How Our Brain Can Improve Your Memory? : Short Term Memory

Article by Michael B

Our memory can either be categorized as long term or short term. In short-term memory, your mind stores data for a short period of time, which is about a few minutes. This kind of memory is delicate and it is just natural. Your brain will soon discard it. It is estimated that the brain can only hold at least seven short-term memories, that’s why you can usually recall your call number but you need your credit card when you are purchasing something online.

Long term memory, on the other hand, involves data that you would need effort in order to retain it in your mind. You need to hold information for a long-term period because they are important, such as personal information, family details, and even data you need while working. Some data that you store for long-term memory needs an effort for you to retain.

A very popular method in concept mapping data for editing is to create a specific or a color coded story or memory map of the information you need to recall. This will greatly help you to observe the whole map of the information and can show you the relation between the pieces of data. A good information map can be very helpful and beneficial mnemonic or memory device.

However, the major flaw in using a concept map is that you can forget the entire label on a certain part of the map. A more effective method is to get the concept map, and break down the information into a numbered list of specific points. You can use this peg-like technique to recall the items on a certain list. Also, you can use the journey technique for longer lists. This technique is a version of the roman room technique in organizing ideas and recalling objects.

There are numerous ways of improving you memory such as:

Practice – with regular mind practice, your memory can be improved. Such exercises include reading, solving puzzles, games and doing logic.

Mnemonics – by employing special techniques such as mnemonics, you can easily learn information without making an extra effort to learn the entire material; most of the mnemonics are very funny such as acronyms and rhymes. For example, in memorizing the colors of the rainbow in proper order, most people can use the mnemonic ROY G. BIV (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet)

Roman Room System – this technique is usually employed in learning a new foreign language. You can easily learn words while visiting a town with common things that you can see. You can learn new nouns if you can visit the town square and try to be familiarized with the counterpart of common names.

In order to remember things for a longer period, you must relate the new data with the data you already know. Retaining information to your long-term memory stores information for longer intervals.

Improving our memory is very important for everyone. As everyone needs to think every day, memory is very important. It could be used when we want to recall the number of our friend, find the number of our locker number or to prepare for an exam. An improved memory can also give us opportunities and edge in doing our jobs. A sharp memory can also give us security.

If you have forgotten what medicine to take and have taken the wrong drug instead, you are in grave danger.

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