My memory serves me well. Book

I read and started doing exercises from the book “Memory never fails. Tasks and puzzles for the development of intelligence and memory” (Angels Navarro). It, as the name suggests, is about memory development/training. At first I was skeptical about the work; the first part of the book (theory) seemed very simple and not very useful to me. But when I started doing the exercises (they make up about 2/3 of the book), I quickly got the hang of it and plan to return to them periodically.

I give the book an overall rating of "4-", but if you like puzzles, you will most likely like it.

"This book is a guide for those who want to understand the weaknesses of their memory and learn strategies and techniques to improve its performance. The author did not try to write a scientific work on memory and does not offer a special exercise program. Memory techniques are presented in a playful way, because, According to the author, this is the most effective and natural way to train memory."

"This book, intended for adults of all ages, offers the reader exercises for memory training. For young people, it will help improve attention, concentration and memory, for middle-aged people to maintain good memory performance, and for older people to reduce the negative impact of damage to the nervous system, caused by the aging of brain cells. In addition to the exercises, the book contains a theoretical section describing the main aspects of mnemonic science, as well as the most suitable and effective methods, techniques and tips for preserving and stimulating memory."

But then they tell obvious and simple things:

• So, the following negative memory changes can occur during the aging process:
• Reduced speed of information processing. Everything is remembered much more slowly, and answers are also given more slowly.
• Decreased attention to detail. It becomes more difficult to concentrate on any activity.
• Deterioration of working memory (RAM).
• Deterioration of declarative memory (names of people, names of places, and similar information).
• Loss of certain concepts (for example, knowledge of the route).
• Forgetting the origin of memories (for example, the date and location of an event).
• Decreased ability to combine tasks. It becomes difficult to quickly switch attention between different activities.
• The older the memory, the more likely it is to slip out of your memory. The type of information remembered also matters (names, for example, are forgotten quite quickly).
• Deterioration in spatial thinking (inability to imagine and assemble complex structures, such as puzzles).
• The following functions resist the effects of time best:
• Overall attention remains almost unchanged over time.
• Speech becomes better with age because the vocabulary expands.
• Procedural memory practically does not deteriorate.
• Rational thinking, judgment, evaluation and argumentation abilities only improve with age.
• Strength of will.
• Creative abilities do not deteriorate with age.

• Tips for increasing memory capacity:
• A rhythm or cheerful melody that evokes the text makes it easier to remember.
• Read books, magazines, and newspapers at least a little every day.
• Organize word lists into categories.
• Eat right. Fatty foods and processed foods provoke various diseases (atherosclerosis, diabetes, high blood pressure) that impair memory.
• Exercise daily.
• Be calm and relax. Stress has a bad effect on memory.
• Try to get enough sleep: healthy sleep restores the body.

If memory serves to whom. Razg. Disclaimer regarding possible errors and inaccuracies. If my memory serves me right, the Count received me while standing on a crutch.(Fet. Early years of my life). True, Maria’s brother, if my memory serves me right, died of delirium tremens(S. Esin. Imitator).

Phraseological dictionary of the Russian literary language. - M.: Astrel, AST. A. I. Fedorov. 2008.

See what “If memory serves” is in other dictionaries:

memory- noun, f., used. very often Morphology: (no) what? memory, what? memory, (see) what? memory, what? memory, about what? about memory 1. Memory is the ability to remember some information, events, facts, impressions, etc., to store them in... ... Dmitriev's Explanatory Dictionary

Phase change memory- For the term "PCM" see other meanings. Types of computer memory Volatile DRAM (including DDR SDRAM) SRAM Advanced T RAM Z RAM TTRAM From history Memory on delay lines Storage electrostatic tube Storage CRT En ... Wikipedia

Flash memory- Not to be confused with memory cards. Not to be confused with USB flash drives. This term has other meanings, see Flash. Types of computer memory Volatile DRAM (including DDR SDRAM) SRAM Advanced T RAM Z RAM TTRAM From ... ... Wikipedia

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Mikhailov, Adrian Fedorovich- Mikhailov A.F. [(1853 1929). The autobiography was written in May 1926 in the city. Rostov-on-Don.] I was born on August 5 (old style) 1853 in the village of Poltava Kuban region. Then, as far as I remember, this part of the region, inhabited by the descendants of the resettled... ...

