DON'T FORGET TO REMEMBER

...put your memory to work: Secrets to success from a Memory Champion

Everyone uses their memory at some point during their workday. Whether you are a teacher, stay-at-home mom, medical professional, skilled labourer, restaurant server, or specialise in another craft, your hippocampus — the part of the brain that supports short-term memory — is critical for remembering important appointments, names and even where you parked your car.

A recent survey conducted by NMI Research and DSM Nutritional Products found that 84 per cent of more than 1,000 respondents ranked ‘memory’ as being the most important occupational skill. Other top ranking skills include problem solving (85 per cent) and organisational skills (87 per cent). 

Nelson Dellis, 28, two-time USA Memory Champion, works as a memory consultant by day. Dellis went on to win the 2012 USA Memory Championship after memorising and recalling 303 random digits in less than five minutes. 

“Many people ask me what’s the secret to memorising random names, faces, numbers and shopping lists, among many other things,” says Dellis. “I’m not super human; I’m a typical everyday guy who incorporates the right mix of lifestyle factors to help support my brain and memory health. These lifestyle factors include giving my memory a workout, eating brain-healthy foods and exercising.”

Dellis has a few secrets to his success that can be easily incorporated into your daily routine to help support the health of your hippocampus.

Tip 1:

Exercise your hippocampus. Engage in brain-stimulating activities, including reading, creating art, completing crosswords, learning a new language or playing a new instrument.

Tip 2:

Focus and make it interesting. When trying to remember a person’s name, associate it with an image. Make the image interesting and visualise the image on the person’s shoulder or on the top of their head. The more outrageous the image, the better chance that you’ll remember their name.

Tip 3:

Eat a brain-healthy diet. Foods rich in DHA omega-3 help support overall brain health and memory function. Try eating DHA-rich fish (salmon, trout, tuna) or, if you’re vegetarian or want a sustainable source of DHA, try algal DHA-fortified foods and beverages or an algal DHA supplement.

Tip 4:

Give your body a workout. Engage in physical activity for at least 30 minutes a day to encourage new brain cells and connections to form.

Dellis exercises regularly and is preparing to climb Mount Everest in early 2013.