How our memories work and how to strengthen them, shows a show on “Deutsche Welle”, reported NOVA .
The brain remembers thousands of things, but in order to be sure that it will not forget what it has learned, the information remains in it only if it leaves a trace in the memory.
A memory trace is something that is created immediately because you start encoding something. And when you start encoding something, a circuit is set in motion at the synapse level, ie. at the molecular level of the brain, through long-term potentiation. This is how memory is formed. We really have to concentrate on the subject we are studying. The mere presence of a cell phone distracts me and takes some of the brain's capacity. It is more effective to study in a quiet room, with as few other distractions as possible, rather than in the library. This is how we focus on the essentials.
If your attention is focused on multiple things, the learning effect will be reduced because you cannot use your full attention capacity. The brain learns most effectively when several impressions are linked together. When I learn on a screen, I only have the written word. With a book I have an additional contribution. How the paper feels, and where the information is located, for example in the upper right corner. That's a lot, a lot of math. for example, in the upper right corner of the page. Taking handwritten notes or drawing a diagram of study material engages different senses and creates additional memory traces. People who can memorize vast amounts of material create a semantic framework around the content they memorize.
If they learn vocabulary and only learn verbs, it is much more difficult than if they memorize both nouns and adjectives and build them into a story. Another important point is repetition.
Memory traces become strong and lasting only if you revisit the topic the next day,
whether they are words, facts or formulas. It is known that people forget the most in the first 24 hours. 50% of everything we learn will be forgotten in the next 24 hours.
If you want to consolidate what you have learned or negotiate it so that you have it for a longer time,
i.e. to create a permanent and long-term memory, then repetition will enhance the effect.
To work well, I need vitamins and minerals, but above all, lots of carbohydrates and amino acids, and enough sleep.