Ivanovskaya, Praskovya Semenovna- Ivanovskaya P. S. [(1853 1935). Autobiography written on December 25, 1925 in Poltava.] (after Voloshenko’s husband). I was born in 1853 in the family of a rural priest in the village of Sokovnina, Zhadoma, also, Chernsky district, Tula province. My childhood years were spent in harsh... Large biographical encyclopedia

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Kulkhatsker- Computer slang is a type of slang used both by a professional group of IT specialists and by other computer users. History The appearance of terms The rapid growth of computer technology since the second half of the 20th century, and, in ... ... Wikipedia

Books

• If my memory serves me right..., Grigory Ryklin. From the first days of Soviet power, Grigory Ryklin collaborated as a feuilletonist in Moscow newspapers. For a long time he headed the editorial office of the magazine "Crocodile". His humorous stories...

Angels Navarro, Spanish psychologist, journalist and author of books on the development of memory and intelligence.

Angels offers his own method of constant memory training, based on good habits, a healthy lifestyle, creating a friendly and predictable space around yourself, as well as daily exercises. In other words, she suggests maintaining the hygiene of your brain, not letting it stagnate, and not suffocating it with toxic substances and anxiety. All this will help to avoid extremely unpleasant aging diseases associated with degenerative brain damage and memory impairment - Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease.

In addition to practical advice and detailed instructions on what to do to stay sane and sober, Angels has developed a whole series of exercises of varying levels of difficulty - they make up the lion's part of the book.

In Russia, the book is being published for the first time by the Mann, Ivanov and Ferber publishing house, and we have read it and are sharing with you excerpts from several chapters, illustrating them with practical exercises from the second part of the book.

Memory is a skill

Memory is a mental function and a type of mental activity, therefore it is also an ability, a skill. How many times have we said to ourselves or heard from others: “Unfortunately, I have a bad memory” or “He has a short memory.” Both of these statements are completely false. Memory is not assessed in terms of good or bad and has nothing to do with a person's innate abilities. Memory is characterized by the effectiveness of the techniques and techniques he uses. Therefore, if you train this ability, you can improve it.

In other words, there is no such thing as good or bad, short or long memory; there is memory that is well or poorly trained.

Each person is capable of remembering very different information: words, sounds, movements, faces, images - in a word, a lot. According to recent research, there are many types of memory, which are described and classified from different points of view.

The classification below takes into account the content of information and the time it is stored.

Enemies of memory

If we find out why we forget, we will gain insight into the weaknesses of human memory. Knowing how our memory functions is called metamemory. This is very important to understand for anyone who wants to improve memory performance and prevent memory degradation.

First of all, it must be said that forgetting is not always bad. Forgetting is just as important as remembering. It would be very difficult to remember all the information we receive every day and then search for it in our brain's storage. Therefore, special mechanisms in the brain (for example, protein phosphatase) are designed specifically for forgetting. It is also important to note that forgetfulness and memory failures occur in people of different ages; however, you can also remember new things at any age.

Finally, we need to refute the idea that forgetting is caused by an excessive amount of information stored in memory. This is absolutely not true. Sometimes memory does not work due to some of the factors listed below, as well as due to the fact that it is rarely used.

Factors that negatively affect memory

What we think causes memory impairment usually leads to normal forgetting and in no case provokes amnesia. This disease is often a consequence of injury or other disease.

Internal factors

Incorrect memorization. Information received from the senses often disappears or changes if you do not work with it (do not repeat it).

Time. Forgetting occurs because a lot of time has passed since the information was memorized. New knowledge leaves something like a mark on our brain. But if you don’t use them, over time this mark will fade or disappear.

Interference. Information stored in short-term memory is influenced by new incoming data. They can interfere with the assimilation of previous information.

Crowding out. Sad, disturbing, traumatic memories are forgotten against our will.

Distortion. Memories are transformed in accordance with our values ​​or position towards something, so sometimes we remember information in a distorted form.

Storage errors. If information is not stored completely or is not stored correctly, it may be difficult to reproduce.

