DISCLAIMER:
This Memory Rescue series is COMPILATION of the top HACKS and BRAIN EXERCISES that will help you get your brain back to shape but let me WARN you that the beginning of the series MAY STRONGLY be considered BORING by many.
BUT We , HIGHLY RECOMMEND you go through it, as it will help you set the right expectation from this compilation.
if you feel you need a quick read, then you are welcome to skip to the listicle below
Before getting into the Memory Rescue hacks to supercharge your brain, Imagine this –
One Fine day you get out of your bed and in all possibility, the first thing you realize that day is that you are not AS GOOD as you thought you were in whatever skill you specialized in.
- A Mathematical Wizard of your school, Not anymore
- The best dancer in your college days, Not anymore
- The Top performer of your company, sadly – Not anymore
What are the odds, you may think..
Let us put that question to rest once and for all. Several recent studies show (Citation at the end of the article) that thanks to EXTREME and UNHEALTHY Lifestyle choices, we – today’s millennial & late boomers have as much as 60% more chances than an average human who lived 2 decades back, to get diagnosed with Neuro-Degenerative disease / Conditions like Alzheimer & Parkinson’s.
ALPHA MODE – Brain activity when we were YOUNG !
Think about it, when we were young (between the age of 5-10 years) our functional brain activity (both, conscious and subconscious) were at the peak.
We learnt the fundamentals of mastering the five senses. We learnt new languages. Our schools took care of our brain conditioning by constantly keeping us on our toes with 8-10 different periods / classes – day-in & day-out. Constantly pushing us to use our MEMORY to recite lesson, formulas, homework etc.
Physically speaking, our MUSCLE MEMORY slowly started adapting to various outdoor activities. From “Riding your bicycle without any support” to “Throwing in a perfect pitch” – your muscles learnt each and every day and stored that information.
Subconsciously we started to modify and adapt our social behavior as per our environment. Classic example of subconscious behavioral adaption is when a child starts reacting to a situation just like their parents.
Young were the days when we observed and took-in more information in a day than what we do in a month today. And as a result – our life, both physically & mentally, was more fulfilling then we ever could imagine today. You may agree, but WHY?
It all boil down to ONE THING – Rescuing your Memories – PUSHING YOUR BRAIN!
Our central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) are more like the electrical wiring that gets your car running.. Stop using your car for a month and the next time you start the car you will notice the difference.
Imagine doing that your BRAIN for years together. That’s where we are today.
Assuming a 32 Year old white-collared father or 30 year old home-maker mom, would have stopped challenging his or her brain when he or she passed out of their college (may be around when they was 22 Years). The initial couple of years in their respective jobs would have demanded learning new things but later it all settles in. We get habituated to what we do. We start getting comfortable. And BOOM!!!
10 Years later you realize, you are not the same MIKE or MITCHELLE you were the last time when you met your college friends.
The reason is simple. We have stopped challenging our BRAIN. Like any other muscle, if we stop using it – it will atrophy and some day we will lose its utility. The best way to keep up with our brain’s need for activities are MEMORY & ANALYTICAL REASONING.
So its time to buckle up by building a healthy morning routine and start flexing your most important muscle of your body! (Although technically its not a muscle). This compilation covers an extensive list of Memory Rescue HACKS and MEANS through which anyone could get back their BRAIN-power to alpha mode in matter of weeks. And that’s not even the best part. We have tried to make the list less boring by adding a few fun ways to do so.
HOW TO GET THE OPTIMAL RESULT from this Compilation
There are NO SECRET INGREDIENTS in Memory Rescue Hack Series other than these 3 (Just Three):
- Practise – Take a few selected exercises, as many as your comfortable with and BE PERSISTANT in practising every single day. Don’t give in to the hog-wash of skipping/Too-tired/ May-be-tomorrow/Its-just-one-day excuses.
