Memory: Fun Tips and Facts about Memory!

What is Memory?

One thing that makes people unique is our ability to register and recall information. In other words, memories are one of the things that set humans apart as humans! Very often, we don’t even think we want to create a memory, it automatically happens. For this article, let’s look at the inner workings of this unique ability.

The first step in creating a memory is registering information involving one or more of our senses. This information can either be stored for short or long periods of time. Finally, the last step in creating a memory is recalling the stored information. Interestingly, negative memories are more easily recalled than happy moments. The primary reason for this is protection. Our brain is collecting information to help us from repeating mistakes.

In scientific terminology, we would say something like this: when people register a piece of information physiologically, neurons fire electrochemical signals (neurotransmitters), thereby storing information to create a memory.

Types of Memory

Sensory memory, based on audio, visual aids and touch and is extremely short-lived. The feeling of “deja-vu” might be a good example of sensory   Déjà vu is a French term that literally means “already seen” and is reported to occur in 60-70% of all people. When people take note of the world around them, the sensory information is then converted into short-term memory. As Individuals may experience deja-vu in many different ways, some refer to this phenomenon as wishful thinking, a past-life experience or a “mismatch” in the brain.

Short-term memory or working memory lasts for less than a minute and holds limited information. For example, when a friend provides his contact number, the information gets held as a short-term memory until we make note of it in our phone. Working memory relates to intelligence and can affect the IQ score. Research (“Training Working Memory: Why and How” 2012) has shown that students who trained to improve working memory showed an increase in IQ levels. Let’s take playing chess, for example. To play chess competitively, players must plan their future moves ahead of time. Using working memory capacity allows players to do that. Remembering and recalling the placement of chess pieces, as well as identifying the potential strategies of their opponent, is crucial in this game.

Long-term memories are created through a repeated process of storage and retrieval of the same information. Likewise, the contact number of someone dear to us gets registered as a long-term memory due to repeated retrieval of stored information. Research (Melinda 2019) has shown that certain techniques like chunking (breaking information into shorter or smaller manageable groups), repetitive learning, and rehearsal (reading or practicing aloud) aid in converting short-term or working memories to long-term memories.

Strategies to improve memory

Repetitive learning

As mentioned earlier, the repeated processing of the same information can effectively help to improve memory. One of the most successful methods to retain an essential piece of information for long-term is to review the information (for test preparation, from a textbook, or other) before going to bed at night. Beware, any other task like brushing teeth or listening to music has shown (Zhan et al. 2018) to interfere with memory. Revising your material just before falling asleep would be the easiest trick to ace those tests.

Association and learning

Creating acronyms from the first letter of a list to form a word is a powerful method to memorize sequence or scientific formulae. For example, VIBGYOR to remember the rainbow colors (Violet, Indigo, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, Red) or HOMES to remember the names of North American Great Lakes (Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior). Acrostics are similar, but use the first letter of a list to create a sentence. For example, My Very Educated Mother Just Showed Me Nine Planets to remember the sequence of planets (Including Pluto) or Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally to remember the order of common mathematical operations or ELI the ICE man to keep track of phases between voltage and current in electrical circuits. As a fun activity, why don’t you impress your friends by making up one such acronym or acrostic today, to memorize something that you have been struggling to remember so far?

Another interesting method would be to link things with rhymes or poems. Many students have learned difficult quadratic equations simply by singing it to one of their favorite tunes. This is in fact a technique you might have experienced as a kid with the ABC song, a fun way to learn the alphabet.  Now that we know math does not always have to be difficult if you mix it up with some of your favorite tunes, give it a go and see if this works for you.

Visual aids have undoubtedly been the best method of memorization for a long time. Everyone is familiar with the flow charts that their teacher draws to explain a scientific process. Another widely-used option by teachers is using a life-size skeleton to describe and show bone structure.

My personal trick is to write or chart a particularly difficult topic on a scrap paper while reading aloud at the same time. This method simultaneously activates auditory, visual, and repetitive learning, thereby effectively helping to memorize information and encoding it into long-term memories. Adding colors to your visual notes enhances recall, so have some color fun. Visual learners are usually good at seeing the “big picture.” However, some individuals may get easily distracted, which may cause them to need more time to learn a subject.

Nutrition and exercise

Twenty minutes of aerobic exercise before an exam can improve performance. The movement helps to improve the oxygen and blood flow to your brain. If you don’t have the time to hit the gym, try taking a brisk walk before class!

