Having trouble remembering things? Give this easy solution a shot
We all know that one person who remembers everyone’s name, even if they met them for only a brief moment.
Have you ever wondered how they do it? They may use one of several tricks which have been shown to improve information retention.
According to a study conducted at Baylor University, the re-telling of new information shortly after you have learned it can help improve your memory.
“All memories are encoded in our brains. The more neurons engaged, the higher the likelihood of more thorough encoding and remembering,” says Dr. Michael Aisenberg, clinical therapist at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center in Chicago. “That’s why many strategies involve attempts to remember in a more detailed way or using multi-modal inputs; by modal, I mean sensory modalities. So, saying a name aloud involves auditory processing and cognition/memory combined. Remembering the color of someone’s clothing engages the visual, as well.”
Another technique the study suggests is creating cues for yourself. If you need to remember important information, such as the location of a meeting or someone’s name, try to remember something about the person telling you the information.
“Creating details and information allows people to use any of the several cues to remember,” says Dr. Aisenberg.
For example, try saying things in your head such as, ‘Beau in the blue shirt told me the meeting is in room 475,’ or ‘Kim was in the maroon top.’
“Don’t be mad if someone doesn’t remember your name; maybe you need a brighter shirt,” Dr. Aisenberg adds.
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health enews staff is a group of experienced writers from our Advocate Health Care and Aurora Health Care sites, which also includes freelance or intern writers.