- Evolve – Every trick mentioned here are backed with studies and personal experience from several contributors. So we have tried to present you the most plane, simplified, vanilla version of the trick. Feel free to change the way you use those tricks keeping the essence unchanged. (eg: some may chose to look at spotting USA States, while some others would be comfortable with mapping their own city streets through memory. Go ahead! Evolve the trick for your need)
- Rinse and Repeat – Finally, Don’t stop. I bet you will not, when you start seeing the difference. Although the turn-around time for changes may differ from 10 days to 3 weeks depending on variety of factors. So DON’T STOP
For the purpose of easier understanding, we have divided the list into 4 (four) categories as below. Activities that aid in :
- Essentials – This category covers the basic to-do list that one should follow or avoid in order to get back your healthy version of the brain. Example: This list could include TOP FOOD, Food to avoid etc.
- Memory Creation & Consolidation – While creating a memory our brain sends out differently patterned signals associated with varied events we experience. It thereby creates connections between the neurons in our brain called synapses. If we leave it at that, the memory so created would fall right out of our heads. Consolidations is the next activity you do to commit this into a long-term memory rescue trail. Example: Noting down a phone number and reciting it multiple times with a grouping pattern that makes it stick in your head – 011 200 3012 or 0 1120 03012. Another Example: Noting down a phone number and reciting it multiple times with a grouping pattern that makes it stick in your head – 011 200 3012 or 0 1120 03012
- Memory Recall – Recalling the memory is faster if it’s been done and repeated over time, and each time we do so, we go through that same pattern of brain activity again and again, making it a little stronger every time thus enabling you a faster brain rescue. Example: The same phone number, visualized in your mind in addition to repetition makes sure you build that connection even stronger and helps for easier recall
- Analytical Reasoning – This is where we entice our left hemisphere to push itself to get you the answer to that complex riddle everyone finds tough to crack. While doing so, we break old synapses and constantly create newer ones. This helps in the brain metabolism and helps the memory rescue process by strengthening the right neurons and eliminate weaker ones. Example: Playing your daily crossword is a combination of memory recall and reasoning. Whereas a crack at the sudoku, is more analytical
So let’s get going with this only ever GUIDE you would ever need to get your brain to ALPHA MODE back again
1. Get your BRAIN FUEL Right to Rescue your Memories! [ESSENTIALS]
A good diet has the most positive effect on memory, but certain types of foods really gets the brain to pump-in. The below list of food, when consumed in adequate portion and consistently – it can do wonders to your brain
- Coconut oil – Good source of medium-chain triglycerides
- Avacado – Rich in monounsaturated fats & tyrosine
- Fatty Fishes like Salmon, Tuna, Mackerel & Herring – Omega 3 Essential Fatty acids
- Organic Egg – Choline & Omega 3 Essential Fatty acids
- Berries – Amazing source of anthocyanins & resveratrol
- Green leafy vegies – Magnesium, Iron & Vitamin B Complex, C & K
- Olive oil — vitamins E, K & Monounsaturated fats,
- turmeric — Richest source of curcumin, turmerone (Health benefits of Golden Milk)
- walnuts — Top source of omega-3 essential fatty acids, monounsaturated fats and polyphenols
2. Get the JUNK Fuel OUT! [ESSENTIALS]
Avoiding the WRONG food type is as important as choosing the right ones. The list below should always be in your “no-go” list:
- Avoid WHITE SUGAR
- Avoid Unhealthy Trans fats
- Avoid MSG (Monosodium Glutamate)
- Moderate Alcohol – Occasional is fine
- Avoid Smoking
- Restrict Junk food – (if you love something – once a month CHEAT DAY should suffice)
3. Strategic Caffeine intake to Rescue your Brain Functionality [ESSENTIALS]
Studies show that caffeine has a direct correlation with brain activity and alertness.There are no strict calendar that could be printed for this trick but it is more relative to our lifestyle. More often then not, an early morning coffee gets you the kick you need for the starting the day. Also somewhere during a zone of lethargy, we can slip-in another small shot of our lovely caffeine beverage.
You can always explore Healthy Alternatives to caffeine in another guide
4. Embrace Yoga to recaliberate Brain performance [ESSENTIALS]
Yoga and its varied versions practiced across globe has distinctly contributed to improvement in brain activity. Being a science in itself, this practice may seem too simple to give you the benefit it claims, but it surely does. And there are several studies that points to that facts. Time and place could always hamper your schedule for Yoga, so we have another guide that will help you in embracing simple chair yoga for office
Well we understand, that you were looking for HACKS & TRICKS for Memory Rescue but we had to cover the KEY ESSENTIALS first. So now that, it’s out of our way, lets get to the FUN part
5. Turn-off your Car GPS [ Memory Rescue + RECALL ]
Seriously! this one hack has done wonders to all who were brave enough to choose it. Switch off your gps and try going to the near-by mall via a different route. 9 out of 10 times you will get lost but that’s the good news, your brain will start noticing the routes to avoid and instinctively start giving you the right directions.
