In the twenty first century, you cannot imagine your life without a communication device. Especially in an ongoing pandemic, the only way to connect, learn, and work is through a mobile phone. Despite the distance, the world is doing just fine, courtesy – internet and phones. But, have you ever wondered how these palm sized devices function? Well… It is the central processing unit (CPU) that enables the different functions to operate based on the input that you enter. Similarly, the brain is the CPU of the human body and no action can be carried out without its instruction. Now, our brains are made up of several facets, of which, memory is one of the most critical elements.

Since our childhoods, our brains register every little act like sleeping, eating and walking. The reason all of us can do it efficiently without any effort is because these are all imprinted in our memory and has become a part of our beings. When pertaining to activities, this phenomenon is known as motor memory.

As we develop, we utilise this feature of the brain to remember people, places and events. Hence, we recognise our dear ones, the places where we live and our first birthday’s photos. All of these memories and our interpretations of the same are largely responsible for our personalities. Much like the CPU of a device, our brains too, get exhausted or just ‘freeze’ or ‘hang’ when overloaded with information. For instance, you might find it difficult to memorise answers and retain them while studying for an exam or sometimes you might just forget everything you have learnt, only while writing the answer!

The way to tackle these issues is by training, exercising and resting the brain regularly. The fitness of our brain is as necessary as the fitness of our bodies and to enable the same, here are a few things each of us (yes YOU!) can do every day to sharpen and rejuvenate our memory:

1. Have lesser Sugar: We bet you didn’t know that sugar not only affects your physical health but also declines your cognitive abilities too!
Practice increasing your Attention: On a daily basis, spend time by yourself, observing an object or a view for at least 5 minutes. This increases your attention span and retention capacity.

2. Avoid Cramming: Instead of pushing yourself at the last moment before an exam, study regularly. It not only regularises your brain but also reduces stress. A stress-free mind is a mind that remembers!

3. Organize: Arrange your wardrobe or book shelf according to categories; this will sharpen your brain and provide clarity in thought – and make your spaces look oh-so-amazing.

4. Rehearse: While trying to memorise something, read it repeatedly. This act imprints the material you are reading/ studying in your long-term memory. This makes recalling the information easier. (Trust us… we’ve tried this too!)

5. Change up your Schedule: Avoid having the same schedule every day. Surprise the brain with something new every day, else it will get comfortable and may not register new concepts easily.

6. Sleep Efficiently: One of the most critical aspects for memory sharpening is the right amount of sleep. A lack or excess of sleep can lead to blackouts and lowered retentive abilities for our brains.

These are a few quick and easy tips that will help you sharpen your memory and help you ace everything you want to ace: from exams… to life!

We hope these tips help and hey, remember:
To live, a man needs food, water and a sharp mind. – Louis Zamperini