5 Curiosities About Memory

Memory. Infinite entity that defines us and builds our life, there where we keep our experiences and our being, what we are and what identifies us. There are many who define it as “a large warehouse”, but in reality, it is a kind of bottomless and limitless drawer. The information that we can store in our memory is infinite, but yes, what is stored is not always accessible.

We therefore explain some curiosities that will surely be of interest to you …

1. FORGET TO LEARN

This statement may surprise you. If before we have indicated that memory is unlimited, why should we forget any information? Basically because the brain has a principle of basic economy: it decides, simply, “to keep more to the bottom” what does not serve us. Why do we have to remember the color of the shirt of the man who sold us the magazine at the newsstand? Why do we have to remember what we had for breakfast on the last Sunday of last month? All of this takes priority away from what is truly important.

We do not erase information, what the brain does is put it in a less accessible place. Let’s take a simple example. Today you have an important appointment, a job interview, or a presentation of a study or even an exam. Your mind is focused on it, your memory is therefore focused on that important aspect. But just when you are going to leave the house you realize that you are not carrying your cell phone. Why have you forgotten? Because your memory at that time had other aspects as a priority and not precisely remembering that you had left your mobile on the bedside table.

2. MEMORIES ARE NOT LOST

This information is related to what we have previously indicated. Nothing is forgotten, it just hides and is stored very-very-very deep in our memory. Sometimes a smell is enough to evoke a sudden memory of childhood, for example, a fact that we almost thought we had forgotten. It is something very common, surely it has happened to you more than once …

3. DO NOT TRUST YOUR MEMORY AT ALL

Sometimes our memory is not very reliable. And even more so if it refers to very past events. The brain sometimes introduces small changes and even invented memories, they are small brushstrokes of our own inventive harvest, which we include almost without realizing it. Memory is not like a camera that records perfectly. Only people who suffer from hypermnesia are able to perfectly evoke every detail and the smallest aspect. Something exhausting at times.

4. BEWARE OF STRESS

Stress, and the cortisol that we secrete in these periods of high stress and anxiety, directly affect our brain structures related to memory. We have to take it into account. For example, it has been seen that people who have suffered long periods of stress have a slightly smaller hippocampus. There are also fewer neural connections … that is, our concentration is reduced and it is difficult for us to store memories. The lower our mood, the more often our memory fails.

5. THE MEMORY IS RELATED TO THE CONTEXT

It sure has happened to you sometime. You remember a phrase, a word, and immediately you can even remember where you heard it. When you are preparing for an exam, you also remember where you were when you were studying a certain topic.
Or even more, you even remember with what color you underlined the words of the text. The curious thing about memory is that it is closely related to contexts, images and also colors. Hence, for example, the classic post-it notes always have those attractive shades.

If you are a student or have to prepare an important exam, keep in mind that it is not highly recommended to always study in the same place, in the same room. If we change the scene, we offer a new stimulus to the brain and the information will settle better: one day in the library, another in the park, another in the living room, another on the terrace… see different scenarios. And it also uses colored sheets.

Another important fact is that memory remembers pictures better than words, hence when remembering certain study material, it is recommended that you use the diagrams. A well-organized, brief and schematic information will be well remembered.

Also keep in mind that after 35 or 40 minutes of study, the level of attention drops and memory decreases its peak. It is therefore time to take a break. And remember to rest and sleep well. Our brain needs us to sleep properly in order to reorganize each memory, each piece of information!