchers have found that a specific form of recall testing, called serial recall, can increase learning and retention of new material. This effect is well-replicated in laboratory studies, and appears to apply to both veridical information and misinformation.
To try this brain exercise, start with any 3-digit number and add 3 to it three different times. Then subtract 7 from it seven different times. Repeat this process at least five times, picking a new 3-digit number each time to challenge your working memory. This exercise is effective for all ages and levels of proficiency. Try it today! You might be surprised at the results.
2. Take a Different Route Home
Taking different routes home will stimulate your brain as you try to find your way. This is one of the best ways to boost your memory. It helps your working memory which is important for remembering things like names and numbers.
Playing games that force you to think, such as chess and Scrabble or card games is another great way to exercise your brain. It will help you keep your wits sharp, and will prevent you from forgetting important information during conversations.
The most effective brain exercises are those that teach you something new. They should also be challenging and require you to pay attention, even if it’s an activity you used to find easy or boring. It is important to find a brain workout that you will enjoy and be willing to stick with consistently.
3. Play a New Sport
Playing a new sport can help you keep your body healthy and boost your brain. It can also keep you from falling into a rut when it comes to your fitness and social life, which can cause memory problems.
According to research published in 2022, people who regularly participate in activities like walking, swimming, dancing, yoga and sports experience a 17% lower risk of developing dementia. The same study also found that people who exercise with a group of friends have more success in their efforts to strengthen memory.
The key to a good memory is learning, so your brain thrives on the chance to learn something new. Learning a new sport qualifies as a great brain-boosting activity, since it involves a combination of physical and intellectual challenges. Just make sure to start slow and ease into the new sport.
4. Enroll in a Foreign Language Course
Learning a foreign language is not just a good idea for your brain, but it can also improve your memory and cognitive abilities. If you enroll in a foreign language course, your vocabulary will grow and you’ll get to practice your new skills outside of the classroom too.
Memorising vocabulary is one thing, but putting it into practice when speaking can be another challenge altogether. The key is to try and incorporate the best memorization techniques into your language learning process, so that the words you learn are a lot more likely to stick.
This means that you should study at regular intervals, and use recall tests to ensure that the words you’ve learned are entering your long-term memory. And remember, exercise and sleep are also very important to improving your memorization. The more you do to strengthen your memory, the more it will work for you.
5. Draw a Map
Mind maps are a visual representation of your thoughts that help you remember information more easily. They encourage association and imagination, which are both proven memory-boosting techniques.
You can make a map of anything from a meeting title to a grocery list by writing it in the center of a page and branching out with new bubbles that represent subtopics. Try using different colors to separate the ideas and keep them organized.
It’s a great way to study, take notes, and make decisions and presentations, but also works for creative tasks like brainstorming and note taking. You can even practice number-skipping with a mind map to boost your numerical abilities. Try this fun numeracy exercise: Add 3 Minus 7. This is a good brain exercise for beginners and experts alike. Also, try other types of crossword puzzles and other games that strengthen logical thinking.
6. Use Chopsticks
Chopsticks require fine motor skills, and using them with your non-dominant hand forces your brain to work a little harder, further strengthening your memory. Moreover, using chopsticks requires you to focus on your task at hand, which helps to prevent the brain from falling into autopilot mode, which is a common cause of memory loss.
Researchers have found that using chopsticks with the non-dominant hand increases activity in the parietal cortex and sensory-motor cortex, as well as decreases activity in flexor digitorum superficialis and extensor digitorum. Interestingly, this change in neural activity was observed even after just 8 weeks of chopstick training with the non-dominant hand.
To improve your recall, try to remember four specific details about people you meet. This simple real-world memory exercise is a great way to sharpen your observational and recall abilities, and it also works for children, too.
7. Try Doing Your Everyday Tasks the Opposite Way
Changing up your routine helps the brain keep its focus. Whether that’s using your non-dominant hand or taking a different route to work, it can help keep the brain alert and stimulated.
Learning something new also boosts memory. Try a new sport like tennis or golf that involves both the body and the mind, or enroll in a foreign language course.
Playing chess or other strategy games or logic-based word and number games, such as Scrabble and Trivial Pursuit, can also stimulate the brain. Studies show that people who exercise their brains often are less likely to develop dementia or other forms of cognitive decline. A healthy lifestyle, including avoiding smoking, getting regular check-ups for diabetes and high blood pressure, exercising regularly, eating a balanced diet and sleeping well, is essential for keeping the mind sharp.
8. Say the Words in a Different Colour
The brain can often associate words or other information with a specific place, time and context. Varying these aspects of the environment can make it easier to recall certain things, such as names or numbers.
Jigsaw puzzles, crosswords and other problem-solving games aren’t just fun — they may actually help keep your mind sharp. Research shows that engaging in these activities can boost cognition and memory in older adults.
The best brain exercises are the ones that you will use. If sudoku or crosswords are your thing, then go ahead and continue doing them – just be sure to do them regularly. In addition, try out some of these other exercises to keep your mind on its toes:
9. Do Your Everyday Tasks the Opposite Way Around
Doing your everyday tasks the opposite way around can help keep your mind sharp. From using your non-dominant hand to getting dressed in a different order, this simple memory exercise can make you more observant and improve your logical thinking.
If you’re looking to challenge yourself further, try drawing maps of places you’ve visited or your commute as a fun, engaging memory exercise. Alternatively, play a new sport that uses both the brain and body, such as tennis or golf. This can also improve your muscle memory and cognitive skills.
Another way to challenge your memory is by balancing items on your body. This memory exercise is effective because it involves all your senses and helps you remember things in a unique, memorable way. Try saying the names of colours in a different colour as well, to further strengthen your memory.
