Tips to Improving Memory

[saevel25]

‎Huberman Lab: Understand & Improve Memory Using Science-Based Tools on Apple Podcasts

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‎Show Huberman Lab, Ep Understand & Improve Memory Using Science-Based Tools - May 16, 2022

A good podcast going over ways to improve memory. 

1. In general, repetition is the tried and true method to remembering something. 
2. Timing your stimulant intake to after your repetitive learning session not before. Some studies have shown that caffeine intake after can promote memory retention. 
3. A sudden adrenalin increase will improve the memory. Sudden cold exposure will do this. 
4. Cardiovascular exercise has been linked to creation of new brain cells in the hippocampus region, which is the area associated with memory. On a side note, and from a different podcast episode, people who were more active in general had delayed onset of memory issues later on in life (60 years and older) by up to 9 years compared to people who were not active. 
5. Good quality sleep, and if you able to nap with out issue, taking a nap a few hours after studying can help with memory retention. 

So... For improving memory of your golf swing... Do your golf practice in the morning, and then get a hit of that caffeine and take a cold shower 😛 

[iacas]

21 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

So... For improving memory of your golf swing... Do your golf practice in the morning, and then get a hit of that caffeine and take a cold shower 😛 

I was thinking the same thing! Then you follow the shower up with a nap!

[Big Lex]

I studied this and wrote a thesis on it in college...so by definition I suppose my knowledge is outdated then. And I studied a very limited slice of the subject and was never an "expert" on memory, but anyway...something that has been borne out in experiments for years but you don't hear discussed all that often is that it is a good idea to space out your practice. So two practice sessions (or study sessions) of 30 minutes each is (usually) better than a single, 1-hour session. Varying the context of your practice also enriches recall. So studying in front of the TV for a while, and then while eating dinner, and then again on the bus or subway, etc., the variable context enriches the "encoding." Context also includes the modality of study, so if you're memorizing something for a test, and can record yourself speaking the material (and then listen to it), while also reading it or using flash cards, etc., will enhance learning relative to what you get with one modality only. Emotional states like stress can also enhance recall, as you mentioned. 

My experience in middle age has taught me that you have to stay intellectually active. I do all sorts of puzzles, read at various points of the day...I try to never be intellectually idle unless I'm doing something physical. I started noticing a few years ago that if I have, say, a week or two off work for vacation, it takes me a bit longer to be "sharp" again at work if I've been a couch potato or otherwise vegged for the vacation. 

It helps to have ADD. )