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Remember More, Feed the Hippo
by Steven Rudolph
January 25, 2008
The mind has an incredible ability to remember things. The
brain has more than 100 billion brain cells (neurons)--many
of which are used in storing information. And most
scientists agree that we use only a fraction of our brain's
full capacity. With so many available neurons, it appears as
though our brains were naturally wired to learn--and that we
could be learning far far more than we typically do.
But if our brains have so much potential, why do we have
such a hard time remembering certain things? And why do we
tend to be so forgetful? One answer lies in the hippocampus,
a part of the brain that acts as a filter, making decisions
about what to commit to memory and what to ignore. When we
learn something new, the hippocampus goes to work, taking
that information from 'short-term memory' and encoding it
into 'long-term memory'. The more stimulated the
hippocampus, the greater its ability to store those details
in your brain for later recall.
So how do you get the hippocampus turned on? First, you must
direct your learning. You must become motivated and convince
yourself that something is worth knowing. When you do so,
extra blood is pumped into the hippocampus, which enlists
more brain cells in the job. Second, you need to oxygenate
the brain cells. This can be achieved through deep
breathing, drinking plenty of water and physical exercise.
Third, you need to connect the new neurons to as many other
neurons as possible. Merely trying to mug something up does
not help the brain integrate that new information. Instead,
you need to analyse the new information, see how it connects
to other things that you know, discuss it and even make use
of it. This mental weaving connects neurons to each other,
securing their existence for the long term. If you don't
follow these steps, the hippocampus will not be able to
summon enough brain cells to make a lasting impression.
(This accounts for those times where something goes 'in one
ear and out the other.')
Lastly, you need to maintain the health of the neurons that
have been imbued with knew knowledge. A neuron has the
ability to live for over 100 years, however, it must be used
and exercised actively--otherwise it will die--taking the
information along with it. The key Law of Learning here is
'Use It or Lose It'. You can ensure neurons survive by doing
things like reading, solving puzzles and learning new things
(such as musical instruments or languages).
So when it comes to increasing and maintaining your memory,
you can feel confident knowing that the mind has no limits.
But if you truly want to expand its horizons, you must
remember one important tip: feed the 'hippo'.
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