The old proverb “practice makes perfect” describes our memory perfectly.  If we don’t work on improving short term memory, it can become much less sharp in our later years.  But first, we have to understand what short term memory is.

Short term memories usually last a matter of seconds as opposed to long term memories which can last decades.  We can assimilate about seven pieces of information before our short term memory becomes “full” and we have to discard some ideas.  By repetition and associating the information to feelings and other ideas, short term memories become long term memories.

Maintaining overall health may be the best way of improving short term memory.  By eating a healthy diet supplemented with plenty of B vitamins, antioxidants and Omega-3 fatty acids, you can keep your circulatory system in good condition.  Constant, oxygen rich blood flow to the brain helps improve cognition, and ultimately your memory.  The so-called “brain foods” include meats (especially beef liver), eggs, fruits and vegetables, grains and cereals and especially fish such as catfish and salmon.

Meditation is a practice dating back thousands of years and for good reason.  By clearing your mind to pay full attention to detail you will quickly see improvement to your memory.  Sit with your back and legs at ninety degrees and take slow, deep breaths.  If you find yourself worrying or concerned with something, focus on your breathing by imagining the word “breathe” when you exhale.  Now that you are in a calm mood, you can associate memories to this emotion in the future.

Finally, use common household tools for future reference.  Datebooks and clocks are useful for remembering appointments, and keep a notebook and pen handy to jot down ideas as the come to you.

These keys to improving short term memory are available at no or little cost to you.  You may already be practicing some of them daily; just keep at it!

People can easily be shown how to improve the memory system.  What most people don’t realize though is our brain is like a machine – it needs to be well-oiled and supplied with sufficient power to operate smoothly.  And did you know there are several different types of memories?

Before learning how to improve the memory system, we need to understand how our memory works.  When new information is assimilated, it is store in our short term memory and lasts a few seconds to a few minutes.  We can hold anywhere from five to nine ideas at any one time.  By studying the idea or repeating it, it is transferred to our long term memory.  Long term memories can last decades.

Try to remember new things in groups (known as “chunking”).  When you learn a new telephone number, for instance, you remember the ten numbers as two groups of three and a group of four rather than individually.  You can utilize this skill in other areas as well.  People learning Morse code back in the days of the telegraph were more successful when they learned to group the dots and dashes together to represent a letter rather than try to hear each sound alone.

The old technique of tying a string around your finger works too.  When you tie a string around your finger, you’ll wonder why it is there.  This will remind you of some task you need to do.  Although a string will work, using a pen to draw a small x on your index finger knuckle will usually suffice.

You can do mental exercises as well.  By doing things differently, we will force our brain to work harder.  Write down the chorus of your favorite song – backwards then forwards.  There are many mind games you can play to better your memory.

Now you know the different types of memories and how to improve the memory system.  Just remember to work your brain every day!

To keep our memory sharp, we need to remember to use our brain in new and different ways.  Much like the muscles in your arm will remain toned and defined by lifting weights, we need to do mental workouts to increase our ability to recall information.  Here are a few of the best memory improvement exercises.

When you make dinner tonight, use a recipe that you’ve never tried before.  This will require you to pay careful attention to details.  For a bigger challenge, purchase ingredients you’ve never eaten and try to make a delicious meal from them.  You can find many different ethnic recipes online to use the new foods.

If you get a daily paper, there is usually a section that contains a crossword puzzle, a word scramble or both.  These are easy games you can play to really make your brain think.  If you don’t get the paper, there are plenty of free memory exercises and logic puzzles available for free on the internet.

You can also create your own memory improvement exercises.  Try writing your favorite proverb or religious passage down on paper, only backwards.  Try learning a new proverb each day, only after reciting the one you learned the day before.  Name as many cities as you can that begin with the letter “M”.  Try to name each cable channel you have up to one hundred.  You can take these ideas and switch them around – making up your own mind games is good for your memory as well.

Finally, think of a task or appointment you have scheduled for the day.  Write down the steps you need to take to complete them, and say them out loud.  Now come up with an acronym using the first letter of each step.

There are many other memory improvement exercises out there; use the items listed here or search for others.  The best way will be up to you.

It’s a hard fact to deny that our bodies change as we grow older. We run slower, we can’t jump quite as high and we tend to forget things. You don’t have to let aging memory loss ruin your life. There are simple steps that you can take to avoid a deteriorating memory – try these.

Try amending your diet to include brain food – There are certain foods that really feed the brain well. These include foods that are high in protein like peanuts and peanut butter or red meat. Your brain will also be healthier if you add an Omega-3 supplement to your diet. Omega-3 will help to keep your brain ‘lubricated’. You should also focus on taking in as many B vitamins as you can.

Stay hydrated – Not only is most of your body made of water, but almost every natural process that takes place inside of your body is regulated by water. You should definitely be taking in at least five glasses of water each day. Aim higher if you can. Water will keep processes like your digestive system running well, which will send electrolytes to your brain and support its healthy functioning. Aging memory loss will slow down if your body gets a lot of water each day.

Start exercising today – We all talk about how we which that we exercised more often. If I told you that exercise and a healthy lifestyle will help increase the power of your brain, would you be more inclined to jump into an exercise schedule? Because it does! A healthier body works better in many ways, including brain function.

You can fighting memory loss in a lot of different ways. By no means are all of the methods covered here. I encourage you to go out and start living a healthy lifestyle. Take control of your mind and body and aging memory loss will start to slow down.

One of the most common neurological afflictions is called epilepsy and memory loss is a common symptom.  Unfortunately, there is no cure and it is very hard to prevent due to genetic ties.  But there are ways to control and diagnose it.

“Epilepsy” is a generic name referring to over forty different disorders and syndromes that produce seizures in people.  Epilepsy can be passed down through families or brought on by birth defects, tumors and injury.  Over 50 million people throughout the world have some form of epilepsy, most of them living in third world countries.  It is most prevalent in children and people over age 65, but it can appear at any time.

Since this is a disorder of the central nervous system, it can affect parts of the brain related to movement, sight, hearing and memory depending on where it is localized. People tend to think that involuntary convulsions are the main characteristic of seizures, but sometimes they don’t even occur.

Epilepsy and memory loss go hand in hand with seizures located in the hippocampus; the part of the brain that stores memories.  There are cases of people going about everyday life only to ask what they were doing just minutes before.  Some have seen footprints outside their door, believing a break-in has occurred only to find out the footprints were their own.  Others can shop, work and even drive normally while experiencing this type of seizure only to have no memory of doing it later.

If someone near you has a seizure, clear the immediate area and make sure there are no dangerous objects around.  Make sure their mouth is clear and don’t try to restrain them.  If the seizure lasts less than five minutes and the person is a known epileptic, medical attention may not be required.

Epilepsy and memory loss can be managed through medication and diet.  But if you do experience a seizure for the first time, seek out a physician’s opinion.