How to Increase Memory Power: 10 Science-Backed Ways
You study for hours, close the book, and two days later most of it is gone. That is frustrating, but it is also normal. The good news: memory power is not fixed. How well you remember depends far more on how you learn, sleep and focus than on the brain you were born with.
This guide ranks ten habits by how much difference they make, explains why each one works, and ends with a 7-day plan you can start today.
Quick Answer: How to Increase Memory Power
To increase memory power, change the way you practise remembering. Three habits have the strongest evidence:
- Test yourself instead of rereading your notes.
- Spread your revision over several days instead of cramming.
- Sleep enough: at least 7 hours for adults and 8 to 10 hours for teenagers.
Support these with regular exercise, fewer distractions, simple memory techniques, a balanced diet and lower stress. Supplements and brain-training games have much weaker evidence, so treat them as optional at best.
Can You Really Increase Your Memory Power?
Yes, within honest limits. “Memory power” is everyday language for how well you take in, keep and bring back information. Psychologists describe this as three stages.
| Stage | What it means | What improves it |
|---|---|---|
| Encoding | Getting information into your brain | Full attention, understanding, linking new ideas to old ones |
| Storage | Keeping it over time (moving it from short-term to long-term memory) | Sleep, spaced revision |
| Retrieval | Bringing it back when you need it | Self-testing, practice questions, memory cues |
Here is the limit. You probably cannot make the raw capacity of your working memory much bigger. What you can improve a great deal is how well information reaches long-term memory and how easily you recall it. For students and working adults, that is the part that matters.
Is It Your Memory or Your Attention?
Many people who think they have a weak memory actually have an attention or method problem. Use this quick check:
- You forget something you read while checking your phone. That is an attention problem. The information was never encoded.
- You understood it in class but cannot recall it a week later. That is a revision problem. You did not revisit it.
- You know it at home but go blank in the exam. That is a retrieval problem, often made worse by stress and short sleep.
- Your forgetfulness is new, getting worse, or affecting daily life. See the section on when to talk to a doctor.
If you are curious about how your thinking compares with your age, our free mental age test is a light-hearted place to start, and this guide explains how mental age is calculated. Neither is a memory diagnosis.
Why You Forget What You Study
Forgetting is the brain’s default. In the 1880s the psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus showed that new information fades fastest in the first hours and days, then more slowly. This pattern is known as the forgetting curve. Unless you revisit the material, most of it goes.
Three study habits make this worse:
- Rereading. Reading a page again makes it feel familiar. Familiar is not the same as remembered. You recognise the words but cannot produce them from a blank page.
- Cramming. One long session the night before fills short-term memory. Very little of it lasts.
- Divided attention. Notifications, music with lyrics and multitasking interrupt encoding.
A major review of ten study techniques by Dunlosky and colleagues, published in Psychological Science in the Public Interest, rated only two as highly useful: practice testing and distributed (spaced) practice. Rereading and highlighting, the methods most students rely on, did not consistently improve performance (Association for Psychological Science).
10 Ways to Increase Memory Power
The list is ordered by impact for someone who wants to remember what they learn. The evidence rating is our reading of the sources linked in this article, not an official score.
| # | Habit | Mainly improves | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Test yourself (active recall) | Retrieval | Strong |
| 2 | Space out revision | Storage | Strong |
| 3 | Sleep 7 to 9 hours | Storage | Strong |
| 4 | Cut distractions | Encoding | Good |
| 5 | Exercise regularly | Brain health | Good |
| 6 | Mnemonics, chunking, memory palace | Encoding and retrieval | Good for lists and facts |
| 7 | Explain it in your own words | Encoding | Moderate |
| 8 | Eat for your brain | Brain health | Moderate, long term |
| 9 | Manage stress | Retrieval | Moderate |
| 10 | Stay organised and keep learning | Everyday memory | Moderate |
1. Test Yourself Instead of Rereading
Active recall means pulling information out of your head without looking. Each successful attempt strengthens the memory and shows you exactly what you do not know yet.
How to do it:
- Study one topic for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Close the book. On a blank page, write everything you can remember.
- Open the book and mark what you missed or got wrong.
- Repeat only the missed parts.
Flashcards, past papers and end-of-chapter questions work the same way. Free apps such as Anki and Quizlet can handle the cards for you. It will feel harder than rereading. That difficulty is the point.
2. Space Out Your Revision
Spaced repetition means revisiting material at widening gaps, just as you are about to forget it. Harvard Health notes that repetition works best when it is properly timed, with increasingly longer periods between reviews, rather than many repeats in a short burst (Harvard Health Publishing).