Playback errors. Sometimes the brain has difficulty finding the place where a memory is stored, even though it has not disappeared or been distorted by external influences.

External factors

Biological factors are determined by genetics and are almost impossible to influence. A decrease in estrogen and testosterone levels also causes memory impairment.

Psychological and emotional factors, such as loneliness, loss of a loved one, worry, worry, sadness, depression, stress, traumatic event, post-traumatic disorder, affect memory. Lack of motivation or low demands on yourself can also lead to memory loss.

Physical condition and health. Fatigue, pain, agitation, stress, insomnia and apnea, chronic diseases (for example, high blood pressure, diabetes, vascular diseases, high blood cholesterol, thyroid dysfunction), poor nutrition, physical inactivity and insufficient mental exercise impair memory. Alcohol, nicotine and other toxic substances reduce the supply of oxygen to the brain. Taking certain pharmaceutical drugs, such as benzodiazepines and anticholinergics, negatively affects memory processes.

Environment. Noise, smells, light, the presence of people and much more affect the quality of memorization.

Sensory deficiency. Complete or partial loss of vision or hearing also affects the quality of memory.

Cognitive abilities. Lack of concentration and difficulty understanding information impair the quality of memorization.

Professional life. Change of position, stress, fatigue, bad relationships at work affect memory processes.

Environment. Contact with toxic substances harms memory. This can happen at work in non-environmentally friendly enterprises, when eating meat from animals fed food with harmful chemicals, in cars, when drinking and coming into contact with water passing through lead pipes. Mercury, aluminum, pesticides and solvents can also cause memory problems.

Lifestyle. Smoking: Tobacco smoke reduces the amount of oxygen reaching the brain. Various types of addiction: alcohol and other toxic substances. Insomnia and apnea, poor nutrition, lack of exercise, taking certain pharmaceuticals.

Some Strategies

Forty years is a great time to start leading a healthy lifestyle. By engaging in useful mental and social activities, you can avoid many memory disorders in later life.

Studying information

Use memory aids: make plans and schedules, stick reminder stickers, keep a diary.

Use unusual things as a means to remember information: put a ring on another finger, tie a knot in a scarf.

Carry out your daily activities in an established way.

Try to associate everything you want to remember with a specific context. Your thoughts should be like a movie, because images are remembered better.

Create associations: connect different ideas and objects with each other.

Visualize information while memorizing or memorize in front of a mirror. It would also be nice to film yourself while doing this.

Add rhythm and a cheerful melody that evokes associations with the material being memorized.

When studying information, caricature exaggerate its features. This way it will be easier for you to remember it later.

To memorize lists, break words into categories and structure them.

Remembering a five-letter word is easier than remembering five letters individually, so information should be grouped. When memorizing long numbers, also combine the numbers into groups.

Consolidation of information

Before going to bed, reflect on your day and what you want to remember. At night, memories are consolidated.

Don't act automatically, consciously focus on your actions while performing them.

Repeat - this is important for consolidating information.

Repeat what you read out loud. Do this three times in a row. Since two senses (vision and hearing) are involved in this process, it will be much easier for you to retain the information.

Connect new data with information already learned.

Reproduction of information

If you feel like you're about to remember a word, think about all the consonants in it and connect them to the vowels. Very soon the word will pop up in memory by itself.

Wanting to remember something, we take special poses and make special movements: we put our hand on our head, we scratch our chin. Do this to help you concentrate.

Spend the necessary amount of time memorizing and consolidating information.

And remember: you can have a good memory at any age.

The full text of the book can be purchased on the MIF publishing house website. And here is the phrase the author of the book quotes - from an interview with Rita Levi-Montalcini, an Italian neuroscientist, Nobel Prize laureate in medicine, a few months before her centenary:

Keep your brain engaged and active, keep it functioning, and it will never deteriorate.

to whom. Razg. Disclaimer regarding possible errors and inaccuracies. If my memory serves me right, the Count received me while standing on a crutch.(Fet. Early years of my life). True, Maria’s brother, if my memory serves me right, died of delirium tremens(S. Esin. Imitator).

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"If memory serves" in books

Everything flows and everything changes...