Memory Exercises for Adults

You have a strong memory if you are able to memorize things quickly and to recall things as and when required. Ever heard of people who can memorize an entire book by looking at the pages just once?

Such people are known to have eidetic memory or photographic memory. Not all of us are blessed with such an extraordinary memory, but what we are all capable of doing is taking efforts to improve our memory.

In today's times when we come across so much information everyday, it becomes difficult, at times, to remember each and every detail. This is the reason we tend to forget birthdays, phone numbers, appointments, work schedules, etc.

A good memory indicates active and healthy brain cells. But what is the way to achieving an amazing memory that continues well into old age? According to neurologists, all it takes are a few exercises that are designed to keep your brain "fit and fine". It seems that just like our body needs its share of exercises to stay fit, so does our brain!

Not only this, starting early with these exercises can go a long way in preventing degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and dementia. Interested to know more about the exercises meant for strengthening your memory? Here are a few effective memory exercises to help you get started.

The memory activities for adults are all about keeping the brain active and alert. This includes everything from solving puzzles to playing memory games that stimulate parts of the brain that are not used in day-to-day activities. A stimulated brain generates new brain cells. So, here's how to stimulate your brain and have some fun at the same time!

For example, you can try writing with your left hand if you normally do it with your right and vice versa. You can even try opening the door or combing your hair with the other hand.

This in turn improves the memory, as healthier brain cells contribute to a stronger memory. So, grab that Sudoku puzzle and get going till you get addicted, for it's one addiction you're sure to thank yourself for!

This is a tried and tested tool for improving your memory. Most of the time we fail to remember the names of people we meet, or the phone numbers of our friends, because we try to remember things as they are.

Instead, if we can associate these people and numbers with certain images, then we can certainly remember them better. This is because our brain is designed to remember vivid, pleasant and colorful images.

For example, say you want to memorize your friend's birthday, which is on 9th July. Imagine him holding the number 9 and sitting on your favorite chocolate cake with the word "July" engraved on it! The more unique and out-of-the-ordinary image you associate with the event you wish to remember, the more effective it will be.

This is another method to improve your memorizing power, which involves breaking the information into small parts or chunks that can be handled with ease, one at a time. If you have a list of items to remember, you can break the list into relevant categories.

For example, say, you need to remember a list of things to get from the grocer's. You can sort the items in your list into groups such as food items, vegetables, fruits, etc. This way you'll remember the commodities under each class and, in turn, the entire list!

Acronyms are nothing but new words created by including one letter each from the words or ideas that you need to remember. This can really prove useful when you want to remember a long list of items.

For example, you just need to keep in mind the word 'VIBGYOR' to remember the names of the colors in the rainbow, in order: violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange and red.

An acrostic is a sentence in which the first letter of each word is part of the words that you need to remember.

For example, the sentence "My Very Easy Memory Jingle Seems Useful Naming Planets", will help you remember the names of the planets in the Solar System in order of their increasing distance from the sun: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto.

These memory exercises will prove to be all the more effective if you keep yourself away from stress, have a balanced diet, create a cheerful ambiance at home, exercise regularly, and keep yourself happy. With practice and a strong will power, you can also have a memory you'll be proud of. All you need is being patient and training your brain!