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- Did you know? Dual N-Back Increases IQ
Memory Improvement Tips Blog
Welcome to my blog page at Memory-Improvement-Tips.com. Subscribe or check below regularly to see what's new on this site.
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I update this site frequently with new tools, resources, and tricks for improving your memory. So be sure to come back and visit often!
Feb 4, 2012
Memorizing with Images
I spent a few hours today strolling through my local natural history museum admiring the exhibits. Of course, I also took the opportunity to memorize interesting facts about minerals, fossils, technology, etc. It was quite fun.
The basic technique underlying many powerful memory techniques is what I call visualization & association. That's what I used primarily today. Essentially, you associate silly, memorable mental pictures with the sound of the fact you want to remember. This creates a powerful mental hook (the image) that helps you remember the fact later.
Most people remember images much better than abstract facts. (For instance, you can easily picture the layout and contents of any room in your house without even trying.) Visualization and association leverages this truth about human memory to create "mental hooks" that you can use to retrieve information from long-term memory later.
Scientists say the main problem with memory isn't the encoding step or storage step. It's in the retrieval step. Tying silly mental images to the facts you want to remember adds that extra label or hook to the information so down the road you can fish it out of your memory banks more easily.
The next time you want or need to memorize an unfriendly abstract fact - turn it into a silly, memorable image!
Feb 3, 2012
List of Free Memory Games
I've added a page that lists all the free memory games on my site in one place. If you're looking for brain games that train your short-term memory or your ability to memorize lists, patterns, locations of items, or people's faces, be sure to check it out!
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Jan 28, 2012
Absentminded SGT
This has been one of my most difficult challenges and I suppose the ironic part of it is that I go through upswings where I remember things better than
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Jan 21, 2012
Backgammon - I've added a better version
Just wanted to let everyone know - I've replaced the "Easy Backgammon" game with a much better version.
As more than one visitor had pointed out, the old backgammon game did not handle doubles correctly. It also did not let you choose a level of difficulty.
The new version allows you to choose "easy" or "hard" level of play. It manages doubles correctly and follows the other rules of backgammon properly.
The new backgammon has a 15-second advertisement at the beginning, but the game itself is very well done. I think you'll enjoy it!
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Jan 17, 2012
Lumosity complaints
I was reading about Lumosity online brain training and found complaints related to subscription cancellation and customer service. Any input? Thanks.
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Jan 8, 2012
Post-Stroke Memory Tips
I have four: 1. Organizing the materials for my next project and putting them somewhere where I'll see them reminds me of the next task I want to accomplish.
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Jan 4, 2012
Forgetting faces
I seem to forget the faces of people I meet. Recently I went to a new place for a hair cut, the barber and I got talking and had a nice friendly chat during
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Jan 3, 2012
Vitamins for age-related memory loss?
I am 70 years old and am experiencing age-related memory loss. Would you recommend 2-3 vitamins that you consider the best? Thanks very much, Larry
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Dec 26, 2011
Aqua Bubble Game - Play Free Now
Free version of the Aqua Bubble game, a popular internet bubble-popping game. Shoot colored bubbles to make three of a kind and clear each level.
This game trains concentration and rapid decision making. Strengthening these skills can improve performance while at work, when studying, and during everyday tasks.
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Dec 8, 2011
Free Bubble Breaker Game - Bubble Hit
Bubble Hit is a fun bubble breaker game that strengthens concentration. Shoot colored bubbles to make three-or-mores and clear the screen.
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Dec 3, 2011
Brain Racer - Free Math Flash Game
This Brain Racer math flash game makes reviewing math facts fun! Get to the finish line first by solving basic math problems quickly.
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Nov 29, 2011
Can Speed Reading Increase Comprehension?
Contrary to expectation, my foray into speed reading seems to have increased my reading comprehension.
Lately I've been learning to speed read. (See "Speed Reading Tip" below.) I assumed my comprehension would go down the faster I read. Instead, what I've found is that I'm understanding and remembering the material much better.
My insight: reading too slowly lowers comprehension because your mind literally gets bogged down by the words on the page. Try reading the paragraphs below at a snail's pace, with lots of pauses. You may see what I mean.
When I read quickly, the ideas expressed in the writing seem to come through louder and clearer. The impression I get as I speed read (using my finger as a pacer) is that my mind focuses more on absorbing meaning and less on parsing actual sentence structure.
