9 tactics to build a stronger mind | Lisa Genova

Summary

Neuroscientist and author Lisa Genova explores the science of memory and forgetting in her book 'Remember.' She reassures that most forgetfulness is normal and offers strategies to strengthen memory, such as paying attention, managing stress through yoga and meditation, ensuring adequate sleep, and using caffeine wisely. Genova also discusses techniques like association, repetition, writing down memories, and self-testing to enhance recall. She emphasizes the importance of accepting memory's imperfections as part of being human.

Takeaways

• 🧠 Forgetting is a normal part of being human, and most instances of it are not signs of mental weakness or failing memory.
• 🔍 Attention is the first essential ingredient in creating a memory that lasts longer than the present moment.
• 🚫 Chronic stress is detrimental to memory, as it can lead to the shrinking of the hippocampus and inhibit neurogenesis.
• 🧘 Combating stress through activities like yoga, meditation, mindfulness, and exercise can restore the size of the hippocampus.
• 👁️ A simple nine-second meditation technique can help restore cortisol levels and aid memory retention.
• 💤 Sleep is crucial for memory; it's a time when the brain is biologically active, consolidating information into lasting memories.
• ☕ Caffeine can be beneficial for memory as it increases attention, but it should not compromise sleep quality.
• 🤔 Our brains are not naturally designed to remember abstract concepts like people's names easily.
• 🔗 Associating names with vivid imagery or concepts can help reinforce memory and make it easier to recall.
• 🔁 Repetition and practice of memories strengthen neural connections, making them more retrievable.
• ✍️ Writing down experiences or tasks can reinforce memories and provide a means to revisit them later.
• 📝 Using to-do lists and calendars can be a practical way to aid prospective memory and is not a sign of memory decline.
• 📚 Self-testing by trying to recall information consolidates it into memory, making it stronger through repeated neural activity.
• 🔍 Looking up words that are on the tip of your tongue is not cheating and does not weaken memory; it's a normal part of memory retrieval.
• 🌟 The human memory is both amazing and imperfect, and embracing its imperfections is part of being human.

Q & A

What is the general public's common concern regarding memory?

People are worried about their memory, often blaming themselves for absent-mindedness and forgetting important details or names, which they may associate with mental weakness or a failing memory.

What does Lisa Genova suggest is the percentage of normal forgetfulness among people?

Lisa Genova states that 99% of forgetting that happens to all of us is normal, indicating that occasional forgetfulness is a natural part of human experience.

Who is Lisa Genova and what is her profession?

Lisa Genova is an author and neuroscientist who has written a book titled 'Remember: The Science of Memory, and the Art of Forgetting.'

What is the first essential ingredient in creating a memory that lasts longer than the present moment?

The first essential ingredient in creating a lasting memory is attention. Without paying attention to an event or an object, such as placing glasses down without noticing, the memory is not formed.

How does chronic stress affect memory and the brain?

Chronic stress is detrimental to memory because it causes the continuous release of stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, which can lead to the shrinking of the hippocampus and inhibit neurogenesis, thus negatively impacting memory formation.

What activities can help combat the negative effects of chronic stress on memory?

Activities such as yoga, meditation, mindfulness, and exercise have been shown to restore the size of the hippocampus in people who have been chronically stressed, thus helping to improve memory.

Can you explain the nine-second meditation technique mentioned by Lisa Genova?

The nine-second meditation technique involves closing your eyes, breathing in through your nose to the count of four, holding it for a second, and then breathing out through your nose to the count of four. This helps restore cortisol levels and promote a sense of safety.

Why is sleep important for memory and what happens if you don't get enough sleep?

Sleep is crucial for memory as it allows the brain to be biologically active, particularly in the consolidation of new information into lasting memories. Insufficient sleep can impair the hippocampus's ability to form these memories, leading to difficulties in recalling recent events or learned information.

How does caffeine impact memory and what is the caution regarding its consumption?

Caffeine is beneficial for memory as it increases attention, which in turn boosts memory. However, it's important not to let caffeine consumption compromise sleep, as sleep is essential for memory formation.

What is the 'Baker-Baker Paradox' in psychology and how can it be used to improve memory for names?

The 'Baker-Baker Paradox' refers to the difficulty of remembering abstract concepts like names. To improve memory for names, one can create associations with the name, such as picturing a baker with an apron and flour on his face, which helps in forming stronger neural connections.

Why is repetition important for memory reinforcement and what are some ways to repeat a memory?

Repetition is important for memory reinforcement because it strengthens neural connections and makes the neural circuit stronger, leading to easier retrieval of the memory. Writing down experiences in a journal or using to-do lists and calendar alerts are effective ways to repeat and reinforce memories.

What is the significance of self-testing in consolidating information into memory?

Self-testing is significant in consolidating information into memory because it involves both putting information in and recalling it, which reinforces the memory by traveling over the neural circuits in both directions.

Why is having a word stuck on the tip of your tongue considered a normal memory retrieval glitch?

Having a word stuck on the tip of your tongue is a normal memory retrieval glitch due to the way our brains are organized. It does not indicate a memory problem, and looking up the word does not cause digital amnesia or weaken memory.

What message does Lisa Genova want the audience to take away regarding memory?

Lisa Genova wants the audience to understand that memory is amazing and limitless in its capacity to remember, provided it is supplied with the right kind of information and tools. She also emphasizes that memory's imperfections are a natural part of being human and that forgetting is normal.