6. Spend time with your GAMING console [ MEMORY CONSOLIDATION ]
PS4 or XBox One whichever you are comfortable. Get it out and start playing. Studies have shown that games help in building strong neuro-transmitting synapses in our brain
7. Pick your chewing gum flavour [FUN TRICK]
Theory is, chewing gums while your learning something new improves the chances of the memory to stick around. There have been controversial research around this topic, so it’s not a proven hack, but a study published 2019 showed that participants who underwent a memory recall test were more accurate and had better reaction times if they chewed gum during the study.
One possible reason behind this chewy hack is that it increases activity in the hippocampus, which is a key area of the brain for memory consolidation. It’s still unclear why this happens, though.
8. NAP when you must. Sleep is the KEY to rescuing your brain [ESSENTIALS]
Building a memory, although it happens consciously most of the time, its consolidation happens while we sleep. So, never compromise on a healthy 6-7 hours of sleep each day
9. Start learning a New language [ Memory Rescue + CREATION + CONSOLIDATION ]
May sound difficult but one of the most rewarding hack to turbo-charge your brain in the long run is to LEARN a new language. It not only helps your brain activation but it also aids your vocal memory for language phonetics.
10. Start memorizing your CONTACT List [MEMORY CREATION + CONSOLIDATION + RECALL]
Ace this hack and you will never worry about your phone battery running out. In addition to that, it definitely is a very good brain exercise that pushes your memory rescuing capacity
11. READ-OUT loud [MEMORY CONSOLIDATION for kids]
Reading out loud gets your hearing senses to repeat what you just read out. So its double impact for one action, thus registering the content quickly into your head.
12. VISUALIZE your goals [MEMORY CONSOLIDATION]
Whatever your goals in life, in a game, in learning. In winning – try visualizing it. This helps your brain form a stronger connection to the thought. When you define your most difficult goal visually, it hacks your brain for it to make-believe that the goal is possible and probable in the course of action. As they say, “It’s all in the mind!”, we just need to trick it slightly to help achieve our goal.
13. Direct your favorite PLAY/FILM in your head (how would you do it?) [MEMORY CONSOLIDATION + ANALYTICAL REASONING]
Take one of your most watched film and the least-liked film and try to redo them in your mind but this time it will be just like you wanted. Funny as it may seem – this hack, if done properly, will pump-in blood to your hippocampus and your left hemisphere and make sure its healthy and active.
14. Pick a SPORT and exercise – Go outside and PLAY [MEMORY CONSOLIDATION + RECALL]
An outdoor sport has far more impact on our brain then the usual credit we give to the exercise. Especially for an individual who is stuck to his or her 9 to 5 sedentary job, this hack, implemented once a week, could do wonders to your brain. Fresher set of exercises than the usual allows the brain to modify its synapses pattern and while doing so it re-wires neurons in a fresh connection. Fresher synapses have better life thus keeping the overall network (brain) healthy.
15. Try catching up with your favorite RAP track [ Memory Rescue + CREATION + RECALL + FUN ]
Pick your favorite rapper and select a couple of singles. Get the lyrics of the track online and you are good to go. Start rapping! What this will do to your brain, you may ask? Well, what this hack does to you brain can be correlated to what aerobics does to your body – it develops the spatial recognition and memory recollection and elevates it to the highest level of awareness.
