How to improve memory? Here are 10 habits to train your brain

Having a good memory does not only depend on genetics, but also on daily habits and lifestyles. Sleep, stress, attention, physical activity and learning strategies profoundly influence our brain’s ability to store and retrieve information. The good news is that memory can be trained: here are some of the most effective methods suggested by psychologists and neuroscientists.

Our brain remembers better when information is organized into meaningful groups. It is the principle of chunking: a long number, for example, becomes easier to memorize if divided into small blocks. This concept was made famous by psychologist George Miller in 1956 with the study The Magical Number Seven, Plus or Minus Twodedicated to the limits of short-term memory.

Sleep plays a crucial role in memory consolidation. During rest, in fact, the brain reorganises, stabilizes and “cleans up” the information learned in the previous hours, transferring it from short-term memory to longer-lasting memory. This connection has been investigated over time by numerous studies, recently collected in a review published in Physiological Reviews.

Studying everything at once in one long marathon is much less effective than spreading the learning out over time. The importance of breaks (preferably short and every thirty minutes) was theorized as early as the 19th century by the German psychologist and philosopher Hermann Ebbinghaus, as they were able to improve the consolidation of memories and effectively counteract the so-called “oblivion curve”.

Stress and anxiety overload the so-called “working memory”, i.e. the system we use to keep information active in the short term. In this case, we can use some relaxation techniques, such as mindfulness and controlled breathing, which help reduce “mental noise” and contribute to improving our levels of learning and attention.

The mobile phone is the worst enemy of our memory: even if it is set to silent or upside down on the table, in fact, it continues to “occupy” part of our mental attention. A study published in the Journal of the Association for Consumer Research showed that the mere presence of the smartphone reduces available cognitive resources, which is why it is better to leave it in another room.

The so-called “method of loci” dates back to ancient Greece and consists of associating information with imaginary or familiar places, such as rooms or mental paths, forcing the brain to use spatial memory. A study published in Neuron showed that this technique can change the organization of brain networks and improve the ability to remember large amounts of data.

Taking notes helps us process concepts better than simply typing on the keyboard, as it forces us to synthesize and reformulate information, instead of passively transcribing it. A study, published in Psychological Science and called “The pen is more powerful than the keyboard,” linked handwriting to deeper understanding and better memory consolidation.

Walking fast, running or cycling is not only good for your heart and muscles, but also improves brain health. A Salk Institute study showed that aerobic exercise can increase the volume of the hippocampus, where memory and spatial orientation reside. Furthermore, physical activity promotes the flow of blood to the brain and the production of molecules linked to neural plasticity.

Alternating between different exercises or subjects, rather than following a linear pattern, improves long-term learning. This technique, called interleaved practicesforces the brain to distinguish different strategies and concepts, avoiding the automatism of repetition. Several studies show that this method makes information retrieval more effective and improves the ability to reuse it.

Rereading your notes often only gives the illusion of good learning. It is much more effective to try to recall information without looking at it: answering quizzes or repeating them out loud strengthens long-term memory thanks to a principle known as retrieval practice, described in a study published in Psychological Science in 2006.