Your brain is a complex maze and factory of information.
And trying to understand this very complicated part of your body may seem very difficult.
But as a college student, it is important that you understand how your brain operates.
By doing so, you can actually figure out how you can maximise your use of your brain and absorb as many information as you can in preparation for your exams.
Here are 7 simple things that you can add into your daily routines to help you improve your memory.
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1. Exercise Regularly
Getting into a physical activity may be the last thing on you mind when preparing for an exam.
But did you know that exercising can also help improve your memory?
Whenever you exercise, your body’s blood flow also improves as more oxygen gets delivered all throughout your body, including your brain.
Apart from the increased amount of oxygen that your brain receives, it also gets a lot of essential nutrients that helps improve your cognitive functions.
This is why exercising, even just a simple brisk walk, is highly advised if you want to improve your memory.
2. Read Out Loud To Yourself
Whenever you hear people talk or hear music playing, your brain processes those information.
Same goes when you talk out loud, especially if it’s as part of your study sessions.
Try reading aloud some important points that you need to remember.
This practice helps your brain memorize things that you read out loud and this way, it will be easier for you to recall things once you are taking your exam.
3. Play Some Brain Games
You might think that because you are studying at the moment, you shouldn’t be playing.
But research shows that playing brain games are proven to help improve your memory.
If you want to improve your study sessions and make them more interactive, you can try playing a memory game out of it with a friend or two.
Use flash cards or some pieces of paper and write down some important words on them and take turns with your friends in flashing those words and reciting their meanings.
You can also do a mini quiz game which is also a fun way of boosting your memory.
4. Get More Sleep
Yes, sleep. You might think that pulling an all-nighter is the best way to study for an exam.
But your brain needs to rest now more than ever.
Give yourself a break and give your brain the opportunity to consolidate all the important memories that you need to remember.
In fact, even short power naps are very helpful when it comes to improving your memory.
It helps you move your memories from your hippocampus, wherein you first record your memory, towards your neocortex, which acts as a more permanent storage of your brain.
5. Learn New Things
Did you know that when you learn new things, your brain creates additional neural connections?
This is to make room for the new information that you just learned, and this process is very important, as it also helps you maintain a healthy brain.
By learning new things, whether by reading or practicing new stuff, you get to create more networks in your brain, which is helpful in improving your memory and overall brain functions.
6. Drink Coffee
A recent study was conducted to find out the effects of caffeine in terms of retaining and recalling memories.
In this study, participants were tested by memorizing images, then were given a caffeine pill.
They were then asked to view the images again along with other trick pieces and pick out the ones they have been given to memorize.
The researchers believe that the caffeine pills helped improve their memory consolidation by taking caffeine after the learning task.
7. Eat Memory Boosting Foods
Good diet is essential when it comes to helping improve your cognitive functions.
In fact there are so-called brain foods that, when included in your diet, can help improve your brain’s ability to memorize and recall details.
Foods that are rich in omega fatty acids, antioxidants, and other micronutrients, are essential to your diet, as these food can greatly help improve your brain functions.
By maintaining a healthy lifestyle, exercising, eating brain foods and keeping your mind sharp and active, you can definitely improve your brain’s ability to memorize and recall important information, especially those details that you need to remember once you are taking your exams.
Maintaining a sharp memory might sound a bit like rocket science but by following these brain hacks, it can be as easy as just maintaining good habits.