Students - How To Improve Your Memory And Learning Ability

If you are a student, have you ever wished your memory worked better? A good memory sure would be handy around exam time. Fortunately, there are many ways to help your brain to work better so it can learn and remember the material you need to know.

Here are some memory enhancing tips especially for students to help you remember better as you study:

For a good memory, it’s absolutely essential to get enough sleep. Your brain uses its sleeping hours to put new information into long term memory storage. That’s why cramming for a big exam can be a poor strategy. Your brain just won’t have time to store everything you need to remember.

Repetition and review can help your brain remember material better. Whenever you need to learn something, give yourself time to review the same material the next day for a few minutes. A few days later, review the material again. This signals your brain that the information is important.

If you need to remember a long string of letters or numbers such as a telephone number, or an equation, break the information up into small chunks. For example, break up the phone number into sections of two or three numbers or letters at a time, such as 555 – 204 - 1927. It’s easier to remember a few short bursts of numbers instead of a long string of ten or more numbers.

Your brain will remember better those things that are unusual. Odd things will have a tendency to stick out in your mind, while strange things are more easily remembered. Use this tendency of your brain to help you remember better. Try to create visual images that are funny or bizarre to help you remember names and information.

Don’t try to remember everything. Letting yourself forget a few unneeded bits of information helps to leave room for the more important stuff. If you make written lists of what you need to do or to remember, this will free up your brain to remember other things that are more important.

Schedule some breaks into your studying. Sitting for a long time without a break will eventually overwhelm your ability to absorb new information. If you take a bit of a break every forty or fifty minutes, your mind will be able to pay attention better.

Don’t put off all your studying till the last minute. You need to have time to understand what you are reading and to review it several times. It’s easier to remember information if you actually understand the topic thoroughly. If you put off studying until the last few hours before an exam, you may find that you don’t understand the topic at all.

Too much long term stress isn’t good for anybody’s memorization or thinking abilities. Try to reduce the stress in your life as much as you can so you can concentrate on studying.

Be sure to get lots of regular physical exercise. Exercise helps to oxygenate your blood, meaning that your brain has a better supply of oxygen. Exercise also helps to reduce stress and helps you sleep better later.

Many people find that regular meditation helps their minds to become more peaceful and able to concentrate. Try to find a meditation practice that works effectively for you. You may have to experiment.

You will find that you can understand a topic much better and remember it later if you try to teach it to somebody else. Find yourself a study buddy or two and take turns teaching each other the topic you have been studying.

By: Royane Real

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This article was written by Royane Real, author of the popular book How You Can Be Smarter - Use Your Brain to Learn Faster, Remember Better and Be More Creative Visit her new site to read more self improvement articles. www.royane.com