Our brain works like a muscle that needs to be exercised. Without exercise, it goes limp, so to speak. Memory training, i.e. regular stimulation for the gray cells, is one of the basic requirements for good memory. What of all this do you need? What is important for you? Here you will find lots of tips on the subject, because: "If you rest, you rust!"
Fitness for the brain straight from nature
Ginkgo extracts have long been considered to promote good memory. Professor Manfred Schubert-Zsilavecz from Frankfurt/Main: "Ginkgo active ingredients increase the number of nerve cell connections in the brain." In addition to memory, this also strengthens the ability to reason.
Are you taking too many pills?
Older people in particular often take a whole series of pills. The side effects and interactions of such drugs often lead to mental deficits. If necessary, you should ask your doctor whether one or the other medication can be discontinued.
Brain training tasks: Take notes
If you want to memorize new information, you should write it down by hand. This was the result of a study by Princeton University (USA). People who write down what they have heard by hand remember it better than if it is written down on a laptop, for example. In the experiment, 65 participants had to write down the content of videos by hand or on a laptop. The handwriting group performed significantly better in subsequent comprehension questions. It is not yet clear why handwriting is even suitable for training the brain. It is possible that the content is more actively transferred to the memory when writing with a pen.
New daily routines keep the brain fit
The monotony of everyday life is not good for the memory. It is not offered any new challenges and becomes lazy. That's why an occasional change of routine is an incentive for the brain cells to perform better. This training effect occurs very quickly. The invigorating effect can be felt after just a few days of changing your daily routine. Discovering and trying out new things more often - that gets the gray cells going even more.
Sport is the best training for the brain
Exercise promotes mental flights of fancy. "The astonishing finding is that sport has a positive effect on all mental performance," says brain researcher Professor Gerd Kempermann from Dresden. "People who do sport do more for their brain than someone who thinks hard all day."So any type of sport is suitable for training the brain.
Recharge your batteries at breakfast
Energy stores are empty in the morning. That's why you need to replenish them properly so that your body functions can really get going. Because the brain is particularly "hungry" and consumes far more energy than other organs, a hearty breakfast is just the right preparation for an intensive training session for the brain. A bit of everything: if you combine fresh fruit, juice, butter, egg, jam, sausage and bread, you will get all the important nutrients you need.
Drink plenty for a fit brain
The combination of heat and too little fluid makes every brain tired. That's why it's important to drink enough. Nutrition experts recommend drinking at least two liters a day in high temperatures. Only then is there enough fluid in the body and the blood is receptive enough to supply all organs with plenty of oxygen and nutrients. Our brain in particular needs a lot of energy. Although it only makes up two percent of our body weight, it consumes half of all carbohydrates.
Exercise your memory with crossword puzzles
Crossword puzzles are good for improving long-term memory. They usually ask about things that we have known for a long time - but which we often struggle to remember. Which river is longer, the Danube or the Rhine? Such questions often require laborious rummaging through school memories. These are great brain teasers.