How to improve your memory

Have you ever misplaced your keys, or walked into a room only to forget what it is you went in there for? How about shopping lists, birthdays and pin numbers? We all forget things from time to time - it's a fact of life.

But is there anything we can do to actually improve our memories; and whilst we're at it, avoid the weekly ritual of hunting around our houses in search of the perennially misplaced TV remote?

The answer is yes if the experts are to be believed. In fact by making a few simple changes to our lives we can dramatically improve our ability to store information in our noggins.

So from what to eat to how to think, we consulted the experts to find out how to train your brain.

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Why do we forget things in the first place?
There are many factors behind forgetfulness, but one factor that binds all of us together is that we aren't getting any younger.

Like the rest of our bodies our brain deteriorates with age, but while we all associate this type of memory loss with the autumn of our years, the decline starts earlier than you might think.

According to the findings of a Whitehall II Study, which was released earlier this year, the brain begins to lose its sharpness from the age of 45 and not from 60 as first thought. And it's not just those skirting around the fringes of middle age who need to be concerned either, as studies prove that the rot starts to set in as early as our 20s.

Lifestyle can also have an impact on our brain function. As anyone who's struggled to remember the night before will testify, alcohol has a negative impact on our memories. In fact studies show that the toxic effects of alcohol impair our ability both to learn and remember.

The alcohol awareness charity DrinkAware states on its website: "Alcohol can damage your memory and brain function. After only a few drinks your memory can be impaired and your brain processes slow down. Larger quantities of alcohol can lead to short-term memory failure or 'blackouts'. Drinking heavily over a long period of time can also have long-term effects on memory."

Likewise smoking and illegal drugs have also been shown to have a detrimental effect on your brain function, while the impact from physical trauma on memory has been widely reported.

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Healthy body, healthy mind
While our lifestyle can have a negative effect on our memories, setting our bodies on a healthier course can also have a positive impact. Nutritionist Patrick Holford (www.patrickholford.com) tells me:

"The effect of nutrition on the brain is a matter of key interest these days. We now know that memory and concentration, as well as mood, depend hugely on what we put in our digestive systems. Keeping an even blood sugar level is key, as is an optimal intake of essential fats and antioxidants."

So while you might not be able to eat your way to a healthy brain, cutting out the junk food will no doubt help. Instead a healthy balanced diet consisting of foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals is key, while supplements such as omega-3 might also help feed your frontal lobes.

Exercise is also key. Memory maestro Tony Buzan (www.thinkbuzan.com) says: "Possibly the simplest and most widely beneficial piece of advice I can offer is the age-old 'healthy body, healthy mind'.

Your organs need oxygen to function and the more the better. Exercising regularly and keeping fit gets more oxygen pumping around your body and into your brain. If you want to keep your memory and the rest of your mental skills in shape, you need to feed your brain."

Master some simple techniques
Like any other part of your body, the tip to keeping your brain in good shape is to give it a regular workout. "A good memory is simply a skill, and a skill that can be learned at any age," Tony Buzan says. "You train your body to keep it in shape and you should be doing exactly the same for your brain. Keeping mentally active and challenging yourself with new tasks and new information is essential."

So regularly training your brain is key and crosswords, puzzles and daily brainteasers like Sudoku are a great way to keep your mind in shape. But are there any easy techniques that we can all employ to improve the way our brains store information? That's the question I put to Ed Cooke (www.memrise.com), a grandmaster of memory who can learn a 1,000 digit number in just an hour. So how does he do it?

"Numbers are difficult to remember as they don't make an impression on you, they don't produce an image in your mind or generate an emotion," he tells me. "So to remember a long string of numbers you first have to turn the numbers into images. So for instance 25 might be Mozart, 73 may be B.A. Baracus and 90 might be Eminem.

"So you learn a vocabulary of images and then basically string them into stories. So you can have Eminem having a bath with the Pope whilst Britney Spears shaves a dog, which is much more memorable than 907243218655."

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Everyday benefits
It's a remarkable feat, but the same principles can also be used to remember almost anything - including that ever-evasive pin number. In fact, it's remarkable how much more information you can store by simply changing the way you think about it.

"Fundamentally it's about being interested and enthused by what you're experiencing," Ed tells me, and it seems the key is to furnish the information you want to remember with attention and emotion to make it more vivid in your mind. So what top tips can the grandmaster offer us humble apprentices?

"The three key things to remember are: First to make what you are remembering vivid, pay attention to it and have an emotion. The second thing is to repeat it. Your brain forgets stuff that you don't repeat as it might just be random and so repetition is vital. And the third thing is actively recalling the memory...you actually have to make the effort to strengthen the memory, it's like a muscle."

And like any other muscle the key to improving your memory is hard work and regular exercise so if you want to improve your memory the sooner you get brain training, the better.

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