A simple exercise followed by Hindus called “Thoppu Karanam” was shown to activate brain function through acupressure points on the earlobe. It is similar to doing squats with hands crossed over while applying light pressure over the earlobes. In addition, it helps to calm a person and improve mental focus.

Eat foods rich in Omega- 3 like tuna, sardines, walnuts, flaxseed, spinach, broccoli, and pumpkin seeds for a healthy heart. Research (“Request Rejected” n.d.) has shown that it increases working memory by 23% in young adults.

Foods rich in saturated fat like butter, cheese, and cream could impair concentration and memory.

Fruits and vegetables are so packed with antioxidants that they can even help minimize the negative effects of stress! Green tea, dark chocolate, and leafy green veggies like spinach, kale, broccoli, lettuce, and arugula, as well as fruits like bananas, apricots, plums, cherries, and other berries are rich in antioxidants. When preparing for a test or an important project, boost your mood and alertness with these foods.

Simple tricks for effective learning

• Take small breaks of about 10 minutes after every hour of studying.
• Reward yourself with a treat, for example: Tell yourself that you can play a video game if you complete one chapter of review. 
• Always combine different subjects. For example, after doing math, follow with studying for English, and vice versa. Your brain will have an easier time remembering the new information if you do this while studying for exams.
• Reading aloud forces you to better concentrate and understand parts which need more attention.
• Create flashcards to refresh your memory before exams. 
• Role-playing or teaching others what you have learned has shown to be an effective method to retain the information. These strategies are referred to as repetitive learning methods.
• Eight hours of deep sleep can not only refresh you but keep you focused!

Fun facts

1. New brain connections are formed every time a memory is created.
2. Forgetting unnecessary information helps the nervous system to retain its plasticity. In other words, forgetting unnecessary information keeps your brain fresh and ready to learn more.
3. The brain uses approximately 20% of the oxygen and blood in your body.
4. Stress triggers the release of cortisol, which causes memory impairment.
5. Memory has a “negativity bias,” and tends to detect and recall negative information faster. This makes us more cautious and prevents us from repeating our mistakes.

References:

1. “What Is Memory? – the Human Memory.” 2018. Human-Memory.net. 2018. http://www.human-memory.net/intro_what.html.
2. ‌“Training Working Memory: Why and How | Psychology Today.” n.d. Www.psychologytoday.com. Accessed September 19, 2022. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/memory-medic/201203/training-working-memory-why-and-how.
3. “67 Facts about the Brain ←FACTSlides→.” n.d. Www.factslides.com. Accessed September 19, 2022. http://www.factslides.com/s-Brain.
4. “10 Strategies to Enhance Students’ Memory.” 2009. Reading Rockets. December 11, 2009. http://www.readingrockets.org/article/10-strategies-enhance-students-memory.
5. Bu.edu. 2022. http://physics.bu.edu/~duffy/sc545_notes06/ELI.html.
6. “9 Types of Mnemonics for Better Memory.” n.d. Www.learningassistance.com. http://www.learningassistance.com/2006/january/mnemonics.html.
7. “The Best Study Skills – Five Strategies Every Student Should Know.” n.d. Memory-Improvement-Tips.com. http://www.memory-improvement-tips.com/best-study-skills.html.
8. ‌Andrea Leyden. 2019. “20 Study Hacks to Improve Your Memory.” ExamTime. February 24, 2019. https://www.examtime.com/blog/study-hacks/.
9. “How to Improve Your Memory – HelpGuide.org.” n.d. Https://Www.helpguide.org/. Accessed September 19, 2022. 
10. padmum. 2011. “Exercise for Memory–Call It Yoga If You Will.” This and That, There and Here. April 30, 2011. https://padmum.wordpress.com/2011/04/30/exercise-for-memory-call-it-yoga-if-you-will/.
11. “Request Rejected.” n.d. Www.news.pitt.edu. Accessed September 19, 2022. http://www.news.pitt.edu/Omega_3_Fatty_Acids_Memory.
12. Zhan, Lexia, Dingrong Guo, Gang Chen, and Jiongjiong Yang. 2018. “Effects of Repetition Learning on Associative Recognition over Time: Role of the Hippocampus and Prefrontal Cortex.” Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 12 (1). https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2018.00277.
13. “The Neuroscience of Déjà vu | Psychology Today.” n.d.Www.psychologytoday.com. Accessed November 4, 2022. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/brain-babble/201208/the-neuroscience-d-j-vu#:~:text=Think%20about%20your%20memory%3A%20it%20only%20takes%20small.