readersdigest.co.in 1275 EASY MEMORY TRICKS
By Andrea Au LevittPhotographs by Matthew Cohen
1
Sit tall
When we are sad or afraid, we
naturally collapse or cower. Studies
show that the converse is also true:
When we slouch, this defeated position
actually causes us to feel anxious or
depressed—which makes it harder to
think clearly and remember things.
In a study of 125 college students,
56 per cent found it easier to do math
problems when they sat up straight
than when they slumped down.
Erect posture apparently improves
memory because it boosts blood and
oxygen flow to the brain—by up to
40 per cent, according to one estimate.2
Exercise—once
Having trouble remembering
faces? Break a sweat. In a small
study, researchers at the University
of Iowa, USA, showed pictures of
faces to older folks (average age: 67)
on two different days and after two
different kinds of workouts. On one
day, they pedalled a stationary bike for
20 minutes at a pace that was intenseenough to make them breathe heavily
but still be able to talk. On the other
day, they simply sat for 20 minutes on
a self-pedalling bike.
On average, people remembered
the faces better after the intense
exercise. What’s more, the memory
gains after a single workout were
similar to the gains after three months
of regular exercise.3
Limit TV
Every parent and grandparent
has heard that too much screen
time can hurt a child’s cognitive
development. But what about those at
the other end of their lifespan?
To find out, researchers at University
College London, UK, analyzed data
from more than 3,500 participants,
who were age 50 or older and did not
have dementia at their initial assess-
ment, in a long-term study. Controlling
for physical activity, health condi-
tions and demographic factors such
as education, they found that people
who watched more than three andYou know that eating healthy, staying active
and solving a few brain games can help keep you sharp.
But these lesser-known habits work wonders too
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