Memory Loss: 10 Tips for Keeping Track of Important Things

Memories can be magical, but memory loss can be a nightmare for many. Long- and short-term forgetfulness may be linked to Alzheimer's disease, amnesia, brain tumors, concussions, head traumas, migraines, multiple sclerosis, neurological disorders and other medical conditions.

In some people, similar symptoms may be associated with aging dementia, vitamin deficiencies, certain infections, intoxication, extreme fatigue, high stress levels, medication reactions and allergies.

What can you do to maximize your own ability to retain your memory and remember important facts and tasks? Here are 10 tips for keeping track of critical details.

1. Know your own learning style, and use it.

Most people tend to learn best in one of three ways. From childhood, individuals may generally be classified as auditory, kinetic or visual learners. Auditory learners remember things they hear. Kinetic learners recall things they do. Visual learners retain information they see.

Nearly everyone learns best by practicing all three: hearing, doing and seeing. However, by emphasizing your strongest bent, you up your chances of remembering important information. Repeat details aloud, act them out on the spot or write them down. See what happens.

2. Create mnemonic devices to help you remember important details.

A mnemonic device is a memorization. Create your own mnemonic device, using any strategy that ripens your own recall.

Suppose you meet someone new, and you want to remember her name. You might come up with an acronym (Patti Always Takes Trucks In-town), an alliteration (Patti, the pretty painter) or a rhyme (Patti in the purple hatty).

If word games are not your bag, then you could conjure a mental image. Picture Patti packing hamburger patties at a barbecue.

What's that lady's name again? It's Patti!

NASA offers an online mnemonic device generator. Try it, just for fun.

3. Make notes, and keep them in logical spots.

Rosters help with memory, particularly if they are placed in prominent and practical places. Magnetic grocery lists can go on refrigerator doors. Address notes are ideal in desk binders by greetings card supplies.

Organized people keep bins by their backdoors for library books, school permission slips and errand drop-offs. Key racks are also smart add-ons.

4. Place a notepad in the car and by your bed.

Do you remember important appointments, projects or ideas in the middle of the night or in the car? Stick a steno pad and pen in each spot, so you can write things down quickly. (Just be sure to pull off the road, if you are driving.)

Tech-savvy folks send themselves text messages or voice-mail reminders when those "Eureka" moments hit.

5. Keep a calendar, and post it.

I can't stand missing appointments, but I have done it. A compact calendar, day planner or cell phone calendar can be a super memory minder. If I don't write things down immediately, all bets are off.

6. Tidy up to minimize confusing clutter.

Neatness really does help discourage discombobulation. By eliminating hodgepodge piles of unneeded stuff, you may face less mental jumbling and stay on point.

7. Ask others for reminders.

This one is tricky. It's not easy to admit to memory loss. Still, a trusted confidante can be invaluable, offering reminders when you need them. Whom can you rely on to help you keep track of important appointments or information, without using the information against you?

8. Prioritize tasks, and skip the small stuff.

Stress and anxiety are memory killers. Over-scheduling and over-committing can be downright daunting for anyone's recall. What can you cut out of your calendar, so you can focus on what really counts?

9. Exercise for optimum mental health.

Physical fitness aids memory. Walking, bicycling, running, swimming and other workouts can actually help with memory loss in many individuals. Besides, recreational exercise can give offers mental downtime, when you can recharge your memory and review your own thoughts.

10. Don't skimp on sleep.

Fatigue can make anyone forgetful, but adequate rest can foster sharper recall.

Of course, memory loss may often be traced to certain medical conditions and to nutritional deficits. If you find yourself growing more forgetful, you will likely want to discuss your concerns with a medical professional. Treatments may be available to help.

More from Linda Ann:

A Familiar Way - a Rhyme Opaque on Memory's Wake

Multiple Sclerosis: Most Troubling Cognitive Symptoms

Scripture Memory Techniques