By Emily Watson
Brain‑Boosting Habits
Memory can decline with age, but there are practical steps anyone can take to protect and even enhance their recall. Experts agree that the brain, much like a muscle, benefits from regular mental exercise. “Memory is a buildable skill. You can train it, just like learning how to ride a bike or drive,” says Sania Alam, founder of Futuristic Learning, which specialises in memory‑training education. Alam, based in the United States, has coached athletes who have broken six Guinness World Records. She warns that modern life can accelerate cognitive wear: “We are in an age where we are bombarded with information. At the same time, AI has come in, and social media is growing. All of these things are ageing our brains. You see people at a very young age who are beginning to have memory issues.” The solution, she argues, is to replace gadget reliance with deliberate brain work. “Get your hands on any course that teaches you memory techniques, so that you can start using your own brain instead of relying on gadgets, because these days we can’t even memorise our own number, let alone an emergency contact.”
Learning New Skills Keeps the Mind Active
The most effective way to improve recall is to keep the brain engaged through novel activities. “Find something that you would enjoy, but haven’t tried yet,” advises Professor Barbara Sahakian, a psychiatry expert at the University of Cambridge and co‑author of *Brain Boost: Healthy Habits for a Happier Life*. She points to chess, a new language, or learning a musical instrument as prime examples. In 1995 Sahakian, together with Martin Orrell, published research in the British Medical Journal highlighting the link between continuous learning and reduced dementia risk – a principle often summarised as “use it or lose it”. “Keeping our brains active through learning and remembering, we drive the neural circuits and keep them functioning better for longer,” she explains. Neuroimaging studies of medical students cramming for exams and London black‑cab drivers memorising routes have shown measurable growth in the hippocampus, the brain region essential for memory formation. The takeaway is simple: regular intellectual challenges help preserve brain volume and function well into later years.
Simple Daily Practices for Memory Enhancement
You do not need a formal programme to start exercising your mind. Reading, for instance, offers a dual benefit of enjoyment and cognitive protection. “Reading something that interests you, whether it is fiction or nonfiction, has a positive effect on the brain, cognition and mood,” says Sahakian. Research cited by her demonstrates that avid readers experience a lower risk of age‑related cognitive decline and dementia. In addition, limiting digital distractions can sharpen focus. “We are rapidly switching our attention from one thing to the next,” notes Sahakian. “This makes it difficult for people to then focus their attention and concentrate when they need to accomplish a goal.” Experiments reveal that students with phones present—even when switched off—perform worse on tests, underscoring how ambient technology can erode concentration.
Proven Memory Techniques
For those who prefer structured methods, memory champions offer time‑tested strategies. Katie Kermode, a Manchester‑based competitor who began her journey in 2008 and holds the world record for recalling names, advocates the “journey” technique. Originally learned to memorise the solar system, it turns abstract items into a narrative walk‑through. “A thermometer breaks, and the silver Mercury goes everywhere. The goddess Venus clears it all up and puts it into a bag and throws it. It lands on the Earth … It goes on like that, making each planet into an object or a person, and making them into a story, so they link from one to the next,” she describes. The same principle underpins the “memory palace”, a method tracing its roots to the ancient Greek poet Simonides of Ceos and later popularised by Tony Buzan. Kermode explains, “I tend to use ‘memory palace’ when there is a prescribed sequence and ‘journey’.” Practically, this could mean visualising a familiar route—your driveway, hallway, kitchen—and placing items to remember along it. This works equally well for grocery lists, speeches, or any sequential information.
Dates and numbers can be encoded using symbolic associations. Kermode turns months into colours or objects; October becomes a pumpkin, for example. Numbers are linked to shapes: the digit “2” resembles a swan, so “2 October” might be visualised as a swan perched on a pumpkin. For those who struggle with vivid mental imagery, she suggests weaving a story with characters and actions. “We even have memory competitors that can’t visualise, and they find ways around it.”
Academics and students benefit from mnemonic devices. Dr Michael Gruneberg, a former senior lecturer in psychology at Swansea University and creator of the Linkword Languages system, recommends acronyms. “When I was preparing for exams, I would do the reading, so I knew my stuff, then I would pick out about eight points on a topic that I thought might come up and list them, then take the first letter of each to make up a word or a sentence,” he recounts. A classic example is “Richard of York gave battle in vain” for recalling the rainbow’s colour order. Gruneberg also endorses “spaced repetition”, a technique where information is reviewed at increasing intervals—initially a few times a day, then weekly, eventually monthly. This schedule aligns with the brain’s natural forgetting curve, reinforcing long‑term retention.
Visual aids such as PowerPoint slides can transform abstract concepts into memorable scenes. Kermode describes creating a slide deck for each subject, with each sub‑topic represented by a distinct background image. For GCSE biology’s “platelets” topic, she paired the word “plates” with a dinner‑table scene, complete with clotted cream to echo the blood‑clotting function. Flashcards, she notes, are useful for review but should complement—not replace—initial memorisation effort. “You have to put in the effort to memorise it in the first place,” she stresses. Mind‑mapping is another powerful tool: writing key points around a central image creates a visual web that aids recall.
The Importance of Sleep and Prospective Memory
Even the best techniques falter without adequate rest. Sahakian makes a point of securing at least seven hours of sleep each night, believing that “you consolidate in your memory what you have learned during the day when you sleep at night.” Kermode agrees: “If you’re tired, it’s not going to work.” She recounts a competition victory that left her so exhausted she could not recall her ATM PIN upon returning home. Alam adds, “You face a lot of brain fog when you’ve not slept. Your mind isn’t working at its top speed, and that is because your body has a circadian rhythm that is designed around sleep.”
Sleep is not the only restorative factor; prospective memory—remembering to perform future actions—often declines with age. Gruneberg, now 86, insists on writing down appointments and using alarms. “There is something called ‘prospective memory’ that does not improve, to say the least. Remembering to do things, when to see the doctor, all sorts of things like that. It becomes much more necessary to write these things down as you get older.” Kermode admits to heavy reliance on alerts: “We do become reliant on it. You can try to remember it, but also set the alarm just in case.” She suggests linking reminders to routine actions, such as associating scissors with a post‑lunch hairdresser visit.
Why it Matters
In an era where digital assistants promise instant recall, the human brain remains the most adaptable tool we possess. By integrating continuous learning, focused attention, proven memory strategies, and restorative sleep, individuals can safeguard cognitive health and enjoy sharper recall throughout life. The research highlighted here—from neuroscientific imaging to real‑world memory championships—underscores that memory is not a fixed commodity but a skill that thrives on deliberate practice. Prioritising these habits not only enhances personal productivity and confidence but also contributes to broader public health goals by reducing the incidence of age‑related cognitive decline. Investing time today in brain‑friendly routines is a proactive step toward a more resilient, engaged, and fulfilling future.
