Another lifestyle factor that can really zap your memory power is stress. Feeling stressed is of course just another part of being human. But overwhelming stress can take a tremendous toll on our overall health, not to mention our memory.

How would you describe stress? For most of us stress is a feeling of pressure and lack of control. Yet formally defined, stress is merely the way you react to change. Stress in and of itself is not problematic. In fact, both “good” and “bad” life events are stressful. What distinguishes “good” stress from “bad” stress (distress) is the degree to which we feel we are in control. For example, most people would consider losing their job as more stressful than getting married. It is the sense of the former being more out of your control that makes it more distressful. (more…)

Very young children have no trouble using their imagination and forming ridiculous pictures. They not only do it easily, they think it’s lots of fun. If you have children, acquaint them with some of the ideas that you can find throughout our memory articles; you can harness that lively imagination and help them sharpen their sense of concentration - without their realizing what you’re doing, of course.

For example, there is what is called a “link system” that helps strengthen memory in which you link objects to whatever it is that you want to remember easily. Make a game out of the Link system. For example, during an automobile trip, see who can remember a list of items faster, or who can remember the most items. It is fun and the children are learning a useful skill at the same time. (more…)

Most of us recognize faces. For example, did you ever hear anyone say, “Oh, I know your name, but I don’t recognize your face”? It’s the names we have trouble with. Since we do usually recognize faces, the thing to do is apply a system wherein the face tells us the name. That is basically what a good memory techniques accomplishes, if it is applied correctly.

The first problem is the name. Well, that one is easily solved - simply apply the “Substitute Word” system of memory. You won’t need it for many names that already have meaning - names like Hayes, Howe, Carpenter, Fox, Paige, Coyne, Paynter, Gold, or Knott immediately create pictures in your mind. (more…)

Low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, is an often overlooked but important metabolic culprit in poor brain function. It can cause a wide range of mental symptoms, including mental fogginess, lack of concentration, short-term memory loss, mental fatigue, depression, mood swings, physical and mental exhaustion, and the inability to learn or comprehend new information. (more…)

Memory is not just remembering the name of the President or what you ate for breakfast. It is remembering your train of thought, where you are, where you are going and why, and what you are doing at any given moment. It is remembering how to put a sentence together, spell a word, balance your checkbook, turn on your computer, and what someone has just said. But many men and women complain that they are sometimes unable to do these things. They are suddenly rereading things over and over in order to get the meaning, not finding things that are right in front of them, stashing their socks in the freezer, calling their sons by their husband or wife’s name, and becoming clumsy, awkward, and, for lack of a better word, “ditzy.” (more…)

Internal memory techniques are very powerful ways to learn and remember information. Let’s look at how they work:

* They force you to focus attention on what you are trying to learn. When you apply an internal memory technique, you are forced to concentrate. In fact, just using a technique makes it impossible not to pay attention. And we already know that we absorb something we want to remember more effectively when we attend to it.

* They give meaning to what you are trying to learn. Internal memory techniques are successful because they give meaning to something you want to remember. This works in two ways: In many cases, we can find meaning inherent to the information we are trying to learn. Or we can impose meaning on material that doesn’t necessarily have that meaning to make it more memorable. And something that is meaningful is more memorable.

Some of you may believe internal memory techniques are simply too complicated for you. If so, think again. Chances are you already use some of these methods without even knowing it. Take a look at these examples:

1. What year did Columbus sail for America? Did you say 1492? That’s correct. Chances are you got there by reciting the following rhyme: “In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue.” Rhymes such as these are a popular internal memory technique.

2. How can you remember the correct spelling of the word “stationery”? Well, if in fourth grade you learned the saying, “Stationery is for a letter,” you were given a way of connecting the correct spelling of stationery with another word you already knew the proper spelling for. English teachers loved these connection techniques for learning proper spelling.

3. Here’s one from the history books. Need to remember what happened to the wives of Henry VIII? Perhaps someone taught you the following rhyme for recalling their fates: Divorced, beheaded, died; divorced, beheaded, survived.

4. Trying to remember the colors of the rainbow? Consider the following first letter association, which my son learned in his kindergarten class: ROY G. BIV. This name is made up of the first letter of each color in the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.