A practical starting schedule:
| Review | When | What to do | Time needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Learn | Day 0 | Study, then do one blank-page recall | 30 to 45 minutes |
| 1st review | Day 1 | Recall from memory, check gaps | 10 minutes |
| 2nd review | Day 3 | Recall again, practise questions | 10 minutes |
| 3rd review | Day 7 | Mixed questions from the topic | 10 minutes |
| 4th review | Day 14 to 30 | Past-paper style test | 15 minutes |
There is no single perfect interval. If recall is easy, stretch the gap. If you have forgotten most of it, shorten it.
3. Sleep 7 to 9 Hours
Sleep is when the brain consolidates memories, turning the day’s fragile learning into something more lasting. Cutting sleep to study longer usually costs more than it gains.
- Adults aged 18 to 60 need 7 or more hours a night, and teenagers aged 13 to 18 need 8 to 10 hours (CDC).
- Keep the same bedtime and wake time, including weekends.
- Put screens away about an hour before bed.
- Revise briefly in the evening, then sleep on it.
Loud snoring or waking unrefreshed every day can be a sign of a sleep disorder such as sleep apnea, which is worth raising with a doctor.
4. Cut Distractions and Do One Thing at a Time
You cannot remember what you never properly noticed. Attention is the gate to memory.
- Put your phone in another room, not face down on the desk.
- Work in focused blocks. The Pomodoro Technique uses 25 minutes of work and a 5-minute break. Longer blocks of 45 minutes also work if you can hold focus.
- Close extra tabs and silence notifications.
- Choose a quiet, tidy study space and use it every time.
5. Move Your Body
Physical activity raises blood flow to the whole body, including the brain. Mayo Clinic advises at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity, such as brisk walking, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity such as jogging (Mayo Clinic).
That is about 20 to 30 minutes a day. Walking, cycling, yoga and team sports all count. If time is short, a few 10-minute walks spread through the day still help.
6. Use Mnemonics, Chunking and the Memory Palace
Memory techniques give plain facts a hook. They are most useful for lists, sequences, names and numbers.
- Acronyms. VIBGYOR for the colours of the rainbow.
- Chunking. Break long strings into groups. 0300 555 0142 is easier than 03005550142.
- Visualisation. Turn a fact into a vivid, slightly silly picture.
- Memory palace (method of loci). Picture a route through your home. Place one item at each spot: the door, the sofa, the fridge. To recall, walk the route in your mind.
Use these for the facts you must know word for word. For concepts, understanding comes first.
7. Explain It in Your Own Words
If you can teach it, you know it. After studying a topic, explain it aloud as if to a younger student, without notes. Where you get stuck is where you need to go back.
Two more ways to deepen encoding:
- Link each new idea to something you already know.
- Draw a mind map or diagram from memory, then compare it with your notes.
Using more than one sense also helps. Reading aloud, writing by hand and sketching involve more of the brain than silent reading alone.
8. Eat for Your Brain
No single food is a memory booster. The overall pattern matters. Diets built on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts and fish, such as the Mediterranean diet, are consistently linked with better brain health.
- Include oily fish, walnuts or other sources of omega-3 fatty acids.
- Eat leafy greens and berries often.
- Limit added sugar, fried and heavily processed food. Research reviews link diets high in saturated fat and added sugar with poorer function in the hippocampus, a brain region central to memory (Healthline).
- Go easy on alcohol. Heavy drinking harms memory.
- Drink water through the day so thirst does not drag down your concentration.
Be realistic. Almonds before an exam will not rescue a week of cramming. Diet supports the other habits over months and years.
9. Keep Stress in Check
Short bursts of pressure can sharpen focus, but long-lasting stress and low mood are both linked with memory problems. Many people who blank in exams know the material and lose access to it under pressure.
- Try slow breathing for two minutes before you study or sit a test.
- Take a real break every 45 to 60 minutes.
- Practise mindfulness or meditation for 5 to 10 minutes a day. It is associated with better working memory and verbal learning.
- Spend time with friends and family. Social contact helps protect against stress and depression.
10. Stay Organised and Keep Learning
Do not waste memory on things a list can hold. Use a calendar, a to-do list and a fixed place for your keys, wallet and glasses. That frees attention for what you actually want to learn.
Then keep your mind working. Learning a language, a musical instrument, chess or any new skill challenges the brain in a way that routine tasks do not. Before you reach for a search engine or calculator, try to recall or work it out first.
