| November 1, 2006 | Keeping An Open Mind |
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The mysteries of the brain intrigue most of us. That 3 pound mass of grey matter with its 100 billion neurons protected by a relatively puny bony structure we call the skull, literally operates everything. The brain process we seem to be most affected by in our everyday life however is our memory. In fact people will often make comments about losing their memory. We worry about memory loss all the time, especially since dementia and particularly Alzheimer's disease has gotten so much attention. Memory, simply defined, is having the mental capacity or faculty to retain facts, events, impressions, etc., or of being able to recall previous experiences. In the following articles I discuss memory, how it works and how to improve it. The subject is both fascinating and complex. For the purposes of this month's Newsletter I will focus on only the most basic aspects of memory. I welcome your comments or questions about this topic or any other you might be interested in. You can email me at StanHyman@AventuraStressRelief.com. |
How Memory Works
Understanding memory and how it works can be very complicated. Therefore in this month's Newsletter, I will focus on explaining the three basic memory functions: Acquisition (or encoding); Consolidation (or storing); Retrieval (or recalling). Acquisition (encoding): Memories are formed by acquiring (or learning) information. In this stage you actively receive and process data. This data gets placed, for a time, into temporary nerve cells, like... |
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How To Improve Your Memory
There are many ways to improve your memory. Getting enough sleep, eating right, reducing stress and not abusing drugs or alcohol are important for obvious reasons. However many of the tips I offer in this article are memory assisting (mnemonic) methods that you can employ today. Concentrate/Pay Attention: Sounds like a no-brainer but for Acquisition or Encoding to take place you must concentrate on what you are trying to remember. Often we are so busy doing somethi... |
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