In addition, faster reading stitches material closer in time. It's as if when reading slowly I have a tendency to forget connections from previous paragraphs or pages - because they were read too long ago (relatively). This "delay" makes it harder to connect what I'm reading at the moment with story lines/arguments presented earlier.
The best way to remember a novel is to read it straight through. The worst is to read a page a day, or allow days or weeks to lapse as you read through parts. You must get the material into your mind within a reasonably period for it to hang together.
Obviously you can read too fast. There is a point of diminishing returns. But I'm quite surprised and pleased to discover that speeding things up to a certain degree helps me remember the content better.
The elimination of unnecessary and distracting fixations and regressions via the finger pacer is clearly instrumental in achieving this effect.
Nov 20, 2011
Dual N-Back Benefits Are Long Lasting
I was startled by the result of today's Dual N-Back brain training session. Even though I'd skipped a couple weeks of training, my n-back memory score actually went up!
The benefits of dual n-back training thus appear to be relatively long lasting. In fact, my score today (1078, N level 3.30), broke my previous high score by more than 8 percent (997, N level 3.15).
The Dual N-Back exercise is the only brain game ever demonstrated by research to raise a person's IQ, through increases in working memory and fluid intelligence. In other words, studies show that improvements in this game transfer to general intelligence.
Want a more powerful brain? Complete 20 sessions of the free Dual N-Back game on my site every day. (Takes about 20 minutes.) It's the very best brain training exercise known to science.
My busy schedule knocked me out of the habit temporarily. But today's result reminded me how powerful Dual N-Back really is. The game is not "fun" by any means, but I am now more determined than ever to make Dual N-Back training a permanent, daily habit.
Nov 18, 2011
Brain Games Troubleshooting
Over the next few days, I'll be optimizing the free brain games to improve performance. If you have any trouble loading the games during this time, please try the following:
1. While viewing the game page, press the F5 key on your keyboard. This will refresh your browser and update the code.
2. Try opening the game on a different browser. For example, if you normally use FireFox, try the game on Google Chrome.
If the steps above don't work and you still have trouble with a game, feel free to send me a message through the form on my Contact Me page.
In your message, include as many details about the problem as you can (such as browser name, any error messages or blank screens, time of day, etc.). This will help me troubleshoot the issue.
Nov 16, 2011
Speed Reading Tip
Lately I've been working through the speed reading course "Breakthrough Rapid Reading," by Peter Kump. Here's a powerful tip to increase your reading speed:
Use your finger as a reading "pacer".
Don't children point at words when they read? Why go back to that?
Because it solves two big problems:
1) Eye fixations
2) Regressions
Read this paragraph slowly. Pay attention to your eye movements. Your eyes do not glide smoothly. They jump from word to word. These pauses, these "fixations", decrease your reading rate.
"Regressions" also slow you down. The next time you read a book or other long material, notice how often you re-read sentences. Going back to re-read is a regression.
Regressions occur because you did not absorb the first time. Unnecessary regressions waste time, decreasing your overall reading speed.
Reading with your finger as a pacer eliminates fixations. (Try it, you'll see). It also decreases regressions.
I point with my index finger. Some people use their whole hand. Either way, sweep your finger or hand under the words as you read them.
Use your finger as a built-in speed-reading tool. You'll likely double your reading speed or better.
Nov 11, 2011
Free Bubble Pop Game - Bubble Trouble!
Bubble Trouble is a bubble pop game that trains concentration and reaction time. Burst all the bubbles on each level with your arrows, but don't let any bubbles touch you.
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Oct 22, 2011
Angry Bird Game - Play Free Now
Angry Birds first swept the mobile world. Now here is a free internet version of the Angry Bird game you can play on your computer.
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Oct 18, 2011
Coma leads to short-term memory loss
I was in a coma for three months and my short term memory is shot and getting worse as the years go by. I'm learning to be proactive about it though.
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Oct 16, 2011
All teeth pulled, affecting memory?
I had all my teeth pulled last year. Could this be why I can't remember things I should remember? That's when my problem started. Doug's Reply. Surprisingly,
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Oct 12, 2011
Use video games to place things in order
I like to play Call of Duty. I know the maps by heart because I have absorbed them by playing them over and over again. It takes no time at all to call
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