The USA Memory Championship is less than six weeks away! Have you trained your memory? We’ll be sharing tips and tricks in the weeks leading up the Championship, so continue to check in!
- Forget What You’ve Learned
Instead of memorizing by repetition, put interesting visual pictures in places in your mind where you can retrieve them. This technique was introduced by the ancient Greeks and is called the Method of Loci or Memory Palace. Picture your house, office or walking route – you’ll be surprised about the impressive amount of detail you remember about these spaces. When memorizing a list, take a journey through your home and picture the objects you are memorizing in particular places you know well. Organize the objects in your mind this way. To recall the objects, go back through your journey and your creative visualization will help you remember your list. Try this next time you have a grocery list to remember!
- Stay Fit and Well Rested
There are several physical aspects that are key to a strong memory. Exercising three to five times a week for 30 minutes a day keeps your body and mind fit. It’s also important to get enough sleep every night to maintain and sharpen your memory. Sleep is an important time for your body to consolidate and store new memories.
- Eat a Nutritious Diet
Good nutrition may impact your memory. There is strong evidence that a diet rich in DHA omega-3s, B vitamins and anti-oxidants is important for overall brain health and memory. Eat plenty of salmon, green vegetables and blueberries. Also consider supplementing your diet. If you don’t regularly eat fatty fish, which naturally contain DHA, consider trying a vegetarian and sustainable source of DHA, which can be found in supplements at local retailers like Walgreens and CVS. Two such supplements include DHA Algal-900 and BrainStrong with life’sDHA.
In March, we’ll share memorization tips and techniques for the different memory challenges that contestants face during the USA Memory Championship including “Names and Faces,” Quotes and Poetry” and “Numbers and Cards.”
Health Update 