Listen to Mozart while eating goats’ cheese

Caffeine and nicotine have a short-term positive effect on the memory because they improve your concentration. Research also shows that small amounts of alcohol can, in some people, improve their memory. Most people would be able to remember five or six cards in a deck in the right order. Drinking three cups of coffee beforehand will only have marginal effect. If you learn Memo you will remember the entire deck. I am sure scientists could prove that eating saltbush would have a positive effect on your memory. I could probably find proof that plucking nose hair in small amounts can, in some instances, improve your memory. At least if the tweezers manufacturer sponsored the research.

It is amazing how many myths there are about what is good for our memory. Listen to Mozart while you eat goat cheese; angry people have better memory; use neon light in your reading lamp; and much more. Most of these would have no or at best a marginal effect on the memory. If you want a better memory you can just go on living the way you do and spend a little time learning some memory methods. Should you want to win memory competitions the most important part is to use a good system, practice and enough rest. A lot of seminars and memory books focus on all the aspects you have to consider when memorising. Seminar speakers and authors say you should focus on twelve factors: synesthesia, movement, association, sensuality, humour, imagination, numbers, symbolism, colours, order, positive images and exaggeration. When memorising you should use as many of these as possible.

That itself is an exaggeration. Memorising is much easier than that. You may become so restricted by all these things to consider that you never get started. The authors even have to use an acronym to remember which factors you should use to remember: smashin’ scope. Some of the factors may work for you. Remember that time steals concentration.

Memo-the Easiest Way to Improve Your Memory will teach you the best techniques to remember:
Languages, geography, exams, presentations, names, appointments, memory tricks and much more.

Buy it here: oby.no/shop/english