Many older adults say that when they forget things, they are having a “senior moment”. But, what is the explanation for younger people in their twenties or thirties forgetting things? What you’ll read throughout the article below are a collection of tips straight from the experts, all dealing with different ways you can work to strengthen your memory and overall cognitive function.

If you want to have a better long-term memory, then you need to get in the practice of regular stretching and other exercise. These exercises keep the brain’s arteries open, and this is important because the brain is responsible for 15 percent of your body’s blood flow. Stretching also increases energy, flexibility and relaxation, which all help towards improved long-term memory as well.

Keep your memory fresh by removing stress. When you are feeling stressed about something it can be harder to pull up memorized data. Find ways to relax yourself before you have to rely on your memory for a task. Meditate for a bit on relaxing thoughts that will allow your brain to process the information you need to access.

Try teaching the subject you’re trying to learn to another person. Research suggests that by teaching something to another person, you’ll have a much better chance of remembering what you’re teaching. So the next time you’re struggling to remember a new concept, try teaching it to a sibling or friend.

Don’t skip on the sleep if you want to improve your memory. It is when we sleep that our brains really go to work. During deep sleep our brains are incredibly active in processing information and trying to understand problems. Skimping on your sleep will start having an almost immediate effect on your memory.

When you need to learn something, practice it repeatedly. The more times you practice something, the better recall you will have. This is a way of coding something into the part of you brain that is responsible for long-term memory. If you do not practice, the new information will remain in short-term memory and will be easily forgotten.

Since repetition enforces memory, repeat important information over and over in your mind immediately after hearing or learning it. Be it the name of a new client or your wedding anniversary, by rehearsing information you will keep it fresh in your mind. Not only will this assist you in remembering the important details, but this is also a very useful exercise for your memory in general.

Stay socially active if you want to keep a strong memory. Social interactions keep you alert and uplifted. Depression or loneliness result in less stimulating activities for the mind and brain cells. Your mind stays strong when you are involved in stimulating conversations.

Improving your memory may be something as simple as going out for a jog or a bike ride. Recent studies have shown that aerobic exercises can actually cause the development of new neurons in the hippocampus of the brain, which is considered to be the memory store center of the brain.

The next time your memory fails to help you remember where you placed something, be sure to jog your memory. Try to remember where you last placed something and how long ago it was. From now on, try to keep your items in the same place so you do not forget where they are.

Stress can make you forgetful. You need to relax in order to learn new things and when trying to remember old things. Let yourself have time to remember instead of losing patience and getting upset with yourself.

Use all of your senses to help your memorize. All of your senses use different portions of your brain, so you will not have to work as hard to recall the information. Visualize the item, smell it (if you can) and taste it (if it is food). The more effort you put into visualizing the object, the easier it will be to recall.

Do not cram information before an exam or a test. You will remember better if you study regularly. You can improve your memory by making it work on a regular basis, and you will remember something more easily if you go over it everyday instead of focusing on it for a few hours only.

In order to remember information, one key idea is to rehearse the information out loud. By repeating the information over and over to yourself or others you will maximize your chances for being able to recall it later. Even developing flash cards will be helpful to help you remember the data.

Now that you have picked up a few useful bits of information on strengthening your memory, you should continue looking for opportunities to try these tricks out in your daily life. After all, practice makes perfect – and that’s an adage that even the most forgetful of us are likely to remember!

Get Help With Your Memory With This Advice was originally published on Spring