7 Simple Ways to Improve Your Memory Without Any Training
When it comes to memory improvement, you’ve likely encountered the usual advice: use imagery, chunking, or build associations. While these methods can be effective, they often require significant mental effort and practice.
Fortunately, there are easier, research-backed techniques to enhance your memory without strenuous training. Here are seven simple, natural, and free methods that can boost your memory effortlessly:
1. Write About Your Problems
Your working memory is essential for learning, planning, and reasoning. Surprisingly, you can enhance its efficiency by engaging in expressive writing.
Set aside 20 minutes a few times a month to write about something traumatic or challenging in your life. Research by Yogo and Fujihara (2008) showed that participants who did this saw measurable improvements in their working memory within five weeks. While the exact reason remains unclear, the benefits are undeniable.
2. Look at a Natural Scene
Nature has a remarkable ability to refresh and restore our minds. In one study, participants who walked in an arboretum performed 20% better on memory tests than those who walked through busy streets.
Even if you can’t get outside, simply looking at pictures of nature can yield similar (though slightly less powerful) effects. So, a virtual escape to serene landscapes might be just what your memory needs.
3. Say Words Aloud
If you want to remember something specific, try saying it out loud. A study found that saying or even mouthing words improved memory performance by 10%. It’s a small gain, but the effort is minimal.
4. Meditate (a Little)
Meditation is well-known for its cognitive benefits, including improved memory. But it doesn’t have to involve hours of practice.
In one study, participants who meditated for just 20 minutes a day over four sessions experienced noticeable boosts in working memory and cognitive function. It’s a quick, low-commitment way to refresh your brain.
5. Predict Your Performance
Simply asking yourself whether you’ll remember something can improve your memory. This works for recalling past events and remembering future tasks.
Meier et al. (2011) found that predicting performance on prospective memory tasks (like remembering to do something later) increased success rates, sometimes by as much as 50%. The act of self-reflection enhances focus and recall.
6. Use Your Body to Encode Memories
Memory isn’t just in your head—your body plays a role too. Research shows that gestures can help encode and retain information.
For example, English speakers learning Japanese verbs recalled twice as many words when they used hand gestures that symbolized the words (Kelly et al., 2009). So, don’t hesitate to add physical movements to your learning process.
7. Use Your Body to Remember
Just as gestures help encode memories, they can also aid retrieval. Psychologists have found that being in the same physical position or mood as when you encoded a memory improves recall.
For instance, Dijkstra et al. (2007) showed that people remembered past episodes better when their body positions matched the original experience. In another study, moving marbles upwards helped participants recall positive memories, while moving them downwards retrieved negative ones (Cassasanto & Dijkstra, 2010).
More Effort, Bigger Gains
If these methods seem too simple, consider adding more effort. Regular aerobic exercise is one of the best ways to improve cognitive health, particularly executive function and working memory. Conversely, prolonged inactivity has the opposite effect (Lipnicki et al., 2009).
For those willing to push further, an astonishing study by Ericsson et al. (1980) demonstrated that with 230 hours of practice using mnemonic techniques, a person’s memory span could expand from the typical seven items to an incredible 79 digits.
Takeaway
Improving your memory doesn’t have to be complicated. Whether it’s a quick walk in the park, meditating for a few minutes, or writing about your problems, small changes can make a big difference. And if you’re feeling ambitious, there’s always the option to put in the hours and push your memory to new limits.
For now, though, I’ll stick to a stroll through nature—simple, effective, and wonderfully relaxing.
Let me know if you’d like to add or modify anything!