The brain’s complexity and aiding one’s memory

How’s your brain?

While we don’t often stop to think about our thinking, the reality is that countless automatic processes are happening every day, enabling us to speak, walk, drive a car, or do whatever we may be doing.

The human brain is a complex, fascinating organ, much of which we don’t fully understand. It controls thought, memory, emotion, touch and more. Here are a few interesting facts about the brain, courtesy of Dent Neurologic Institute.

– About 75% of the brain is made up of water. This means that even a slight dehydration, as small as 2%, can have a huge impact on the brain’s ability to function. Dehydration and a loss of sodium and electrolytes can cause acute changes in memory and attention.

– The human brain contains about 100 million neurons, about the same as the number of stars in the Milky Way galaxy. Neurons move information at different speeds. The fastest speed for information to pass between neurons is about 250 mph. That being said, neurons only make up 10% of the brain.

– It is a myth that humans only use 10% of our brain. We actually use all of it. We’re even using more than 10% when we sleep. Although it’s true that at any given moment all of the brain’s regions are not concurrently firing, brain researchers using imaging technology have shown that, like the body’s muscles, most are continually active over a 24-hour period.

– The brain can’t feel pain. There are no pain receptors in the brain itself. But the meninges (coverings around the brain), periosteum (coverings on the bones), and the scalp all have pain receptors. Surgery can be done on the brain and technically the brain does not feel that pain.

– The human brain gets smaller as we get older. The brain keeps developing until you are in your late 40s. It is the only organ in the human body to undergo development for such a long time. Around mid-life, the brain will begin to shrink. However, size doesn’t matter in the brain. There is no evidence that a larger brain is smarter than a smaller one.

– The brain is a random thought generator In 2005, the National Science Foundation published an article regarding research about human thoughts per day. The average person has about 12,000 to 60,000 thoughts per day. Of those, 95% are exactly the same repetitive thoughts as the day before and about 80% are negative. Don’t ask me how they calculated this. But if it is indeed accurate, imagine how our lives could change if we turned even half of those negative thoughts into positive ones? Along the lines of research concerning the brain, I came across an article that shared an interesting technique on how to remember things better. The technique involves using a formula based on the Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve. Hermann Ebbinghaus (1850-1909) was a German psychologist considered a pioneer in the study of memory. His Forgetting Curve suggests that people tend to continually halve their memory of newly learned knowledge in a matter of days or weeks unless they actively review the learned material.

The Forgetting Curve uses a one-hour lecture as its basis.

As Scott Mautz, author and speaker on workplace motivation, writes for Inc., “The curve is at its highest point (the most information retained) right after the one-hour lecture. One day after the lecture, if you've done nothing with the material, you'll have

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lost between 50 and 80 percent of it from your memory.

“By day seven, that erodes to about 10 percent retained, and by day 30, the information is virtually gone (only 2-3 percent retained). After this, without any intervention, you’ll likely need to relearn the material from scratch.”

However, the curve can be reversed by strategically timed review sessions after receiving new information. Ebbinghaus’ formula indicates that you should spend at least 10 minutes reviewing the material within 24 hours of having received it, which will raise curve back up to almost 100%. Then, seven days later, spend five minutes on the material to “reactivate” the memory and raise the curve. Then on day 30, it should only take two to four minutes to “reactivate” the material and again raise the curve.

The idea is, by investing 20 minutes total at specific intervals, you can continue to retain the information a month later. Monthly refreshers after that will help keep the material in your mind.

I don’t have firsthand experience with this method, but Mautz swears by it. He listened to two lectures, and for one he took detailed notes and reviewed the material at the suggested intervals, while for the other he just sat and listened. After a month, he remembered nearly all of the first lecture while none of the second.

At the very least, the Ebbinghaus formula supports the idea that it’s not necessarily the length of the review sessions but rather the frequency of them that matters more. Could be worth a shot, anyway. If you try this, let me know how it goes.

There are also some basic, science-based tips anyone can follow to improve their memory. Per Mayo Clinic, these include: 1. Exercise. Physical activity increases blood flow to the brain.

2. Stay mentally active. Whether it’s crossword puzzles, Sudoku, reading, learning a new skill or playing an instrument, all of these will help you stay sharp.

3. Spend time with others, which will reduce depression and stress.

4. Stay organized. Cut down on clutter – physical and mental. Keeping a to-do list can help. Focus on what you can control.

5. Sleep well. Not getting enough sleep has been linked to memory loss. So has restless or disruptive sleep.

6. Eat a healthy diet. A well-balanced diet provides the brain the nutrients it needs. Don’t forget about staying hydrated.

7. Manage chronic health problems. Follow your health care provider's advice for dealing with medical conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, hearing loss and obesity. The better you take care of yourself, the better your memory is likely to be.