16. Pick a Music instrument and practice [MEMORY CREATION + CONSOLIDATION]
This one is a little difficult than the others but if someone could get to a level of fluency by choosing an musical instrument and start learning from scratch, they would have done loads of goodness to their brain. Learning music or a musical instrument is like any other form of learning but with additional demands to the brain. From hand-coordination to delivering the perfect pitch, every time we play that note, the brain and neural network re-configures and evolves for stronger synapses. This will take longer than most of the hack but it is truly worth the effort
17. Get yourself a hobby [ FUN Memory Rescue + CREATION + CONSOLIDATION ]
A hobby could be anything – right from being a collector to pursuing public speaking. This way your brain will not dwell around idle and keep your thoughts disciplined. From a physiological point of view, a hobby will make you come out of your comfort zone and try new things. This brain exercise helps the neural transmitter to for a stronger bond and a healthier brain.
18. 10 Mins a day – Observe your Breathing [ESSENTIAL]
Nothing fancy but a POWERFUL Hack that has done wonders. It’s very simple, spend 10-15 mins each day and focussing your attention to only ONE activity – YOUR BREATHING PATTERN. It may sound simple but let us assure you it’s NOT!. When you try this trick, the only rule is to focus on only ONE THING (BREATH), it is the most difficult to execute because our mind would wander off every few seconds to the past or the future. The idea is to get the mind to focus on the PRESENT. This hack has been re-coded in several forms of meditation (vipassana, chant yoga etc.) but the vanilla version here is the most effective. Try it and you will be amazed with the benefits.
19. Start COOKING [MEMORY CONSOLIDATION + RECALL]
Cooking is not usual recommendation for brain exercise but trust us when we say we use more brain while cooking than we use while studying. Research has shown cooking – as an important household activity – enables women across the cultures to get good at MULTITASKING. It’s basically a short-cut to rewiring your brain for making it better at handling many tasks at once. Go on, surprise your spouse with a home-made dinner (prepared by you)
20. Calculate your Mileage every day (No Calculator) [MEMORY RECALL]
Simple but effective, as this hack makes remember what was the last ODOMETER count and your current running along with ‘how much gas you filled’. Trick is to NOT TO USE YOUR CALCULATOR and close your mileage sheet every day by calculating in your mind.
21. Random NUMBER Calculations [FUN + ANALYTICAL] –
We encounter hundreds of numbers each day – while driving around, sitting at the office, pulling out a file – Numbers are all around us. Trick is to take a 2-Minute break from your routine and pick two numbers randomly around you and do a small calculation. It could be anything – ADD, SUBTRACT, MULTIPLY or DIVIDE. Once you’re done, confirm if you got the right answer. Such small victories will boost the good hormones in your brain and keep it healthy
22. Read ONE NON-FICTION a Month [MEMORY CREATION]
Experts and successful people, right from history till today, have always claimed this hack as one of the most rewarding in their life. Reading helps us create a sense of awareness in our mind with a piece of the world that the author of the content wants you to imagine. Recreating this piece as the author intends very much depends on his/her writing skill but it also involves our brain’s reactivity to his input. FICTION Content helps you develop a good imagination but a NON-FICTION Content will get your reasoning skills to grow. So go out there and pick a book from Amazon or your nearby store and start reading. We have got a few FICTION and NON-FICTION recommendations for beginners below:
23. Start playing with Mnemonics [ Memory Rescue + CREATION + CONSOLIDATION + RECALL ]
This hacks works very well for students who have a tough time memorizing long & boring material for academic purposes. Start connecting the material with easy to remember acronyms, abbreviations or even a song. Remember that song, and 9 out of 10 time you will remember the material intended to be memorized. There several cool mnemonic videos on youtube, few of them are mentioned below for your reference.
24. Try mimicking your most cherished movie-lines and build a list [MEMORY CONSOLIDATION + RECALL] –
Mimicry is an under-rated skill that only few choose to pursue but mimicking gets your brain an additional set of muscle work-out which 9 out of 10 individual wouldn’t dare to do. From a physiological point of view, it is definitely an exercise that will make your neuron network stronger.
25. Try adopting & training a PET [FUN + MEMORY CREATION]
A pet and its responsibilities is the best stress reliever you can ever find. Getting them trained is not just a task for the pet but it is an immense exercise for your brain too. To train them yourself, firstly you need to get into a synced wavelength with your pet which itself is a colossal task. This will keep your brains active and help you build cherishable sets of memories with your pet.
