How to improve your memory

1. Get enough sleep

Sleep is not a break from memory but part of how it works. During sleep, the brain replays what you experienced and learned during the day and moves it towards long-term memory (Diekelmann & Born, 2010). Most adults need 7–9 hours. A regular bedtime helps more than catching up at weekends.

2. Move regularly

A year of brisk walking, 40 minutes three times a week, enlarged the hippocampus by about 2% in older adults and improved their spatial memory (Erickson et al., 2011). You don’t need to run marathons. Consistency is what counts.

3. Learn by testing yourself, not rereading

If you want to remember something specific (a language, exam material, names), the most effective methods are self-testing and spaced repetition (Dunlosky et al., 2013). They are explained with exercises in the memory exercises guide.

4. Pay attention to one thing at a time

Many “memory problems” are really attention problems: the information never got in. When someone tells you their name, say it back. When you put your keys down, say “on the hall shelf”. Putting your phone away while you study does more than any app.

5. Offload what you don’t need to remember

Lists, calendars and notes do not weaken your memory. They free your working memory for what matters. Remember the ideas and write down the details.

6. Look after your heart, hearing and vision

The 2024 Lancet Commission on dementia identified 14 modifiable risk factors, including high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, physical inactivity, social isolation, untreated hearing loss and untreated vision loss. What is good for the heart is good for the brain, and a hearing aid, if you need one, is not a minor detail.

7. Stay socially and mentally active

Conversation, learning something new, volunteering and demanding hobbies keep the mind moving. In the FINGER trial, combining exercise, diet, cognitive training and risk-factor management worked better than any of them alone.

8. Use memory games as a thermometer

A game like the memory test will not change your memory on its own, because studies show effects mostly on tasks similar to the ones practised. It is, however, a quick and fun way to see your form on the day. It can motivate you to sleep better before an important day and shows how you do after a good night or a week of exercise.

Myths that don’t hold up

• “Supplements will boost my memory.” For ginkgo biloba, a large trial of 3,069 older adults found no reduction in dementia risk (DeKosky et al., 2008). Without a proven deficiency (for example of vitamin B12), supplements lack solid evidence.
• “We only use 10% of our brain.” False. Imaging shows activity throughout the brain, even during sleep.
• “Brain-training games raise intelligence.” Well-controlled studies have not found this (Melby-Lervåg et al., 2016).

When to see a doctor

Occasional forgetfulness is normal at any age, especially when you are tired or stressed. See a doctor if lapses are getting worse over time, interfere with work or daily life, or if people close to you notice you repeating yourself. Some causes, such as B12 deficiency, thyroid problems, depression or medication side effects, are treatable.