Memory exercises

Make the memory improvement exercises below your own. Embed them in your daily routine. Modify them to your own situation. Some may seem difficult at first. That's an indication of how weak your brain has become!

Not only will this mental activity improve your memory and sharpen your brain in the short run, it may protect you from Alzheimer's disease.

Memorize the phone numbers of your ten closest friends and relatives. After that, memorize ten more. Then ten more.

When grocery shopping, mentally keep a running total of the value of the items in your cart. At first, round off prices to make it easier. For a real challenge, include the exact amounts of dollars and cents as you perform the mental computations.

Memorize your grocery list, especially if you only need a dozen items or less. It's okay to keep a written copy in your pocket for review when you're done shopping.

Join one or more card-playing groups. Bridge, Canasta, Euchre, Poker, Canasta - it doesn't matter. Play with the group at least twice a month.

If you have someone to play board games with, start a game night. Play a different board game once a week. Choose challenging games. If checkers is too easy, learn chess.

Create short-term memory tests. Place a dozen small objects on a table. Examples: button, coin, photo, pencil, paperclip, key, etc. Take ten seconds to memorize the items, then cover with a hat or cloth. Recall, out loud, as many as you can.

Complete a crossword puzzle a day. Buy a crossword book which has dozens of puzzles such as the New York Times crossword collection, or complete the puzzle in your daily newspaper.

Memorize one "top ten list" or other type of list each day. Examples: Top 10 Greatest Mathematicians, 10 Huge Prehistoric Cats, 10 Most Common Food Allergies, Top 10 Castles and Palaces. Type "top ten lists" into a Google search, and you'll find dozens.

Learn a craft or hobby. Pick something challenging and intriguing. Become an expert.

Spend 10 minutes a day memorizing place names from around the globe. First challenge yourself to memorize the U.S. state capitals. Then memorize the names of the countries on each continent. Then memorize the capitals of those countries.

When you meet someone new, memorize at least three pieces of information about them besides their name. Write this information down later on an index card. Periodically study your cards.

Create flash cards on a subject you know nothing about. Make 50 flash cards that define the main concepts of that topic. Memorize the cards, and test yourself periodically. Wrap each stack with a rubber band, or file them in small boxes to keep them organized.

Recall facts in reverse order. Don't waste those minutes spent in an elevator, during your morning commute, or other times when you are waiting or sitting idle.

For example, say or think the letters of the alphabet in reverse order. It's challenging the first time. As you get better, say or think it faster. Even time yourself!

There are lots of math sequences that can be said backward that require you to concentrate intensely and think hard. For instance, try counting backward from 100 by 3's. Too easy? Try counting backward by 7's, etc. It's a brain workout on the go.

Practice taking mental snapshots at events you want to remember. This technique can help you create clear visual memories of the special moments in your life.

Memorize the order of the playing cards in a randomly shuffled deck. No, this isn't impossible! Use the visualization memory systems described elsewhere on this site.

Memorize the lyrics of your favorite songs. To get the lyrics, type the song name plus the word "lyrics" into a Google search.

Determine to learn a new language. Find a native speaker who you can converse with on a regular basis. Become bilingual!

After reading a book, write down a summary of the plot or main points of the book plus what you learned. If you don't read much, start now with the classics.

Keep a daily journal. At day's end, recall what happened that day and write it down in as much detail as you can.

Before going to sleep, recount to yourself the events of your day. The more you practice this, the better you'll get at remembering even small details. Your powers of observation will improve, as will your concentration.

Some people take this beyond a memory exercise. They mentally "thank" each person they interacted with that day; or, like Seneca, review mistakes they made (got angry, were selfish, told a lie, etc.), considering how to avoid such errors in the future.