Did you know all your friends’ phone numbers by heart when you were a kid? Way back when, lots of us memorized those landline numbers, but now? Most of us rely on our phone to know the number so we don’t have to. There’s even a name for it: digital dementia.
Memory coach Jim Kwik explains that digital dementia is the idea that our smart devices are making us less smart. “They act as external memory drives for us, so we don’t need to flex our memory muscles,” he says. While this is convenient, it also makes us more dependent on our devices, which has its downsides.
You don’t need to memorize your entire contact list, but Kwik points out that it should be concerning to us that we’ve lost the ability to remember phone numbers, passwords and PINs. Flexing your memory muscles from time to time can help you avoid digital dementia and this memory expert recommends these tips to do that.
- Tie information to emotions - Having a purpose for remembering something can help it stick. Thinking about the reason you want to remember something based on how you feel about it can help you remember it.
- Nourish your brain - What you eat matters when it comes to your brain. Kwik explains, “Your brain is only 2% of your body mass, but it requires 20% of the nutrients.” The nutrients that help support cognitive function and neurological well-being include vitamin K, zinc, magnesium, copper, lutein and folate.
- Move your body - Research shows that aerobic exercise helps generate new neurons in the part of the brain associated with memory, learning and emotions. According to Kwik, when you listen to an audiobook or podcast while walking or doing something rhythmic, “you’ll actually retain and understand that information better.”
Source: Mind Body Green
Scott's Thoughts:
- I can still remember so many friends’ phone numbers from childhood, but I have no idea what any of my friends’ numbers are now!
- I can't even remember my kids phone numbers now and I own their phones!
- I am willing to do these things to help my brain.