Tips to strengthen short-term memory so you don't get senile quickly

Come on, admit it, not a few of you like to have trouble remembering people's names even though they just met you five minutes ago, or even forget what you were doing, huh?

As you get older, there is no denying that your memory will decline. It takes you longer to process and learn new information, while remembering old information also becomes increasingly difficult. But calm down. There are many ways to strengthen memory to slow down (even reverse) the effects of this aging process. Come on, listen!

6 daily strategies for strengthening short term memory

Much of the age-related decline in memory acuity can increase as you become active in learning new ways to sharpen your memory skills. Here are step by step to strengthen your memory:

1. Observe carefully

Cultivate an active interest in what you want to remember, and think on it. Use all your senses. For example, say you want to remember to buy bananas at the supermarket. Imagine how the fruit smells like, the shape and texture of the fruit when held, until you map your path from the main door to the fruit holder. Likewise when meeting new people - remember what the perfume smells like, what it sounds like, the unique characteristics of his habits or physical stature, etc.

Learn any new information by taking a closer look at the details, kissing, touching, and listening more closely. On the other hand, it is your brain that has to choose what to remember. Don't give the option to filter what you want to remember. Let all the information you research enter and be embedded in your brain. In other words, pay attention to what or who you want to remember.

2. Give a relationship

Connect what / who you want to remember with what you already know. For example, if you recently met someone named Agus, think about someone you knew in the past who was also named Agus. You may also learn that this new Agus is a Jogja person (relate Jogja to your memories of that city again) or that he likes reading books (link novels again with books you've read).

Associate all the new information you learn about Agus with other learned memories as this will link the new information and make it more meaningful.

3. Play with the imagination

Visualize a picture in your mind of what you want to remember. Using the example of Agus meeting, wake up imagining Agus in the courtyard of the Borobudur temple reading the Harry Potter novels.

Sometimes using fanciful or fanciful imagination creates the strongest memories, but for most people, this technique takes some practice because we tend to be very logical and serious like adults.

4. Think on it

Think about it actively and describe every detail you want to remember. The more details you can get by listening to or asking questions, the more meaningful and likely they will be remembered.

5. Concentrate

In the meantime, don't think about what you want to do tomorrow or worry about what happened yesterday. Your ability to concentrate on the present moment can greatly improve your ability to learn and remember new information. Remember, short-term memory is a fragile thing. If something is on your way to the kitchen for a drink, you'll forget why you were there.

6. Say it out loud

Say it out loud. If there's info, a name, or a number you want to learn, repeat it a few times either aloud or talking to yourself. For example, when you want to remember Agus's name, it is okay to put his name down when chatting with him. Or, when you want to remember to buy cold medicine, repeat "buy cold medicine later" in your heart on the way. Simple actions like this will help you remember them.

7. Write down

Another way is to write in a journal or paper, if you don't want to say it out loud. The act of writing something down takes concentration and will further help you remember it. Writing with a pen also helps you remember better than typing the same information into your electronic device.

Healthy lifestyle to help strengthen short-term memory

1. Eat antioxidant-rich fruit

To keep your memory young even though your brain is old, scientists recommend eating foods that are high in antioxidants, such as blueberries, apples, bananas, dark green leafy vegetables, garlic, carrots, and dark chocolate. Antioxidants are molecules that easily bind with and neutralize free radicals floating around the bloodstream. The free radicals that build up in your body with age can kill brain cells - but not if you kill them first.

Second, the brain is largely built up of healthy fats, including the most important of which are omega-3 fatty acids. In order for the brain to repair itself and keep its nerves properly activated, you need to get enough omega-3s. Omega-3s are found in many types of fatty fish (salmon, sardines, tuna) and nuts.

2. Get enough sleep

While you are asleep, your brain remains active working to replay the memories of the day and strengthen your memory for long-term storage. As a result, skipping a night's sleep will cause your memory "files" to get jumbled up or lost, and will be very difficult to recover. Uniquely, going to bed full of emotions can actually strengthen your memory in the wrong way so that you feel resentful and resentful when you wake up in the morning. Oops!

3. On foot

Exercise can not only tone muscles, but also strengthen your brain memory. Research shows that the memory center in the brain called the hippocampus shrinks with age, but a 2011 study found that older adults who regularly walk actually gain additional hippocampus volume.

Scientists believe that the benefits of walking for the brain may arise because exercise triggers the emergence of good stress which then encourages the production of growth hormone in the brain. Growth hormone may also be triggered by a greater flow of blood to the brain, thus providing more nutrients and oxygen.