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14-15_Life Begins 19/11/2013 15:10 Page 1
top tips
health
to improve your memory
Cognitive neuroscientist and psychologist Dr Lynda Shaw (www.drlyndashaw.com)
suggests some simple tricks to help bolster your memory.
3 Do more than one thing at once
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As we get older, our brains becomes less efficient at multi-tasking. Try
combining activities like jogging while listening to an audiobook, or cooking
while listening to the radio, and force your brain to do two things at once.
Learn new words
When you pick a new word to add to your vocabulary, also investigate their
linguistic origins. Recalling difficult words is easier if you understand their
background and context.
Don’t just look; see
Next time you leave a room, try to remember the exact location of certain
items in it. This trains your brain to focus on your surroundings, and instead of
just glancing at things, you’ll really see what’s in front of you.
Get a map
Sat-navs are unavoidable nowadays, but relying on something else to guide you means you’re losing a key
brain skill. Using a map exercises the part of the brain responsible for understanding spatial relationships.
Use your non-dominant hand
If you’re right-handed, use your left hand (and vice versa) for everyday tasks like brushing your teeth. This
stimulates interaction between the two hemispheres of the brain, creating new neural pathways.
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Try ‘neurobics’
Getting dressed with your eyes shut or listening to music while smelling flowers means you combine your
senses in a different way and make your brain work harder.
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Mentally rotate
When using tools or playing a board game, our brains ‘mentally rotate’, which means moving things
around in your head. To practice, picture an arrow pointing right, then turn it around so it points left.
14 Life Begins
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