You can see from these examples that internal memory techniques are really part of our everyday world. So don’t be afraid of these methods. They can be simple to learn and use, and can help you remember better. The goal of any memory technique is to help you learn an internal memory technique that you like and will use.

Most memory training techniques involve exercises to improve linking objects to certain items or using numbering systems to stay on top of being forgetful. However, oftentimes the only thing that is needed to keep your mind on track is to get organized and to stay that way! Below are a few good tips that will help you:

Use a filing system effectively: Take the time to think through your filing system. Figure out what organization will work best for you - client files versus project files, color coding, and so on. Once you’ve worked out your system, make sure to use it. File all pertinent information in the appropriate file (not a desk pile). It’s also helpful to attach blank sheets of paper to the inside right back flap of file folders. Then, you can take notes on relevant conversations, memos, and meetings right where you need them. And make sure you put your files away in an organized fashion. (more…)

Ginseng is a root herb that has been used in China for thousands of years, and in America since the 1700s. Ginseng is a native to China, Korea, Russia, and America. Each variety has slightly different characteristics, but all act as an “adaptogen” - a substance that helps you cope with all kinds of physical and psychological stress. Chinese medicine says it balances “yang energy” and Western medicine says it improves the function of the adrenal glands.

As far as the brain is concerned, ginseng’s power lies in its ability to control and lower the release of the stress hormone cortisol, which is deadly to the brain. Many studies confirm ginseng’s beneficial effects on the brain: subjects taking this herb made fewer mistakes, had speedier reaction times, improved their scores on standard cognitive function tests (by more than 50 percent on average), and increased mental and physical stamina. Ginseng is popular as an anti-aging tonic used by many women during and after menopause to relieve symptoms of vaginal dryness, hot flashes, insomnia, and reduced libido. A recent study showed that women taking ginseng experienced an improved quality of life and less depression.

Panax ginseng is the most popular form used today, but Siberian ginseng is the type most often included in products geared to improve cognitive ability. Quality among all the varieties of ginseng varies widely. When buying panax ginseng extract, look for a product that is standardized for 7 percent ginsenosides; when buying Siberian ginseng extract, choose a product standardized for 1 percent eleutherosides E. Ginseng may also be purchased as a whole root from herbal pharmacies, broken into small pieces and chewed. This is the way it is used in China.

For prevention, take 100 mg of extract, or 500 to 1,000 mg of capsules per day. This dosage may be tripled if your symptoms are mild to moderate and/or you are under a lot of stress. Some herbalists advise that you follow a three-weeks-on two-weeks-off schedule.

Used in the recommended dosage, ginseng is generally safe. In rare instances it may cause over-stimulation or gastrointestinal upset. People with hypertension should not use ginseng. Long-term use has been reported to cause menstrual irregularities and breast tenderness.

Are all memories created equal? It is virtually certain that different people have different brain abilities for different things. One of these differences must be in memory. But most of the differences in memory abilities that we see in everyday life do not seem to be due to differences in the brains we are born with, but to differences in how well we use the brains we are born with.

Our brains are probably somewhat like our muscles: everybody is born with different amounts of muscle. And this is probably particularly true of the muscle that is your heart. So it is likely that some people have bigger, stronger hearts than others do at birth. But it is also true that many people can take whatever amount of heart they are born with - large or small—and train themselves up from couch potato to marathon runner. The differences we find in everyday memory probably are comparable. They are probably still mostly based on how much we exercise what we have, not how much memory we are born with. (more…)

Memory systems date back to antiquity. In the ancient world, a trained memory was of vital importance. There were no handy note-taking devices, and it was memory techniques and systems that enabled bards and storytellers to remember their stories, poems, and songs. Early Greek and Roman orators delivered lengthy speeches with unfailing accuracy because they learned the speeches, thought for thought, by applying memory systems.

What they did, basically, was associate each thought of a speech to a part of their own homes. These were called “loci,” or “places.” The opening thought of a speech would, perhaps, be associated to the front door, the second thought to the foyer, the third to a piece of furniture in the foyer, and so on. When the orator wanted to remember his speech, thought for thought, he actually took a mental tour through his own home. Thinking of the front door reminded him of the first thought of his speech. The second “place,” the foyer, reminded him of the next thought; and so on to the end of the speech. It is from this “place” or “loci” memory technique that we get the time-worn phrase “in the first place.” (more…)