One way to boost your memory is relate the things you want to remember with information you already know. If you link short-term memory facts with knowledge you have already acquired, you can speed the process of transforming short-term memories into long-term ones.

When it comes to improving your memory, exercise both your body and your brain. If you are good to your body, you will be able to enhance abilities, and be able to remember any information you have gotten. Exercising also carries oxygen to the brain, decreasing your risk of developing diseases that cause memory loss. Exercising regularly allows chemicals in your brain to become active and protect brain cells. Get a solid, consistent amount of sleep each night. You may not know it, but the amount of sleep that you get can play a large role in your ability to retain information. If you have a tired brain, you will not remember things as well. Make every attempt to get in additional hours of sleep nightly if you want to improve memory. Continuous learning is key, even if your days as a student are long behind you. When you stop learning, you actually stop stretching the area of the mind that aids in memory. There may be a point in time when you try to rely on your memory, only to find that it is failing you.

When you have to remember something, try coming up with a mnemonic device to help you to retain it. Mnemonics are word tools that help you quickly memorize and recall information. As an example, you could remember the names Michael and Melissa by associating them with M&Ms, or you could use the name “Roy G. Biv” to remember the colors of the rainbow.

Visualization is a proven technique that aids in remembering critical information. For example, if you’re learning from a book, seek out photographs and charts that you can associate with the things you’re reading. You can draw graphs and charts of your own to help you remember.