Ways to Prevent Short Term Memory Loss

Short-term memory refers to information that your brain stores for a short period of time, sometimes for just minutes. Maintaining your short term memory requires regularly challenging your brain with games and puzzles as well as keeping your body healthy. Other techniques can be used to help retain information and prevent short-term memory loss.

A Healthy Lifestyle

• Eating nutritious foods can help increase your brain function, which will decrease short-term memory problems. Physical exercise also increases brain function even as it improves other parts of your body. Mental exercises like crossword puzzles and brain teasers are helpful, too. Keeping your brain in good shape will help to prevent short-term memory loss. Getting enough sleep is also important in maintaining your memory.

Repetition

• Repeating something several times can help you remember it in the short term. For example repeating a phone number again and again will help you remember it long enough to dial it. You may not remember it long-term, but you will remember it for the moment you need it.

Remember Numbers or Items in Groups

• Organizing information into groups makes it easier to remember that information. The human mind can usually remember five to nine items, according to Memory Loss Online. If you break a 15 digit number into three groups of five digits, it will be much easier to remember.

Write Things Down

• Putting things you want to remember on paper will help prevent you from forgetting them. This is true even if you don't go back and read the paper later. Just the act of writing the information helps to solidify it in your brain.