The Experiment

General 3 Minutes

Getting older is not for sissies.  This I know.  As I’ve gotten older, my long-term memory has remained fairly accurate. (Full disclosure: I can’t remember my locker combination from high school, but to be honest, I forgot it a lot back then too.) But facts, dates, and people? Those I can remember.

My short-term memory, however is like intermittent rain—hit or miss.  Certain words elude me –only to pop up in my mind during an entirely different conversation.  And don’t get me started on why I go into another room…LOL

My experiment is going to be a simple one.  I read an article online concerning tips to improve your memory and I intend to try those tips for a month.  I will then report my findings…did they help? Or am I as lost as I ever was?

Here are the 12 memory tricks that are supposed to help me remember anything EASILY.

Do puzzles or play games that target your memory. 

The study suggests apps (which I won’t use) or flash cards—even just trying to memorize a string of cards from a deck of cards.

Keep your brain active.

Just like your muscles weaken from physical inactivity, brain inactivity may lead to mental decline. It stands to reason that a more active brain is likely to be a healthier brain, and that having a healthy brain will benefit your short-term memory.

Eat a brain healthy diet.

The MIND diet (which is a hybrid of the DASH diet and Mediterranean diet) appears to slow down cognitive decline. It prioritizes leafy vegetables, berries, nuts, olive oil, occasional fish consumption, and reduced red meat consumption. Drink plenty of water as well. Dehydration negatively impacts the brain along with the rest of the body.  (Reduced red meat?  Not likely)

Exercise regularly.

In general, adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week for overall health benefits. (I already do this.)

Get enough sleep.

Research indicates that high quality sleep helps to encode existing memories so that they “stick” much better. (I do this too.)

Focus on what you want to remember.

Scientifically speaking, short term memory only lasts around 15-30 seconds—after that, the information is either discarded or moved to long term memory. Therefore, focusing closely on a new piece of info for 15-30 seconds can keep it in your short-term memory and may help transfer it to your long-term memory.

Engage multiple senses.

When you meet someone new, listen carefully and look directly at them as they state their name. Repeat their name immediately afterward. Shake their hand and feel their grip. Even take notice of their perfume or cologne! The more sensory associations you build, the more firmly the memory is encoded.

Utilize mnemonic devices.

Try constructing colorful, even silly visualizations or verbalizations to help encode a group of things in your short-term memory.

Try “chunking” items into groups.

Chunking is related to mnemonics and is the principle behind using hyphens to break up 10-digit phone numbers in the U.S.—remembering individual groups of 3, 3, and 4 numbers is easier than recalling a single string of 10. It works even better when you can create associations within each “chunk” — for instance, maybe the “3015” section of a phone number contains the jersey numbers of two of your favorite athletes.

Lay out structured associations.

Create a bubble map. In other words, prioritize remembering the most vital information, but also focus on memorizing the structure that connects this vital info to the less important material you also want to remember.

Address existing health issues.

Some medications can affect short-term memory.

Reduce your memory demands.

In other words, write yourself notes.  Again, I already do this.

So that’s the list of tips.  I intend to try as many of these as I can over the next 4 weeks. Wish me luck!

Source: Wiki How: How to Increase Your Short Term Memory

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Published by pat frederick

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106 thoughts on “The Experiment”

  1. Republicans want to opne investigations into NY nursing home deaths…they should go after PA next!
    entire article
    Republicans on the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis and the House Oversight Committee have joined forces in an investigation over the thousands of nursing home deaths in New York state during COVID, saying New York Democrats ignored previous inquiries.

    The controversy began in 2020 when thousands of New York nursing home residents died during the pandemic, drawing extra scrutiny to then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s policy of sending elderly patients recovering from COVID-19 into nursing homes.

    Afterward, Cuomo came under fire over allegations that he intentionally hid nursing home deaths. New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli released an audit earlier this year saying New York’s Health Department “failed to account for more than approximately 4,100 lives in nursing homes due to COVID-19.”

    “While the Department’s duty is to act solely to promote public health, we determined that, rather than providing accurate and reliable information during a public health emergency, the Department instead conformed its presentation to the Executive’s narrative, often presenting data in a manner that misled the public,” the audit said.

    Lawmakers sent a letter to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul demanding records of key information, including how many total deaths there were and what directives were issued by the governor’s office “regarding hospital discharges to nursing homes or any and all other types of assisted living facilities…”

    “We owe it to the thousands of families who lost loved ones in New York nursing homes to hold Governor Cuomo accountable for his reckless policies that likely contributed to their deaths,” Oversight Committee Ranking Member James Comer said. “It’s past time New York officials provide Congress all information and data about former Governor Cuomo’s deadly order. We need answers and accountability now.”

    The Republicans say they previously sent inquiries to Cuomo’s office to no avail.

    “Every family deserves answers and accountability for Corrupt Cuomo’s order that resulted in the deaths of thousands of seniors in New York’s nursing homes. For the sake of families who needlessly lost loved ones, I am providing critical oversight of all data on Cuomo’s deadly order,” House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik said. “We must know how much Kathy Hochul knew about Cuomo’s criminal nursing home coverup and have accountability for the senseless loss of lives.”

    Hochul’s office did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication.

    https://justthenews.com/nation/states/center-square/misled-public-oversight-launches-investigation-nursing-home-covid

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  2. $5BILLION to the postal service to”secure” mail in ballots…what a crock!
    FTA
    The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) confirmed it has created a division that will oversee mail-in ballots in future elections.

    Adrienne Marshall, executive director of the newly created Election and Government Mail Services, said that it will oversee “election mail strike teams” in local communities to deal with possible problems.

    “We are fully committed to the secure and timely delivery of the nation’s election mail,” she told media outlets on July 27.

    Several months ago, the Biden administration requested $5 billion to support the USPS’s mail-in voting operations over the next 10 years.

    “This proposal expands on the essential public services that the Postal Service provides to the American people and will also help to relieve budget strain on local election offices across the country,” the administration wrote in March.

    It also includes policies to make “official ballot materials free to mail and reducing the cost of other election-related mail for jurisdictions and voters” while “enhancing the Postal Service’s ability to securely and expeditiously deliver and receive mail in underserved areas,” the White House said at the time.

    The USPS claimed it delivered 97.9 percent of ballots from voters to election officials within three days, and 99.89 percent of ballots were delivered within seven days, during the 2020 election.

    The Postal Service is sending guidance letters to election officials in each state and territory this week. So far, nearly 40 million ballots have been mailed to and from voters during primary elections.

    https://www.theepochtimes.com/us-postal-service-makes-announcement-on-mail-in-ballots-ahead-of-midterm-elections_4633936.html?utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=BonginoReport

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  18. NEW: Judge sentences Guy Reffitt to 87 months (7.25 years) in prison after a jury found him guilty of 5 counts, including bringing a gun to the Jan. 6 riot.

    This is the longest sentence to date in the Jan. 6 investigation.

    — Rob Legare (@RobLegare) August 1, 2022

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  20. I am adding a short daily prayer to the board. I would invite each of you, if you wish, to also add one or maybe two of your own liking. I do not want to stifle anyone but please limit yourself to one or two religious postings. here’s one I found that I liked.

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  23. Great opening. Yeah hit or miss for sure.

    I have already read that its good to get your hearing checked as well. It can also effect memory. Also pain is a big one as well.

    But Mom does lots of word searches. She loves those

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Morning!
      I like sudoku and I think i will try learning Spanish…
      I love the videos from the other day–the body language ones! I laughed about the banana cake too!
      thanks for bringing them!

      Liked by 1 person

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