improving short term memory1 300x218 Improving Short Term Memory NaturallyIf only our brains were like our computer, improving our memory would be a simple upgrade. Just buy some new hardware and you’re good to go. Unfortunately, our brains are much more complex than that. 

Think of your brain like a muscle. To build (real) muscle, you don’t just go get muscle implants, you have to exercise and provide your body with the nutrients needed to build new muscle. 

Your brain works in a similar fashion. Your brain’s “muscle” power can be built with proper exercise and nutrition. There are several ways in which your brain can be exercised, but first it’s helpful to understand exactly how your memory works.

How Memory Works

Simply put, memory is the act of recalling information that your brain has previously processed. However, the process is very complex and involves multiple components.

The major components of the brain used in memory storage and recall are:

  • The hippocampus, a primitive structure deep in the brain, plays the single largest role in processing information as memory.
  • The amygdala, an almond-shaped area near the hippocampus, processes emotion and helps imprint memories that involve emotion.
  • The cerebral cortex, the outer layer of the brain, stores most long-term memory in different zones, depending on what kind of processing the information involves language, sensory input, problem-solving and so forth.
  • In addition, memory involves communication among the brain’s network of neurons, millions of cells activated by brain chemicals called neurotransmitters.

These components are used in varying degrees depending on whether information is being stored in the short-term or long-term memory. 

The Specifics of Short-Term Memory

As its name implies, short-term memory is for short-term storage. Hence, items stored in the short term memory are generally forgotten very quickly. If read a phone number, most people would be able to easily repeat it back. However, it’s likely that you wouldn’t be able to repeat it 5 minutes later unless you gave a concerted effort to remember it. 

The average person’s short-term memory can hold around 7 items. That is why you can remember a phone number for a few minutes, but need your credit card number in front of you when ordering something.

Tips to Improve Your Short Term Memory

Brain Exercises

People are creatures of habit. When we perform tasks in the same way each time, our brain uses the same neural pathways to send the signals needed to complete those tasks. This could be the way you get dressed, the route you take to work or the way you put your makeup on.

Use Mnemonic Devices

This involves using things you are familiar with to remember things you aren’t familiar with

  • Visual images - Try this when trying to remember someone’s name. Associate the face of a friend or a pleasant image with the new person’s name. Recently I met someone named Morgan. To remember their name I associated Morgan Freeman’s face with their name. For someone named “Mike” you could associate a picture of a microphone with their face.
  • Create a sentence using words with a first letter that represents the list that you are trying to remember. If you were trying to remember the order of the planets – Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune – you might use “Many Very Elderly Men Just Snooze Under Newspapers.” This is often used by medical students learning muscle groups, bones and other anatomical features.
  • Acronyms, which are initials that creates pronounceable words. HOMES would be an example for remembering the Great Lakes - Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie and Superior.
  • Grouping information: Take a long string of information and break it up into chunks that are easier to remember. When remembering your Social Security Number, do you remember it as a 9-digit string or as a group of 3 numbers, 2 numbers and 4 numbers? 
  • “Method of loci” is an ancient memory tactic that is still in use by memory experts today. This involves associating a list of items with stops or “loci” on a journey. Try associating each item on your grocery list with each intersection you drive though on your way to work. This is one of the most powerful memory techniques. In fact, Clemens Mayer, the 2006 World Memory Champion, used a 300-point-long journey through his house for his world record in “number half marathon”, memorizing 1040 random digits in a half hour.

Additional Things to Consider

Your brain requires the same things the rest of your body needs to be healthy. Things like plenty of sleep, good nutrition and low stress levels can help your memory retention and recall significantly.