Memory Maximizers: Lists, Journals, Notes, Reminders All Help Free Up Memory Space; Looking to Boost Memory and Thinking Skills? Nap on It
Lists, Journals, Notes, Reminders All Help Free Up Memory Space
You may be familiar with the steps needed to free up some memory on your computer or smartphone, but do you know how to free up some memory space in your brain? One simple method may seem obvious, but there is some science to back it up. Saving information you have recently learned by jotting it down on a notepad, recording it on your phone, or otherwise preserving it immediately may help clear your mind to accept and remember new information. Several studies have found that the act of saving information seems to better enable people to put more effort into learning something new. Part of the process of remembering new information is forgetting older information determined to be unimportant. That means if you have learned something and then move on to learn more information, your brain will either struggle to keep all of it straight or be more likely to forget what you just learned in order to process whatever is next. Research suggests that the act of preserving information frees you up to learn more, while also having a record of information that won’t automatically be forgotten. Freeing up memory space may also free you up to be more creative or be better able to solve problems. The method of record keeping isn’t as important as relying on a note-taking approach with which you are comfortable and will use consistently. If written notes and calendars are most helpful, then keep them handy. If taking pictures of information, such as the label of a product you’re going to buy, is most effective, then try that. The more you can move mental files into other locations, the more memory you’ll free up to store new data.
Looking to Boost Memory and Thinking Skills? Nap on It
Afternoon naps may do much more than fight the fatigue that sets in after a poor night’s sleep. According to a study published in the journal General Psychiatry, regularly taking an afternoon nap may help improve working memory and other thinking skills. While many older adults rely on afternoon naps to make up for changing sleeping patterns that often disrupt or shorten nighttime sleep, there has been relatively little research into whether catching a few winks every afternoon is helpful, harmful, or a possible early sign of dementia. In the study, researchers measured the cognitive performance scores of 1,534 nappers and 680 people who did not nap. Everyone in the study was age 60 or older. Using several assessments, including the Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE), a commonly used early screening for dementia, researchers found that regular nappers’ scores were significantly higher than their peers who didn’t catch any afternoon shuteye. The study was observational, so no cause-and-effect connection was established. However, the researchers suggested that napping may help reduce levels of inflammation, which could help promote brain health. In general, naps of at least five to 30 minutes are considered optimal. Longer naps may interfere with nighttime sleep.
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