Want to improve your memory? These 14 tips will help you quickly.

Improving memory might seem like something you'd consider complicated or demanding. The brain is arguably the most complex organ in the human body. It consists of a vast network of billions of interconnected nerve cells.

The cells communicate with each other via electrical signals, which allow you to think, feel, and remember things. Memory is an important part of the brain.

There are three types of memory:

• the sensory memory - which processes everything you perceive with your senses.
• the short-term memory - in which very recent information is briefly stored.
• the long-term memory - in which all important facts and experiences are stored for a long time

Keeping your brain cells healthy is, of course, crucial. This means preventing inflammation and ensuring good blood flow to the brain. Your brain also needs sufficient nutrients.

If you want a well-functioning memory, it's important to pay attention to these things. With the 14 tips below, you can improve your memory and keep your brain in top condition.

It's a well-known fact that sugar is unhealthy. But not everyone realizes that it also has a negative effect on the brain. Sugar can damage your memory, impair your learning ability, and increase the risk of brain disorders like Alzheimer's and dementia.

Research shows that a diet high in sugars can lead to poorer memory and a decrease in brain volume, the latter of which has a negative effect on the area of ​​the brain used for short-term memory [1] .

If you want to keep your brain healthy, it's important to limit your refined sugar intake. Also, limit carbohydrates in general if you're less active.

Meditating daily is also a good way to improve your memory. Meditation isn't just relaxing (it can help lower blood pressure and reduce stress). While these effects are also beneficial, it appears that meditation can increase gray matter in the brain.

Gray matter contains the cell bodies of neurons. As you age, the amount of gray matter decreases, which causes your memory to decline.

Meditation and other relaxation techniques can contribute to healthy memory. Meditation has a positive effect on short-term memory in both young and old people.

There are many different ways to meditate, so there's sure to be one that suits you. You can practice mindfulness meditation, focus on your breathing, or do a body scan. You can even meditate while moving, like while walking or dancing. Choose a form that works for you and make time for it every day.

Human memory is incredibly complex. For your memory to function normally, you also need the right nutrients. Even if you eat a varied diet, you may still not get enough of some nutrients.

For example, if you eat few animal products, you're at risk for zinc, iron, and B12 deficiencies . Conversely, you may have deficiencies in other vitamins if you eat too few fruits and vegetables.

If you suspect that you are not eating a varied diet, a good quality multivitamin can help you get all the important vitamins and minerals in their active form.

Reading isn't such a popular activity these days, which is a shame. Because reading can have a positive effect on your brain, and especially your memory.

Using MRI scans, scientists have discovered that reading involves a complex network of nerve cells. The more often you read and the better you become at reading, the more powerful and developed these networks become.

Reading therefore creates more connections between brain cells, making it easier to recall stored information. Reading can prevent cognitive decline and memory loss with age.

Your sleep also affects your memory. A lack of sleep or disturbed sleep can cause poorer memory.

This is because a good night's sleep is important for permanently storing information in long-term memory (a process called consolidation). Deep sleep is particularly important for this process. Therefore, if you often sleep poorly, it can negatively impact your memory.

If you want to improve your memory, try to get 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night. Also, make sure you don't eat for at least 3 hours before bedtime so your deep sleep phase isn't disrupted by digestion.

Also read our tips to improve your bedroom and what the causes of poor sleep can be.

Research shows that being overweight affects your brain. Obesity is linked to an increased risk of cognitive impairment, primarily manifesting as impaired memory and concentration.

An analysis of several studies found that when overweight people lost weight, it had a positive effect on their brains. Their memory and concentration improved, and there were also improvements in language and task performance [2] .

So losing weight is a good idea if you want to improve your memory. However, do it in a healthy way. Avoid crash diets; they're unhealthy and almost always cause the yo-yo effect. Take your time losing weight and choose a healthy diet, consuming a maximum of 500 to 700 fewer calories per day.

Memory forms a network of connections in the brain. When you use your memory, different parts of this network are active, in both hemispheres of the brain.

That's why it's important to keep learning, regardless of your age. By learning new things, your brain creates new connections and strengthens existing ones. If you don't use certain connections often, they weaken and eventually disappear. This is called brain plasticity.

