Experts Reveal Simple Science-Backed Daily Habits to Sharpen Memory

While memory capability often declines as people age, experts emphasize that brain health is not fixed. Sania Alam, the founder of Futuristic Learning in the United States, explains that memory functions like a trainable skill similar to riding a bike or driving a car. Having coached athletes who achieved six Guinness World Records, Alam points out that today’s digital environment—dominated by constant streams of information, artificial intelligence, and expanding social media—presents unique challenges to maintaining strong recall abilities. But it is often possible to do something about it, memory can worsen as we age. Here, memory experts share their advice on how to improve your power of recall. You see people at a very young age who are beginning to have memory issues. So that you can start using your own brain instead of relying on gadgets, because these days we can’t even memorise our own number, let alone an emergency contact.”, how can we tackle this? “My suggestion would be to get your hands on any course that teaches you memory techniques. Black-cab taxi drivers learning routes in London have shown that the hippocampus actually increases in volume. But it really helps you to memorise anything that you want to.”, you have to work a little bit. According to a lot of people aren’t good at visualising,, Kermode. And they find ways around it.”, we even have memory competitors that can’t visualise.

To counter these digital distractions, engaging in mentally stimulating activities remains critical. Barbara Sahakian, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Cambridge and co-author ofBrain Boost: Healthy Habits for a Happier Lifenotes that keeping the brain active by learning new and enjoyable skills is the best defense against cognitive decline. Back in 1995, Sahakian and Martin Orrell published a paper in the British Medical Journal advocating a “use it or lose it” approach to lower the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. All of these things are ageing our brains. In 1995, Sahakian published an article in the British Medical Journal with Martin Orrell, emphasising the need to learn new things to reduce the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s – in other words “use it or lose it”. “Keeping our brains active through learning and remembering, we drive the neural circuits and keep them functioning better for longer,” she says. “Studies with medical students studying for exams and. The goddess Venus clears it all up and puts it into a bag and throws it.

Boosting cognitive health does not require enrollment in complex educational programs; simple habits like reading can yield substantial benefits. Sahakian highlights that reading engaging fiction or nonfiction positively impacts cognition, mood, and overall brain function while reducing dementia risks. She also warns against the constant focus-switching triggered by modern technology, which hinders deep concentration and goal accomplishment, as demonstrated by studies tracking student attention during academic tasks.

For structured memory techniques, Manchester-based memory champion Katie Kermode demonstrates that success relies on specific methods rather than innate magic. Kermode, who began competing in 2008 and holds a world record for remembering names, recommends the journey technique. This approach involves mentally placing items to remember along a familiar physical path, such as mapping out a daily commute or placing shopping list items along a driveway and hallway. Thinking of a route that you know well and placing things to remember along that route, is really helpful with recalling a shopping list, for example. “You put the first item in your driveway, then the, in everyday life. A common example is “Richard of York gave battle in vain” for remembering the order of colours in the light spectrum (and the rainbow).

A closely related technique is the “memory palace,” a concept with origins tracing back to the Ancient Greek poet Simonides of Ceos and later popularized by the late memory expert Tony Buzan, who passed away in 2019. Kermode explains that while she prefers using a memory palace for structured, sequential information, the technique can also be applied to public speaking. Speakers can assign distinct speech topics to specific physical locations, visualizing sub-points within those designated spots. And I thought of a dinner table, i thought of plates. And then all the things that relate to that topic on the slide, including clotted cream as a reminder that platelets clot blood.”, so I had a picture of a dinner table with lots of plates of food.

Translating abstract ideas into concrete visual objects makes recall significantly easier. Kermode shares that to remember specific dates, she assigns distinct meanings or colors to each month and pairs days with physical objects. For instance, because October can feel abstract, she visualizes a pumpkin; to recall the date October 2, she imagines a swan—which resembles the number two—sitting atop a pumpkin. However, she candidly admits that remembering to actually complete tasks on specific birthdates remains a separate personal challenge. According to it lands on the Earth … It goes on like that, making each planet into an object or a person, and making them into a story, so they link from one to the next,”, Kermode. “In competitions we memorise thousands of digits, which I couldn’t just naturally do by sitting and repeating them to myself.

Academic revision and structured study benefit greatly from targeted tools like mnemonics, acronyms, flashcards, and digital slides. Dr. Michael Gruneberg, a former senior lecturer in psychology at Swansea University and founder of Linkword Languages, advises students to select key points on a subject and create acronyms for exam preparation. Meanwhile, Kermode suggests using detailed visual backgrounds on slide presentations for different subjects, alongside employing spaced repetition—practicing recall at expanding time intervals—to move information into long-term storage effectively. Choose a background for the slide that represents that topic.

Despite the power of visual and mnemonic systems, practical organization tools are essential for managing modern schedules. Gruneberg notes that “prospective memory”—the ability to remember future plans and appointments—naturally deteriorates and does not improve with mental training, making written reminders crucial. Kermode similarly acknowledges her reliance on phone alarms to stay organized, recognizing that digital tools serve a necessary function alongside mental exercises. According to gruneberg, who is 86,, To always make a note of appointment times. “There is something called ‘prospective memory’ that does not improve, to say the least.

Rest and physical rhythm play an equally vital role in brain performance and memory consolidation. Alam explains that lack of sleep leads to severe brain fog because the body operates on a natural circadian rhythm. To give the brain adequate time to process, organize, and store newly learned information, Alam suggests taking regular naps. Kermode concurs, emphasizing that sleep is vital for efficient mental processing, particularly when attempting to memorize material quickly, as fatigue prevents memory techniques from working effectively.