Proven Strategies to Boost Memory and Retain Information Effectively While Studying

Are you looking for how to stop forgetting what you read, have you always been cramming and forgetting what you have read throughout the night?Don’t worry as I will take you through my 5 most effective strategies that would help you pass that test or exam . These are strategies that helped me while I was in college and I still use them till now, firstly let me walk you through a personal experience that made me uncover these strategies.

There was a time I needed to pass an exam, studied for weeks but as soon as I thought I was done with the topic, found myself forgetting the topic I just learnt few days ago. It was so tiring, frustrating and painful cause it’s more like I was wasting my time.

Few days to the exam, a friend of mine was at my house and saw how pissed off I was trying to remember what we just read about few hours ago. She said “ this thing is not unusual infact, I once experienced it while I was a penultimate “. I asked her how she was able to conquer it and she said” make research and you’ll be pleased to find out you are not the only one going through this and how to get through it “.
I took it upon myself to make enquires and ask people doing well academically and psychologically what could be the cause and how to solve it.
It just got interesting cause do you know the brain region responsible for memory “the hippocampus“ tends to sleep when you over-use it for days without rest and exercise? Now let’s move to how we can improve our memory for studying

5 best ways to improve your memory for studying

1. SLEEP: As much as you have to study always to do excellently well, it’s also advisable to get enough sleep and not be sleep-deprived for maximum brain function. Depriving yourself of good sleep could lead to brain block, tougher time paying attention and decreased neuroplasticity. Good sleep isn’t determined by the duration in bed but the amount of sleep one gets uninterrupted.

Experts recommend that school-age children get at least nine hours of sleep a night and teens get between eight and 10. As an adult it’s recommended you get atleast seven hours or more of sleep each night for maximum brain function

2. EXERCISE: Exercising regularly boosts blood flow to the brain which in turn increases the transport of oxygen and nutrients optimal for brain function. It also increases neuroplasticity which is the ability of the brain to adapt to new learning and function. Regular exercise especially aerobics enlarges the brain region responsible for learning and memory.

Exercise is also known for increasing hippocampal neurogenesis, in which new neurons are generated and incorporated into hippocampal circuits. Exercise is crucial for brain growth and function and also, it helps protect the brain from neurodegeneration and cognitive decline.

Exercise Requirements for different age groups

<5: 180 minutes – three hours – each day.

Children and young people (5-18 year olds): 60 minutes and up to several hours every day of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity. Three days a week should include vigorous intensity activities that strengthen muscle and bone.

Adults (19-64 years old) and older people (65+): 2 and half hours – each week of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity (and adults should aim to do some physical activity every day). Muscle strengthening activity should also be included twice a week.
Read more on exercise here.

3. USE MNEMONICS: Mnemonics are basically acronyms used to aid recall. For example, I’m sure we were all taught the characteristics of living things which are movements, Reproduction, Nutrition, Irritability Growth, Excretion, Respiration and Death. In my school we used MR NIGER D for easy remembrance and in my friends school they use MRS NERG. MR NIGER D and MRS NERG are both mnemonic for easy recall.
Another common example of a mnemonic is ROYGBIV which is an acronym for rainbow colors.

You can simply create your own mnemonic by taking the first letters of each word and using them to form a word or sentence you can easily remember.

You can read more on how to form your own mnemonic here

4. VISUALIZATION: This is the usage of pictures, diagrams, graphs and map to help with memory recall. Visualization is one of the most proven ways for memory recall. For example, if you are studying a pathway and you used a graphical interface to visualize your data it will help you understand or even recall what you studied better.

It’s advisable for students to study with diagrams and other visual techniques for easy assimilation and digestion.

5. AVOID CRAMMING: Cramming is when you try to stuff loads of information into your short-term memory for a test or exam, and any omissions of information or words would literally result in the loss of other data.

You can avoid cramming by following this process:

• Study each day even if it’s for 15mins per day this would help prepare your brain ahead before an exam or text is fixed.
• Rewrite/jot down your notes while studying for easy digestions.
• Study with people that know the subject or materials, they might necessarily not be your friends.
• Pay attention to every detail.
• Work/study smarter not harder.

Causes of memory loss.

Memory loss can also be termed as forgetfulness which arises from stress, lack of sleep, depression and many more. There are many cause of memory loss but few are mentioned below.

• Medicine: certain medications or combinations of medications can cause memory loss or confusion. Drugs like Opioid, Statin, Benzodiazepine and Antihistamines, sleeping pills and Antidepressants are known to impair memory.
  
• Reduced blood flow to the brain: when there’s decreased blood flow to the brain which in turns reduce the amount of oxygen transported to the brain can cause memory loss and even cognitive decline.
• Depression: depression is also a major causes of memory loss. Depression is when there’s persistent sadness, anxiety and empty mood, frustration and irritability.
• Sleep apnea: is a chronic sleep disorder in which breathing stops and starts. This can also cause forgetfulness.
• Blood clot in brain: this occurs when a blood vessel in the brain starts to narrow, preventing enough blood flow to other part of the body. The indications can be, sudden headaches, pressure in the head and numbness around the face and body.

Most effective way to improve your mental health

1. Eat good food always.
2. Stay active and make connections, preferably face-to-face
3. Show love to people around you.
4. Forgiveness is key for better mental wellbeing
5. Sign up for gym classes and make exercise one of your priority.

CONCLUSION

Improving memory for studying is a process that includes effective study techniques, a healthy-lifestyle , and consistent practice. By adopting these methods such as visualization , jotting down notes , and use of mnemonic , we can increase the ability to retain and recall information. Additionally, balanced diet, good sleep habits , exercise, and stress management are all important factors in enhancing cognitive function. It is important to remember that improving memory is a gradual process that requires dedication and the willingness to try different strategies to find what works best for each individual. By practicing these habits, we can optimize our study hours and achieve better academic outcomes.