A Daily Routine to Increase Memory Power for Studying
This sample day fits a student. Shift the times to suit your schedule.
| Time | What to do | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|
| Morning | 20 to 30 minutes of walking or exercise, then a proper breakfast | Wakes up body and brain |
| Study block 1 | New topic, phone away, 25 to 45 minutes, then a blank-page recall | Strong encoding plus first retrieval |
| Afternoon | 10-minute reviews of topics from 1, 3 and 7 days ago | Spaced repetition |
| Study block 2 | Practice questions or past papers | Retrieval under exam-like conditions |
| Evening | Explain today’s topic aloud in 5 minutes | Shows gaps, deepens understanding |
| Night | Screens off an hour before bed, 7 to 9 hours of sleep | Memory consolidation |
What Does Not Work as Well as People Claim
| Common belief | What the evidence says | Do this instead |
|---|---|---|
| Rereading and highlighting are good revision | They feel productive but do not reliably improve results | Self-testing |
| Cramming the night before works | It helps for hours, not weeks, and costs sleep | Short spaced reviews |
| Ginkgo and “memory pills” boost memory | A randomized trial found no measurable memory benefit from ginkgo in healthy older adults (JAMA, 2002) | Sleep, exercise, diet |
| Brain-training games make you smarter | You get better at the games. Proof that this carries over to school or work is thin. In 2016 the maker of Lumosity paid 2 million US dollars to settle US regulator charges of unsupported advertising claims (FTC) | Learn a real skill |
| Multitasking saves time | Switching tasks breaks attention, so less is stored | One task per block |
Puzzles, sudoku and crosswords are still enjoyable and harmless. Just do not expect them to replace good study habits.
A 7-Day Plan to Get Started
- Day 1. Pick one topic. Study it for 30 minutes, then do a blank-page recall. Set a fixed bedtime.
- Day 2. Recall yesterday’s topic from memory for 10 minutes. Start a second topic the same way.
- Day 3. Study with your phone in another room. Take a 20-minute walk.
- Day 4. Review topic 1 again. Make flashcards for the facts you keep missing.
- Day 5. Build one mnemonic or memory palace for a list you need to know.
- Day 6. Explain both topics aloud without notes. Fix the gaps.
- Day 7. Test yourself on topic 1 with no warm-up. Compare the result with your Day 1 recall page.
That Day 7 comparison is your proof. If you recall clearly more than you did on Day 1, the method is working. Keep the schedule going and add topics.
When Forgetfulness Needs a Doctor
Occasional lapses, such as misplacing keys or forgetting a name, happen to everyone. Mayo Clinic advises seeing a healthcare professional if memory loss:
- affects your ability to do everyday activities,
- is clearly getting worse, or
- worries a family member or friend.
Poor sleep, depression, anxiety, some medicines, thyroid and other long-term conditions can all affect memory, and many of these are treatable. This article is general information, not medical advice.
The Bottom Line
You do not need a better brain to remember more. You need a better method. Test yourself, space your revision and protect your sleep. Then add exercise, focus, simple memory techniques and sensible food. Start with the Day 1 step tonight and check your progress in a week.
This guide was researched and written by the Mental Age Test team. Learn more about us.
Sources
- Dunlosky J. et al. (2013). Improving Students’ Learning With Effective Learning Techniques. Psychological Science in the Public Interest. Summary from the Association for Psychological Science.
- Mayo Clinic. Memory loss: 7 tips to improve your memory.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About Sleep.
- Harvard Health Publishing. 7 ways to keep your memory sharp at any age.
- Healthline. Natural Ways to Improve Your Memory (medically reviewed).
- Solomon P. R. et al. (2002). Ginkgo for memory enhancement: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA.
- Federal Trade Commission (2016). Lumosity to Pay $2 Million to Settle FTC Deceptive Advertising Charges.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I increase my memory power naturally?
Test yourself on what you learn, spread your revision over several days, and sleep at least 7 hours a night. Add regular exercise, a diet built on fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fish, and fewer distractions while you study. These habits have far better evidence behind them than supplements or brain-training apps.
How can students increase memory power for exams?
Start revising early and use active recall: close the book and write or say everything you remember, then check what you missed. Revisit each topic after 1, 3, 7 and 14 days, practise with past papers, and sleep properly the night before the exam instead of cramming.
Which foods increase memory power?
No single food boosts memory on its own. An overall eating pattern rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts and fish supports brain health, while diets high in added sugar and saturated fat are linked with poorer memory. Drinking enough water and limiting alcohol also help.
How long does it take to improve memory?
You can notice better recall of a specific topic within about a week of self-testing and spaced revision. Broader gains from sleep, exercise and diet build over weeks to months. Results vary from person to person and depend on how consistently you practise.
Can I increase my memory power in 7 days?
In 7 days you can clearly improve how much you retain from what you study, because you are changing your method. You will not change the basic capacity of your brain in a week. Treat the first 7 days as the start of a habit, not a quick fix.
Does meditation improve memory?
It can help indirectly. Mindfulness practice is associated with better working memory and verbal learning in some studies, probably because it improves attention and lowers stress. It supports good study technique but does not replace it.
Do memory supplements work?
For healthy people, the evidence is weak. A randomized trial published in JAMA found that ginkgo gave no measurable memory benefit to healthy older adults. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist before taking any supplement, especially if you use other medicines.
