Our memories define us, without them we are left to wonder in the dark with no concept of ourselves or the world.
Introduction
Our memories define us, without them we are left to wonder in the dark with no concept of ourselves or the world. Whether they are unpleasant or astounding, they tell us what we have been through and what we have created. In simpler words, they make us who we are.
Memory is the ability to store and retrieve knowledge over time. This knowledge can be our personal experience, factual knowledge and skills that we have acquired with practice. It's engrossing how this mechanism works, how we remember certain things, but forget about the others, how we recall something we couldn't think of earlier and how we are capable of creating fake memories. There are two things that need to be kept in mind about memories : Explicit and Implicit memory. Explicit memories are the memories that an individual is consciously aware of like their home address, what outfit they’re wearing, the capital of India etc. While implicit memories are the memories an individual may not be conscious of, such as riding a bike or typing on a keyboard.
How is memory stored?
The memory system consists of 3 units: sensory memory, short-term memory and long-term memory.
Sensory memory
This begins with a sensory input as in what you hear, see and feel which then ends up in our sensory memory. It's important to note that this information is unattended and very short term that lasts for only about a second.
Short-term memory
If any attention is paid to the sensory information, it ends up in our short-term or working memory. Here the memory can last from a few seconds to about a minute and is lost immediately afterwards if not rehearsed.
Long-term memory
The information if rehearsed is then moved on to long-term memory where it can stay for a long duration of time and can be retrieved. Long-term memory has unlimited storage, but some information can be lost over time.
How does memory work?
The mechanism of memory works through three processes: encoding, storage and retrieval.
Encoding
It is the process where information is absorbed, understood and adjusted to support storage.
Storage
It is the process where the encoded information is stored in the memory system.
Retrieval
It is the process where the stored information is accessed. The information needed is retrieved through recall and recognition.
How to improve memory?
Now that the mechanism of memory is understood, we can have a better outlook on how we're able to improve it.
Along with genes, lifestyle also plays a vital role in an individual's memory. A healthy lifestyle leads to a good memory.
Here are some ways you can improve your memory :
Sleep well
6-8 hour sleep is essential for an individual to function properly. Not getting enough sleep has a negative impact on a person's memory. Transforming short term memories to long term requires concentration and attention and that may not be possible when you're sleep-deprived.
Make time for physical activities
Physical activities such as meditation, yoga and exercise should be included in everyday routine for an active and healthy lifestyle. Meditation is calming and soothing and there's evidence that suggests it may improve memory along with exercise which is not just good for your body, but for the mind as well.
Eat a proper and healthy diet
Avoid eating excessive carbohydrates like pastries, pizza, cereal etc. It's essential to maintain a healthy body weight to ensure your well-being. Overeating leads to obesity, which may in turn negatively affect memory.
Ask yourself questions
Asking yourself questions after reading a topic helps you memorize it quickly and effectively. Questions like when would I use this information? Or why would I use this? Should be preferred.
Teach what you learned
Teaching the particular topic to someone else or pretending like you're teaching it to someone else has proven to be quite effective when it comes to remembering.
Rewrite what you learned
Rewrite the information in your words. It will help you to understand and remember the concept better.
Revise the topic
Revise the topic after regular intervals of times like after a few hours or after a day or so and keep repeating this cycle.
Summarize lecture notes
Summarizing makes learning more interesting and comparatively easy.
Solve previous papers
This serves as a test to see how much you have learned and how much more you need to do.
Mnemonic technique
Associating information with patterns, words, or images is an excellent way to remember difficult concepts. Along with making songs or rhymes out of information you want to remember makes it easier to recall.
Conclusion
We all at some point in our lives have struggled with remembering things when it comes to studies or in our day-to-day lives. Forgetting where we left the keys or forgetting to switch off the stove. And even when it comes to studies, it's hard to remember so many concepts and lectures and can be exhausting. Even after memorizing tons of times, we tend to forget certain things whether while giving an exam or performing a presentation. But there are numerous ways that may help you remember everything you study and ensure better academic performance. All it takes is effort and dedication to perform better in our lives and becoming the best version of ourselves. Even if you're not blessed with genes of outstanding memory and high IQ, you're still bound to succeed, if you make the effort to do so.
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