"Think about the time when your crush rejected you…"
You clearly remember every word she said and each thing you felt, like a solid memory, right?
But you struggle to remember what you did yesterday morning upon waking up. Sometimes you completely forget. Why is that? Is your memory getting impaired?
Of course not! After you wake up, your brain doesn't record whether you went to the toilet or made your bed, because these actions are driven by your subconsciousness, not with your deliberate contemplation.
When you experience a strong emotion like a rejection, your brain produces stress hormones. Those stress hormones can raise “Encoding”, an initial memory and “Consolidation”, a process which can converge temporary memory to hardcore memory. That’s why you remember vividly about a scenario which involves strong emotion. Not only that, the more you think about that rejection, the stronger the connection of your nerves and harder to forget.
So, what is 'Encoding' and what is 'Consolidation?' What are their duties? What is memory? How does your memory work? What can you do to improve your memory? We will be discussing these questions today. So, if you’re interested, please tap each photo to keep reading.
Translation by @Blonded Graphics by @Glory
"What is memory?"
We call it memory but it’s not end up only with memorizing things. To find out what memory is, we can commonly divide its duties into three stages.
1. Encoding
Encoding is the most basic step of the memory process. It’s a form of memorizing the information you saw or you heard. For example; when a word “CAT” is seen by a person who doesn't know how to read, his brain won’t process that word as a cat but will probably memorize it by the shape of the letters. (a half circle, a triangle shape, and a stick, like that) This process is called encoding. Scanning a phone number with your eyes, reading out loud and memorizing are also an encoding process.
2. Storage
The input of the encoded information in their respective places is a second stage, Storage.
3. Retrieval
Recalling a stored memory is Retrieval. It’s the last step of the memory operation. Once all these three steps are completed, a memory is formed.
In a memory, connections of neurons (nerve cells) are crucial. When you learn something, connection between each neuron happens multiple times. There are over 80,000 millions of neurons in the brain of an average adult, and each neuron can make 10,000 connections. The more you practice, the stronger the connection becomes. Learning without subsequent practice weakens the connections. Using the information more often, strengthens the connections, leading up to enhanced memory retention. But if you don't use it frequently, it leads to a loosening of the connection, resulting in forgetting over time.
Types of memory;
1. Sensory
2. Working memory
3. Long-term
“Stare this Buddha picture for thirty seconds and look up at the wall. If you see something, please share this post. blah blah….”
Every citizen of Burma who uses Facebook, has seen this kind of post. If you follow their instructions, you will see the exact same picture on the wall, which you stared thirty seconds ago. This is the memory which lasts only a fraction of a second or roughly three seconds. And it’s called “Sensory memory”
Everything you saw, everything you heard and everything you read are “Short-term memory” (STM).
“I read a math question, and calculated in my mind.”
In this process, the act of reading a question is keeping in STM and, “Read + Calculate”, the combined process is referred to as ‘Working Memory.’
Normally, STM only lasts between 20 to 30 seconds. But if you repeatedly review or listen to the information, this short span can extend 20 seconds or even longer. If you want to remain longer than this, you need a transition called “Long-term Memory” (LTM). The process of converting STM to LTM is called “Memory Consolidation.”
So, now we believe that you know enough about memory and if you are interested in why your memory is deficient and how to improve it, please continue reading!
" What can damage your memory? "
Everybody has a limited number of neurons and it has a chance to lose. Things that can damage memory are;
Age
Starting from the age of 30, your brain starts shrinking gradually. ‘Synapse’, where neurons meet, getting weaker, and making it hard to pull out stored information. But a normal memory loss caused by old age is not severe enough to seriously damage your daily life. If your memory problems are getting worse than usual, you should get help from professionals because you have have certain diseases.
Head injuries
Hitting your head in an accident, cerebral embolism, and similar kinds of injuries or disorders can affect your brain capacity either directly or indirectly.
Irregular and Insufficient sleep
The part of your brain mostly impacted by insufficient sleep, is an important element of memory, known as "Hippocampus." An average person should sleep at least 7 hours a day. Don’t think sleeping 6 hours a day is not that bad. An individual who only sleeps 6 hours a day for ten days in a row can experience the similar effects with a person who doesn’t sleep for 24 hours.
Mental disorders/ anxiety/ stress/ depression
When neurons connect to each other, they give signals from Neurotransmitters to Chemical Compounds. One of the reasons which causes depression is chemical imbalance in the brain.
That’s why suffering from a mental disorder can cause memory degradation as a consequence. A person with mental disorders is 40% more likely to have memory problems than a normal person. Similarly, Chronic Stress (long term stress) and other psychological issues can shrink the brain and exert more or less influence on memory.
