Finding information on how to improve memory for exams is crucial if you are struggling to memorise the study materials. You need to be able to retain a vast amount of information, so you can use your knowledge as a tool to succeed in passing tests.
It is sometimes said that people are born naturally intelligent and talented. But science has proven that your intelligence level is never set. You can do activities to help improve your intelligence and your brain speed.
Creating memories in your mind means that your brain has to be running at optimal levels, keeping busy and focused. However, if you are missing out on sleep, using caffeine or taking brain supplements, then you could be doing more damage to your brain than good. Doing all of these activities will leave you fatigued, resulting in a decrease of memory power.
To help your brain retain information, you need to be eating a healthy balanced diet and get enough sleep. Remember, a healthy body equals a healthy mind. Outside of these tips, there are additional ways on how to improve your memory for exams.
Below are some healthy tips on how to improve your memory for exams that work.
MEDITATE
Our first tip on how to improve memory for exams is to meditate. Meditation has been used for thousands of years among many civilisations to clear the mind and create focus. But did you know that it can also help you improve your memory? According to the Eco Institute, meditation can help to improve your brain power, memory and intelligence. It is a useful memory technique that is free and easy to do.
Meditation stimulates the brain and opens up new neural pathways, giving you access to both your right and left brain hemispheres. This helps your brain work at optimal levels which equates to higher information absorption, focus and memory retention. If you want to give meditation a go but you are not sure on how to do it, try out a meditation app.
Get creative with mind mapping and colouring in
You might remember creating a few mind maps in class. Mind mapping can be used beyond classroom environments, including for your studies. It is even used in the workplace as a way to visually brainstorm and communicate ideas. Mind mapping can help you retain information by drawing connections between different subject points. Because many people are visual learners, the visual element will help information absorb faster than plain text. It can take as little as 2 minutes to write up a detailed mind map, that can show you connections that you have never discovered before.
If you don’t want to hand draw out your mind map, there are plenty of digital alternatives that you can use to create them. You can even download an app to your phone, so that you can mind map any time, anywhere.
Hand drawing, decorating and colouring important points is also a great way to help you visually memorise important points. Highlighting keywords, designing acronyms and drawing diagrams are all great ways of implementing this tip and can be a lot of fun. Making it a great excuse to get out those highlighters, coloured pencils and gel pens!
Consider creating a study journal so that all of your drawings and mind maps are consolidated into one book. This will make it easier to review your points when you need to.
Exercise
Exercise helps improve blood flow throughout your body and to your brain. According to research completed by the Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, just 20 minutes worth of running helps to activate cell production in the hippocampus of the brain. This part of the brain is associated with creating new memories and learning information.
We recommend exercising before you study to activate your brain. Then once you start, take regular breaks to keep your brain activated and blood flow in your body. This will help you stay awake and focused.
Play focus music
A quiet study area can be a bad thing, especially if you’re fighting boredom or fatigue. Playing focus music can help you stay awake during these times. We recommend music that will act as background noise, instead of music that has distracting lyrics that will prevent you from concentrating. Classical music such as Mozart and Bach is highly recommended as this will give you pleasant background noise while not interrupting your studies.
Use acronyms
When remembering phrases and terms, inventing acronyms is an excellent way to absorb pieces of information and retain it for when you sit down for your exam. ‘Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally’ is a more mainstream example of how acronyms can be used. This one is used for remembering PEDMAS, which stands for parenthesis, exponents, multiplication, division, addition and subtraction. Try creating some the next time you are studying for an exam and see how it helps.
We hope you have found some useful tips on how to improve memory for exams in this article. For more information, check out our news page where we regularly post information, insights and helpful resources to help you get optimal marks on your tests.
If you need help to accelerate your learning, tutoring can give you the best advantage to excel in your subjects. At C3 Education Group, we specialise in tutoring for all levels and a variety of subjects. We have a large number of students who have achieved high marks in their exams and achieved their learning goals through tutoring with us.
To book your first tutoring lesson with us or to ask us any questions, get in touch via our contact page. Our friendly customer service staff will be more than happy to help you.