As we age, brain plasticity declines. That's why learning new skills later in life requires more energy. However, it's important to stay mentally active. By learning new things, you stimulate the brain and, in turn, its plasticity [3] .

This may help improve your brain health and reduce the risk of brain damage. Learning is always possible, even as you get older. And there are plenty of interesting things to challenge you. Take advantage of the internet, where you'll find many great courses. For example, check out udemy.com, where you can find a course or training for just €10 to €20.

If you want to improve your memory, it's advisable to limit your alcohol consumption. Many people know that alcohol is unhealthy, but did you know it's one of the most damaging substances for the brain?

Scientists recently discovered that even small amounts of alcohol are harmful to the brain. Just one drink a day is enough to cause brain shrinkage. This is because alcohol reduces the amount of gray and white matter in the brain.

This makes it more difficult for the different parts of the brain to communicate with each other, which in turn causes both your memory and concentration to deteriorate.

Therefore, try to limit your alcohol consumption. Save it for special occasions, for example, or only have a drink on the weekend.

Are you familiar with the brain dumping technique? It's a very simple way to clear your head. When you have to work or study, you often have all sorts of distracting thoughts pop into your head, such as other tasks you still have to complete. It certainly makes it difficult for you to concentrate.

If that's the case, do a brain dump. Take a pen and paper and write down everything that comes to mind. There's no censorship; you write down absolutely everything. By doing this, you free up space in your mind: you know you've put everything important on paper. As a result, these things won't bother you anymore.

Your mind is less cluttered, and you have more capacity for optimal memory function. You can concentrate better and therefore absorb information effectively again.

It might not be something you immediately think of, but social connections have a significant impact on maintaining a healthy brain and therefore on your memory. Maintaining social connections, especially later in life, can protect against cognitive decline. This is also evident from research on mice.

Mice kept in groups showed less inflammation in their brains compared to mice living alone. As a result, the brains of the social mice appeared less aged.

If you want to improve your memory, it's advisable to engage in regular social activities. Join a club (read books, go for a walk, play cards), exercise together, sing, or dance. Doing activities together helps you relax, reduce stress, and keep your brain young.

Memory training is a fun and effective way to keep your memory sharp. The more you work on your memory, the stronger the connections between brain cells and areas within the brain become. Memory training can improve your mental performance, attention, and concentration.

There are many different ways to train your memory. You can regularly try to remember all sorts of things. Think about which movies you've recently seen and which actors starred in them. Try to recall past events. What year was it, where were you, and what were you doing? This can help keep your brain sharp.

But you can also use modern technology. You can download fun memory games via your smartphone or computer. Check Google Play or the Apple Store, or search online for games.

Regularly doing a muscle-strengthening workout also has positive effects on your memory. So you not only develop stronger muscles but also a better memory.

Researchers at the University of Sydney conducted a study with a group of people aged 55 to 68. They had mild memory complaints. The study showed that strengthening the muscles was associated with an improvement in memory [4] .

If you also want to benefit from this effect, it's important to train regularly, at least twice a week. The training should be sufficiently strenuous, at 80% of your maximum capacity.

Chronic inflammation can be linked to the development of brain disorders, such as depression and Alzheimer's disease. Several studies have shown that certain components in food and beverages have anti-inflammatory properties.

Regularly including these foods in your diet can help reduce inflammation and thus reduce the risk of chronic illness and memory problems. The list of healthy foods includes:

• Blueberries
• Strawberries
• Eggs
• Green tea
• Coffee

Green leafy vegetables, nuts, and olive oil can also be good for memory. All these foods are rich in antioxidants and polyphenols, substances that can help protect the body.

So make sure you regularly include healthy fruit, nuts, vegetables, green tea or coffee on the menu.

And finally, a tip that will make everyone happy: regularly eat chocolate with a cocoa content of 85% or more. Cocoa contains cocoa flavonols, substances that occur naturally in the cocoa bean.

It has been scientifically proven that flavonols promote blood flow to the brain. They therefore have a positive effect on the brain, particularly on cognition, attention, information processing speed, and memory.

If you love dark chocolate, you're in luck. You can enjoy a delicious piece of dark chocolate (85% or higher) every day to support your brain health. Just be aware that if you eat chocolate with a lower cacao percentage, you won't reap these health benefits.