As a researcher focused on how electric brain stimulation can enhance memory recall, I frequently encounter questions about how memory functions and how to optimize its use.
Fortunately, extensive research over the years has provided clear insights into these inquiries.
Memory works in three distinct stages, with various brain regions involved in each stage.
Sensory memory, lasting mere milliseconds, captures raw data like sights, sounds, and smells, initially processed by the brain’s five primary sensory cortices (visual cortex for sights, auditory cortex for sounds, etc.).
Working (short-term) memory retains and manipulates limited information over seconds or more, serving as the brain’s mental workspace, essential for tasks like arithmetic, following instructions, and reading comprehension. It primarily engages the prefrontal cortex, which aids attention, decision-making, and reasoning.
Lastly, long-term memory stores information more durably, from minutes to a lifetime, encompassing both “explicit” memories (facts and life events) and “implicit” ones (skills, habits, and emotional connections).
The hippocampus and temporal lobes, located deep in the brain near the temples, are crucial for memories related to facts and life events, while the amygdala, cerebellum, and basal ganglia handle emotional or procedural memories.
Working memory often acts as a bridge to long-term memory, yet it has its limits. In 1956, psychologist George Miller suggested that working memory can only hold about seven “chunks” of information simultaneously.
Although debate continues over the exact number, the concept remains: working memory is finite, influencing how well we learn and remember.
To enhance your memory’s efficiency, consider these five straightforward strategies for boosting both working and long-term memory.
1. Put your phone away
Smartphones can diminish working memory capacity. Merely having a phone nearby, even silenced and face down, can impair memory and reasoning performance.
This occurs because part of your brain still monitors it, and resisting notification checks consumes mental resources, leading some researchers to label smartphones as a “brain drain”. The simple solution: keep your phone in another room when concentration is needed. Out of sight truly frees up mental capacity.
2. Stop your mind racing
Stress and anxiety can occupy valuable mental space. When you’re preoccupied with worries or racing thoughts, part of your working memory is already engaged.
Relaxation training and mindfulness practices can boost both working memory and academic performance, likely by reducing stress. If meditation feels daunting, try breathing techniques like “cyclic sighing”: inhale through your nose deeply, take a second shorter inhale, then slowly exhale through your mouth. Repeating this for five minutes can soothe the nervous system and create better learning conditions.
3. Get chunking
Anyone can expand their working memory with chunking—grouping information into meaningful units. You likely already do this for phone numbers or word lists, breaking long sequences into manageable chunks for easier recall.
frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share” referrerpolicy=”strict-origin-when-cross-origin” allowfullscreen>The same method applies to presentations, helping your audience retain key points effectively. Chunking involves organizing ten case studies into three or four themes, each with a headline and key takeaway.
Maintain this structure on each slide: one idea, a few supporting details, then proceed. By organizing information into patterns, you reduce cognitive load and enhance memorability.
4. Become a retriever
In the 19th century, psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus showed how quickly information fades after learning. Within about 30 minutes, we lose roughly half of what we’ve learned, with more fading over the next day. Ebbinghaus termed this the forgetting curve. The chart below’s light blue line illustrates this.
However, you can retain more by using retrieval practice when learning a lot quickly.
Instead of simply rereading notes for a talk or exam, consistently test your recall. Use flash cards, practice questions, or explain the material aloud without notes.
Memory is associative. Each successful retrieval links the material to new prompts and contexts, creating more cues for access and strengthening memory pathways. Often, “forgetting” means lacking the right retrieval cue.
5. Give yourself a break
Studies indicate that memory improves when study or practice sessions are staggered rather than crammed. For exam preparation, incorporate substantial breaks into your schedule. The chart’s dark blue line shows how spacing practice sessions helps retain more information over time, altering Ebbinghaus’s forgetting curve.
One study recommends gaps between sessions equal to 10-20% of the remaining time before an exam or presentation. If the deadline is five days away and you revise hours daily, take a half to full day off between sessions. Overworking may not yield better results!
Related: Scientists Think Vagus Nerve Stimulation Could Help Protect Your Memory
If you remember one thing about improving memory, let it be this: Memory relies on strategy, not just intelligence. Small adjustments in study or work habits can significantly enhance how well and how long you retain essential information.
Elva Arulchelvan, Lecturer in Psychology and PhD Researcher in Psychology and Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
