There are also various memory tricks. For instance, the people who memorize decks of cards assign each number/suit to something, then develop a scene in their head that goes with the cards. So maybe they see a red banana flying over a purple rainbow, and that would mean the 4 of spades comes after the 6 of hearts... or whatever it may be.
Another thing is changing up locations. Make your locations interesting and novel and you'll be able to recall stuff you learned in various locations. I remember once I listened to an audiobook while on a long walk. When I tried to recall things, I would remember where I was on the walk, and that would remind me what the content was I was trying to remember. It was wild. I find physical books help for that as well. They give context of where you are in the book instead of just a percentage.
Spaced repetition is another thing. Going over the stuff over and over again, over a period of time (days, weeks) helps to lock it in.
Finally, I have also observed some people have exceptional memories, like my wife. She is just wired better than me in this regard. My stance is to look after what you got, not worry about comparison too much.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leitner_system
I liken a spaced repetition system to any other tool that helps you improve basic functions. For example, while you could brush your teeth using your finger, it's infinitely more efficient with a toothbrush and even better with an electric toothbrush. It's just a tool to accomplish a particular physical task (in your case, improving your memory), so why not pick the best tool?
Otherwise, I've read a lot about the benefits of blueberries. And you really can't go wrong with sleep.
Stress reduction and or getting hold of and managing down an over demandng job is #2
Be sure and play! #3 easy.
For #2, walking, good diet, good match of working hours to life and people who matter.
By the way, how do you know that these others have a better memory? Anecdotes and subjective impressions?
Apart from that, there is nothing better for an otherwise mentally and physically healthy person than moderate sleep, moderate exercise and a balanced diet.
Disclaimer: If your memory has suddenly deteriorated, you'd better talk to a doctor. In combination with other symptoms, this can be an indication of mental and physical illness.
Oh, and never ever just take for granted what some stranger writes on some random newsboard.
Unfortunately, I am an obligate coffee drinker. I find that need it to keep pace with work, so I am not running optimally under my own framework, but it's a locally bound sacrifice I make. To try to keep "modalities" stable, I just drink much less and only at a specific hour in the morning, and with food to slightly decrease uptake. It's a work in progress, but it has helped tremendously, specifically with memory.
There are other tricks that I have heard of like the 'memory palace' [1], or mindfulness meditation, but those I don't think really worked for me personally, YMMV.
Have always been interested in nootropics, but I'm a dot the i's cross the t's kind of person, so haven't had anything to do with those.
I still consume caffeine and nicotine. I’ve found that my cognition is improved by them; in the case of nicotine, I might just as well have regular pauses from work, though.
Coffee and tobacco, however, contain a host of other psychoactives which tend to bring about an easily distracted, impulsive frame of mind.
So many impulse buys are connected to a craving for the bitter, MAO-inhibiting alkaloids in coffee and tobacco smoke… it’s good for the economy, but not for your bank roll.
Cutting down on screen time (i.e. this thing you're looking at right now), in favor of book time, or just-about-anything-time if its happening, you know, outdoors and in beautiful scenery, helps also.
To do that you need to be able to encode information into objects and decode objects back into information. You also need to put the encoded information in storage - a spatial context. Once you've written an object to this spatial storage, you can read it back out again by remembering that space. You can also move through the space in a predetermined way. Your mind will recall the other objects you told it were in that space. So you'll see them there as you move through the space.
There is literally a part of your mind dedicated to handling this type of spatial association. You will need to practice it so you can build connections to it so your memory can improve from it. You can get an MRI and see the difference between people who practice this technique and those who don't, because they have more connections to this region than those who aren't winning memory competitions.
The trouble is that the encoding and decoding step are hard to learn. You'll be really slow at doing that part until you practice it a lot.
You've probably heard of this technique of memorization by using your spatial memory. This is the method of loci or the memory palace technique. It was once more well known that it is now. Writing and reading supplanted it as the dominant way to memorize things.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S014976342...
I take melatonin for sleep, but this article was why I continue
It feels like taking out the trash for your brain. It gives you some time where you don’t need to focus on anything.
I am sure running does the same thing for a lot of people but I live in a suburb and that is too overstimulating for me.
Sleep is incredibly important also. Earplugs and a face mask help with sleep in disrupting conditions.
1) exercise. 6 days a week (2 good cardio days, two stretchy (Pilates/yoga), and two sports/outside/weights)
2) eat healthily a) 90% plant no carb plant based (salads etc) 10% whatever you want. Extremely limited drugs (alcohol) (like once a month)
3) adequate sleep ( #1 and # 2 help a lot)
4) spend at least an hour a day outside (bike to work, have lunch in the park, go for a walk)
5) use your calendar to create time for yourself
6) challenge yourself to learn new things that do not come easy I’ll to you (for many of the people that are stem oriented here, that means dancing and watercolors)
7) put your phone away
Also core friends and people to "hang out with" you'd be surprised how much you get sucked up by just the Internet and meta of it.
With the 2-3 hour of daily cardio and diet changes, most of my issues disappeared - inability to focus, irritability, fear of missing out and it helped analyze things in my life e.g. am I in the right place/environment?
Really makes you wonder.
Weed helps too -- specifically sativas high in CBG and limonene seem to help with concentration issues that stem from anxiety or depression, paired with indicas high in Myrcene in the evening.
(CBD is kind of useless.)
Good diet
Moderate exercise/physical activity
Plenty of basic fluids (especially water)
Interacting with nature (hikes, gardening, even mowing your lawn (sans being tethered to a phone for a podcast or Pandora))
Read more
Use a screen less
Explain to others what you're learning/interested in
Converse with other humans face to face often
I think of Magnus Carlsen holding 10 chess games in his head and doing it perfect enough to beat everyone he was playing against. Of course, that is extreme but there are many people who have above average memories.
I am spot on with hydration, sleep, cardio, weightlifting but I don't think any of this really makes my memory better. Mood and energy but not memory. The only thing I have found that makes my memory better is trying to memorize things like a daily exercise. Learning another language is really the way to go.