Medicine you have taken and you’re taking
Some medicines, especially psychotropic medications, have temporary memory dysfunction and difficulties to memorize new things as side effects.
Excessive use of drugs and Alcohol
Outdoing smoking can have a barrier in the flow of nutrients and oxygen into the brain through blood and increases neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s Disease. Likewise, alcohol and drugs degrade the ability of taking and recalling information.
"What can you do to improve your memory?"
Being a person is an event that always changes. Your brain keeps changing from the day you were born until you are dead.
As your brain and memory of a child is shaped by the surrounding atmosphere and your behaviors, countless numbers of things can be changed due to those two factors.
That’s why commuting your behaviors and trying to live in a healthier daily-life style have positive impacts on your memory.
Things you should do to improve your memory are;
Get enough and regular sleep
Getting enough sleep doesn't cost any money, requires no effort and it’s the easiest way to take care of your memory. When you sleep at night, your brain is not taking a rest, doing nothing. He keeps working in his own way. Memory consolidation mainly takes place while you’re sleeping. Moreover, your brain checks the information you stored all day and gets rid of some if needed. The brain has memory limitations, so you need sleep to be able to attach new information after you wake up. That’s why if you want to improve your memory, go get enough sleep instead of reading until 3 AM.
Keep your brain busy
Instruments, languages are easier to learn at a young age but learning those at an older age is not a drawback. Learning a new language, solving puzzles, reading, driving a car, and those kinds of focused work not only awakens your brain but also protects you from memory deterioration.
A sport or physical activities
Doing a physical exercise reduces depression and creates a better blood flow to your brain, which is also supportive for both memorability and entire brain function.
Eat nourishing foods for the brain. Drink plenty of water.
Some of the nutritious foods for the brain are fish like Salmon which contain Omega-3 fatty acid (cod oil), beans, Broccoli, dark chocolate, Coffee, Berries, Eggs and seeds.
Use more than single sense when you want to memorize something
You kinda feel like you remember better when you memorize loud and clear, because you use sight, hearing and voice at the same time. Plus, the body movement that happens when you read aloud, partially helps to improve your memory. Based on that reason, if you want to retain something, instead of reading simply, try listening to the voice recording and using aids like flashcards. It will improve your memory and ability of learning.
Meditate
Meditating for minutes early in the morning increases your cognitive ability. You will have better concentration, memorability and critical thinking skills, and reduce stress and depression.
Memory techniques for studying
I suppose you know a lot about memory right now. So it's the time Study Diary will share some techniques which can be used when you study.
1. Spaced Repetition
Everybody knows you have to revise not to forget what you’ve learned. But how to study effectively? Use “Spaced Repetition”, a method of reviewing materials after each period. In this technique, you have to space more time on a concept you are not good at than one you are already good at. It means, repeating the lesson which you find hard, which you think is complicated, after a short time. Learning a lesson, reviewing it once, putting it away and repeating just before the exam, probably help you pass the test but it’s gonna be hard to remember after the exam. Lessons memorized using this technique are more likely to be remembered for a long time.
2. Mind Palace (Method of Loci)
It's a memorizing technique by incorporating new information into familiar knowledge. This technique is particularly beneficial when you want to grab a substantial amount of information or memorize new vocabulary. Long story short, it's like adding fresh details within a setting you're already familiar with or where you possess a clear mental image. Rather than a method, it can be called a skill you can practice, like guitar. It may seem challenging initially, but with practice, it becomes remarkably straightforward. Moreover, its value becomes apparent when you need to excel in tests or deliver presentations. Thus, this technique is highly recommended.
3. Retrieval Practice (Active Recall)
When you study a new lesson, you review what you have learned after a few days, don't you? Writing down or answering questions before you review what you have learned is called Retrieval Practice. When you force yourself to think harder like this, the neuron connections become strapped, the recalling rate will get speedy, and you will be better at classifying what you know and what you don’t. Hence, this would make a huge impact when you memorize.
4. Other Mnemonic Strategies
You can use other strategies than the ones written above. Mnemonic is an easy way of memorizing with the help of songs, poems, dances and pictures. As these methods are used since you’re a child, I don’t think I need to explain specifically. In mathematics, “PEMDAS”, used to remember order of operations, is an example of Mnemonic.
So, since you have made it this far, I believe you've already acquired new knowledge and developed a level of awareness to clear your negative habits. Next week, we will also be sharing a useful and interesting topic. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask in the comment box below.
Stay tuned, lifelong learners.
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