Deficiencies in memory should not always be considered irreversible or permanent. There are things you can do about it. There are many things you can do to increase your cognitive ability. Here’s some clever tips.

To boost your memory, make sure you are getting enough sleep. Sleep deprivation can seriously impair memory, causing you to forget even the most basic things in your day to day life. If you regularly have trouble sleeping, you can try natural sleep aids such as melatonin or consider talking to your doctor about prescription sleep medication instead.

In order to improve your memory, it is important that you pay attention. Your mind will never learn how to memorize things if it is distracted by other things. For example, if you are studying or working, do so in a room with no television or other things that could attract you.

To improve your memory, try a glass or two of wine. You may be surprised to know that wine in moderation can help improve your memory. Red wines are the highest in resveratrol, a chemical that increases your brain power and may even prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Just don’t drink too much or it may hurt your memory instead of helping it!

A good way to help you study is to change up your study habits and study in a brand new environment. Changing surroundings reinvigorates the mind, and causes long-term memory to be more efficacious. When there are changes to any of your routines, it wakes your brain up, making it easier to absorb information.

Feed your brain. Just like the body, the brain needs fuel. A healthy diet, including vegetables, fruits and plenty of whole grains, can help to boost your memory. In addition, try to limit saturated fat in your diet. Saturated fats can hinder concentration and memory. Drinking alcohol in moderation can also help your memory and cognitive skills. One glass of red wine a day is the ideal option.

Putting information into categories will help you to remember it later! Everything has a category and compartmentalizing things in your memory by category can give you much greater recall. For example, chicken and hot dogs on your grocery list go into the category of meat and milk and water into beverages and so on.

Add a fish oil supplement to your diet to sharpen your memory and concentration. Omega-3, found in fish oil, is a necessary nutrient for memory, yet many of us do not get enough in our regular diet. Adding a supplement can improve overall health while also improving memory and concentration.

Use memorization techniques and drills to continually challenge your mind to retain more information. Using these techniques and drills, allows you to improve your memory, while also remembering vital information, like telephone numbers and definitions. The list of data you can use for these techniques is limitless and can also, help you in your daily activities.

To help yourself remember something jot down some notes, say them aloud and keep your notes organized. When you involve different functions of your body such as writing and talking to remember something, those physical activities will help your brain recall more effectively. In addition, the notes serve as a visual memory aid.

When trying to remember something, incorporate as many of your senses as possible. The more sense you use when making a memory, the easier it will be to recall at a later date. You can see this process in action every time a familiar smell reminds you of something from your past.

Here’s a surprising fact about the relationship between memory and alcohol- moderate drinking can actually improve memory and prevent Alzheimer’s! Studies have shown that moderate drinking (defined as drinking two glasses of wine or less per day) can improve cognitive function overall and helps the drinkers score better on memory tests.

If someone you know is suffering from Dementia, Alzheimer’s Disease, or another illness that effects their memory, try showing them pleasant pictures from the past. By looking at pleasant memories, the memory of these patients may improve. Be sure not to bring up unpleasant memories as this could cause them a setback.

Keep your memory sharp by playing brain games often. Crossword puzzles, number games, and trivia are great examples. Brain games keep your memory sharp. They also improve your concentration level and attention span. Use them as a fun way to greatly enhance your cognitive abilities.

As we age, memory loss can become a real problem. The best way to protect yourself from memory loss is to increase brain activity. Reading, doing crossword puzzles and learning something new like playing a musical instrument can keep your brain healthy and keep memory loss at bay.

Try studying in different locations and at different times of the day. This will help you determine what works best for you, and also make sure that you can recall information in different settings. Likely you will not be taking an exam in conditions similar to the ones you studied for it in.

If you’re using notes or flash cards to commit something to memory, group your notes by topic. If you go through them less methodically, such as compiling them into a single large group to work through, you’ll be less effective. Memory research shows that organizing information into related groupings can be a more effective way to memorize it for later recall.

Make friends and talk with them often. Interacting with others keeps you from feeling unhappy and stressed, which are two factors that contribute to memory loss. Take every available opportunity to get together with friends and family members, even if it is just to grab a bite to eat or hang out and watch television. This is particularly important if you live by yourself.

Try your best to stay in the moment when you are learning. If you are distracted by the past or the future, you’ll never absorb what you want to learn right now. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by other events in your life, take a break and come back to learning later.

Loss of memory doesn’t have to be a foregone conclusion. If you use the techniques you have read here, you should see an improvement in your memory before long.