Boosting Memory Retention: Four Habits to Avoid, Advises UC Davis Psychologist

Charan Ranganath, a professor of psychology at the University of California, Davis, specializes in research on human memory. He recently highlighted in an article for CNBC Make It, several common mistakes that negatively impact our memory retention abilities.

Age-related brain structural changes affect, among other aspects, our cognitive and motor skills, as well as our memory. Prof. Ranganath, with an impressive 25-year trajectory researching this phenomenon, has identified four habits that gradually diminish our capacity to retain new information. Steering clear of these habits, he advises, could help “prevent forgetfulness” as we age.

1. Avoid excessive multitasking

The highly developed and intricate prefrontal cortex, positioned at the front of the brain, oversees functions such as reasoning, planning, decision-making, and working memory. This crucial brain area diminishes with age, ultimately affecting cognitive functions – including memory, concentration abilities, and sensory stimuli interpretation.

Multitasking, or juggling numerous tasks simultaneously, burdens the prefrontal cortex and can impair our memory efficacy. Practices such as meditation, enjoying walks in the fresh air, and concentrating on single tasks at a time can help lessen the adverse effects of multitasking overload.

2. Neglecting sleep quality

Although sleep might seem like a passive state, it's quite the contrary. "Inside our bodies, especially the brain, significant activity occurs as it labors to eliminate metabolic wastes accumulated over the day, activates memories, and forms new connections between daily events," according to CNBC Make It.

Poor sleep quality can imperil the prefrontal cortex leading to fragmented memory creation. It's recommended to avoid lengthy screen time before sleep, as well as consuming substantial meals, caffeine, and alcohol close to bedtime.

3. Engaging in monotonous activities

Our episodic memory, which helps store and recount personal experiences, works best when it can link details of a specific event with strong associated cues, like particular smells or sounds.

Immersing ourselves too often in repetitive tasks, like sitting at a desk dealing exclusively with emails, results in fewer varied experiences than those gained through diverse interpersonal interactions, discovering new places, or trying new activities.

4. Overestimating memory capabilities

We've likely all experienced the confidence of remembering a new acquaintance's name, only to forget it later.

“If you're keen to remember something, say, when meeting a new group or tackling a new language, remember you're probably overestimating your memory capacity,” Prof. Ranganath points out.

Rather than relying solely on rote memorization, adopting a technique that encourages more sustained learning efforts is beneficial. "Test yourself a few minutes after acquiring new information, then repeat the process an hour later. The more distributed these rehearsal sessions are over time, the better," he recommends.