Improving Your Memory for the New Year

With the passage of time it is normal to have a little more trouble remembering than you did when you were younger. However, there are some simple things that can be done to improve the memory process.

At some level our brain tries to suppress negative experiences such as pain, fear, sorrow and others. You don't retain the memory at the conscious level but it's still there in the subconscious. Make an effort to think about your day-to-day experiences in a positive manner. Is the glass half full or is it half empty? Whenever you can, make it half full. You will retain more this way. If your favorite team lost was it at least pay well and it was close?

Learn to focus on your surroundings. Your memory will improve if you think then act rather than just reacting to what is going on around you. Use your physical sensory abilities to capture and retain memories. The memory of the smell of freshly baked bread brings back the memory of the person with whom you shared it.

The military is the master of the acronym. POTUS means President of the United States, for example. It seems to have an acronym for everything. As you see, an acronym just replaces a phrase with the first letter of each word in the phrase. You don't have to take it to the extreme that the military does but do know that using acronyms will help your memory process. Acrostics too are helpful memory enhancers. They are similar to acronyms except they utilize the first letter in a word group instead of each word.

Number games are widely used as memory boosters. The Chinese love the number eight because Chinese for eight rhymes with their word for prosperity. No Chinese is likely to forget a number with a lot of eights in it. Back here at home your bank account probably has ten numbers printed in a continuous string on your checks. Try breaking it into series of smaller groupings and give them a cadence as you say them. You check reads 1234567890, but you remember it better as 123space456 space7890.

Don't overlook your overall general health as a memory factor. The proper diet, exercise and sleep habits benefit the mind, and it's memory mechanism, as well as the body. There are nutrients needed for good memory just as there are nutrients required for healthy bones.

Your memory may not be as sharp as it once was. However, you can take steps to improve it.