26. GEO skills Booster -Level 01 – Memorize the states and capitals of your country [ MEMORY RESCUE + CREATION + CONSOLIDATION + RECALL ]
Its may sound easy but try getting all the 50 states of USA and you will see where we are getting at. If you are close to naming 45+ states then you are above average. Most people will not even cross 35 state names. Imagine powering up your brain with STATES + CAPITAL CITY. It will be enough action to get your brain pumped in.
27. GEO skills Booster Level 02 – Go big and start with countries, language and currencies [ MEMORY RESCUE + CREATION + CONSOLIDATION + RECALL ]
After level 01, you can very well try going bigger. There are 160+ Sovereign Countries out there. Start getting to know them and memorize capitals & currencies of the country. Anyone who can master this level will earn a boasting right at any friendly gathering.
28. Start building your Mind palace [MEMORY CREATION + CONSOLIDATION]
Well we are not asking you to go ‘All-Sherlock-Holmes’ with this trick. Start small with your favourite room at your home and start assigning key spaces to important thoughts. Eg: Shower space could be an area that can be associated with personal secrets. Every item in our shower room could represent an information
29. Add at least ONE New Skill/Month to add to your professional career [MEMORY CREATION]
It can be as small as, learning a new tool that will make your life easy in your profession, to a certification that upgrades your professional stature. Keep exploring and let your mind be actively looking for opportunities. This way, you can get double benefits for your brain booster activities
30. Try doing some Neurobics [ESSENTIALS]
Pick an exercise from the list below and create your own routine, as these Neurobic exercises have proven benefits by improving spatial recognition and heightened sense of awareness to all age groups. Neurobics – is nothing more than mental (cognitive) exercises that help stimulate the neurons in the brain, which helps prevent memory loss, and improve memory recall.
- Start practicing to write with non-dominant hand
- Non-dominant hand music exercises
- Ear pinch squats
- Roam around your home blindfolded (whenever possible)
- Close your eyes and try taking a shower
- Start observing your breath and keep a mental count
31. Pamper yourself with Essential oils [ESSENTIALS]
Essential oils can awaken and heighten your senses thereby improving alertness of your brain. You will be refreshed every time you treat yourself with essential oils. That’s the brain’s way of saying thank you.
32. Start a DEBATE and choose the HOPELESS side and STRIVE to win [FUN + MEMORY RECALL]
This hack can very well be done with your friends and family. Strike a conversation and convert it into a debate with clear demarcation of sides. Trick to get the maximum benefit with this exercise is to CHOOSE THE HOPELESSLY WRONG SIDE of the argument and try making the best out of what is given. Eg: The argument could be as cliched as “DC vs Marvel” or as controversial as “LGBT acceptance” or “vegan philosophy”. This exercise will make sure you give enough reasoning push to your brain to keep it activated and alight.
33. Truly embrace your Inner artist [MEMORY CREATION]
Every human being has an artistic side to his / her life, it’s just that we would not have explored it ever or would be too afraid of what people would say if we do and go wrong. Dump that thought and pursue your inner artist, if you want you can do it during your free-time. Sing, draw, paint, sketch, dance, play – whatever your brain loves to do. Do it! Go ahead, your brain deserves this gift!
34. Go out and Socialize [MEMORY RECALL]
Not to sound cheesy, but socializing in one amazing memory exercise you can do sub-consciously to elevate your brain performance. Let us give you an example – try remembering all of the friends and their colleagues you met in the last 1 year. What was their name? What did you have together? Beer or coffee ? What did you talk about?. All that recollection is needed when you actively socialize and meet people frequently. Try it and you will be amazed by the results.
35. And finally – Spend quality time with family & friends [ ESSENTIAL + MEMORY RESCUE + CREATION + CONSOLIDATION + RECALL ]
This last hack is the most important of the all that we have listed. Spending quality time with your loved ones will help your brain from depression and lower hormonal cycle. This exercise will make sure you get your fair share of love back from whosoever it is meant to come from and your brain.
With these above brain & memory rescue exercises, practised at periodic levels (atleast 4-5 times a week for 20-30 minutes each day) one can easily supercharge your brain. For an advanced spine strengthening program you can check out our Heal your Back in 21 Days Free Guide.
Also do have a look at our DETAILED ANALYSIS & HONEST ATTEMPT to review “Unlock Your Hip Flexors” Program.
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