Are There Exercises to Improve Memory? (7 Proven Drills)

Brain exercises can be really effective at improving memory. Some of these exercises include learning a foreign language, playing crossword puzzles, number skipping, the 4 details observation task, and repeating what people say in your mind.?

From age 30 and above, the brain begins to shrink. The rate of shrinkage accelerates as people cross into their 60s.?

The parts of a healthy brain – the frontal lobe and hippocampus – responsible for cognitive function shrink more than other areas.?

Memory skills, language, perception, and attention are some of the brain’s cognitive functions.?

In addition to the brain’s natural decline, bad habits also contribute significantly to the brain’s cognitive decline.?

Examples of these bad habits include too much sitting, lack of socializing, poor nutrition, terrible sleep hygiene, and chronic stress.??

In anticipation of a potential decline in your brain health, it is imperative to find ways to strengthen and boost memory, especially if you’re 30 and above.?

One of the ways you can improve your memory is through brain exercises.?

In this article, we dive into the brain-boosting benefits and proven examples of brain exercises you can use to improve memory skills and reduce forgetfulness.?

Are memory exercises really effective in improving memory?

There’s ample evidence that memory exercises can improve cognitive functions, including memory skills. Many published papers, including those in peer-reviewed journals, allude to the benefits of cognitive training.?

Research published in the Schizophrenia Research Journal concluded that “exercise and cognitive training?may synergistically increase fronto-cingulate cortical thickness.”?

Cortical thickness measures how much gray matter is in the brain. It also?enables humans to control memory, amongst other things.?

Furthermore, Preventing Alzheimer’s disease with Cognitive Training (PACT) notes that its research has shown that brain games?may improve mental quickness and visual attention.

In 2020, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA)?approved EndeavorRx by Akili?as a brain training game to treat Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in kids.?

According to Akili, EndeavorRx is designed to enhance cognitive function. This approval was the first of its kind and signified a stamp of approval by the apex regulatory body in the United States.?

Brain exercises work because the brain is flexible. This attribute of the brain is referred to as brain plasticity or neuroplasticity.?

There are over 30 years of scientific evidence that this phenomenon is lifelong, which means anyone can improve their memory.?

What is brain plasticity?

Neuroplasticity describes what happens when we learn new things or memorize new information. The brain literally has to reorganize in response to the fresh experience. The brain does this by creating new or strengthening bonds between neurons.?

The canary bird is perhaps the best illustration of what brain plasticity is. Scientists found that neurons in the brains of male canaries?substantially increased during mating season. Male canaries have to learn new songs to woo potential female partners.?

The lead research scientist, Fernando Nottebohm, noted that these neurons made it possible for male canaries to learn and remember new songs.?

Scientists have also proven that humans produce new neurons in the region the male canaries did.?

Targeted brain training provides tailored, consistent, and well-designed experiences that can potentially reorganize neural pathways in the brain.?

For these exercises to work, they must require your attention, focus, and engagement. Whether digital or in-person, the exercises must challenge your brain in new ways.?

Our course,?Maximizing Memory, leverages this cognitive phenomenon to help you retain more information.

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