A neurologist has offered three straightforward actions you can incorporate into your daily routine to enhance your memory. These habits might contribute to better cognitive health, which becomes increasingly important as we age.
In a TikTok video, Doctor Baibing Cheng shared his key recommendations with over 157,000 followers. Known online as Dr Bing, Dr Cheng suggests that these practices can help enhance memory retention and improve memorization skills. His primary suggestion was to “teach what you learn,” which entails conveying new knowledge or skills.
This technique could bolster comprehension and make your memory “more robust.” He advised, “For instance, if you acquire a new concept today, attempt to explain it to a friend, a partner, or even a pet.”
“Just verbalising it would help. When you explain information to someone else your brain reinforces its connections, making the memory more durable.”
He elaborated: “This strategy is known as the prototype effect, where teaching compels you to engage with information more thoroughly, thus enhancing understanding and memory.” His next suggestion involved engaging multiple senses simultaneously.
Dr Bing said: “Number two – engage multiple senses.
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“Rather than merely reading material, try vocalizing it, writing it, or linking it to an image or motion. Involving more senses leads to the formation of a more resilient memory.”
“This is rooted in the dual coding theory, which demonstrated that combining information with visual imagery considerably improves recall.” He explained a particular method he personally uses.
“One powerful example of this is the memory palace technique , which I personally used during medical school,” Dr Bing continued. This method involves associating information with familiar locations, imagining placing each fact inside different rooms of your house, then mentally walking through them to retrieve the information later.”
Finally, he recommended trying to memorise things over extended periods, rather than trying to do it all in one go. Dr Bing added: “Use space repetition instead of cramming.
“Reviewing information at increasing intervals over time has been proven to solidify long-term memory, so instead of memorising everything in one night, revisit key concepts a few days later, then a week later, then a month later.”
