Memory is the mental capacity or faculty to retain and relive facts, events, impressions, etc. Alternatively, it can be defined as the mental faculty to remember or recognize previous experiences. It is essential in our daily life. We could not function in the present without depending on our memory.

Human memory has three components:

1. Coding – Encoding is the first step in creating a new memory. It allows information to become a construct that is stored in the brain. It is a process that begins with perception through the senses. The creation of memory begins with attention. A memorable event causes neurons in the brain to fire more frequently, making the experience more intense and increasing the likelihood that the event is encoded as a memory. Emotion tends to increase attention.

two. Store and retain information – Storing and retaining is the more or less passive process of retaining information in the brain, be it sensory memory, short-term memory, or more permanent long-term memory. The more information is repeated or used, the more likely it is to be retained in long-term memory.

3. Remembering – Memory recall refers to the subsequent re-access to events or information from the past, which have been previously encoded and stored in the brain. In common parlance, it is known as remembering.

However, memory is malleable and tends to deteriorate with age. Therefore, one can stay alert by learning about the science of remembrance.

The human brain has an incredible ability to reform itself when it comes to learning and memory. The natural power of neuroplasticity of the brain allows us to learn and improve our memory at any age.

Ways to sharpen your memory –

The following are some of the important ways to sharpen your memory:

Exercise your brain – Memory, like muscle strength, requires one to “use it or lose it.” The more the brain is exercised, the better it can process and remember information. To strengthen the brain, you need to keep learning and developing new skills. The activity has to be something unknown and outside of our comfort zone. The activity must be challenging. An activity that allows us to start at an easy level is more appropriate and that makes its way as our skills improve, pushing us to continue expanding our capabilities. However, we must choose activities that, although challenging, are enjoyable and satisfying.

Get regular physical exercises – Exercise reduces stress hormones. Perhaps, exercise plays an important role in neuroplasticity by boosting growth factors and stimulating new neural connections. Aerobic exercise is particularly good for the brain, so we must choose activities that keep our blood pumping. In general, any physical exercise that is good for our heart is great for our brain. One year of regular aerobic exercise can increase the size of an adult’s hippocampus by 2 percent, according to research from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Researchers have also found that regular strength training can improve performance and attention to short and long-term memory. Physical activities that require complex motor movements are particularly beneficial for brain building.

Go for the Joe – Researchers have found that caffeine blocks inflammation in the brain, specifically adenosine receptors, which can start a chain reaction that starts cognitive decline in the mind. The amount of caffeine we drink depends on the strength of the coffee and the size of the cup. You should not exceed the limit of drinking three standard-size cups of coffee per day to reap the benefit. Conversely, consuming more coffee than this can negatively affect mental health.

Develop healthy sleepwear – More than 95% of adults need 7.5 to 9 hours of sleep each night to avoid sleep deprivation. Even skimping on a few hours makes a difference! Memory, creativity, problem solving skills, and critical thinking skills are compromised. Research shows that sleep is necessary for memory consolidation, the key memory-enhancing activity that occurs during the deepest stages of sleep.

Make friends – Humans are very sociable. We are not destined to survive, much less prosper, in isolation. Relationships stimulate our brain. In fact, interacting with others can be the best kind of brain exercise. Research shows that having meaningful friendships is vital not only for emotional health but also for brain health. Researchers have also found that people with the most active social lives have the slowest rate of memory decline.

Keep stress under control – Stress is one of the worst enemies of the brain. Over time, chronic stress destroys brain cells and damages the hippocampus, the region of the brain involved in the formation of new memories and the retrieval of old ones. Studies have also linked stress to memory loss.

Eat foods that stimulate the brain A diet based on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats (such as olive oil, nuts, fish), and lean proteins will provide many health benefits. This diet can also improve memory. For brain health, it’s important that it’s not just about what we eat, but also what we don’t eat.

Improve memory skills – We can take practical steps to support learning and memory by:

• Pay attention,

• Involve as many senses as possible,

• Relate the information to what we already know,

• Focus on understanding the basic ideas of more complex material,

• Rehearsing information that we have already learned,

• Use mnemonic devices to facilitate memorization.

The bottom line is that human memory tends to decline with age but is, on the contrary, malleable due to the remarkable neuroplasticity power of the brain. We can sharpen our memory by taking the appropriate measures, which are available to everyone, but must be practiced regularly and effectively.