Many of us notice changes in our memory as we get older. Jane Collins explores practical lifestyle habits, memory techniques and nutritional support for everyday recall.
🕒 9 min read
How can you improve your memory?
Start with regular sleep, physical activity and a varied diet, then practise remembering in small, manageable ways. Repeat a new name, link information to a picture or use reminders for everyday tasks. If memory problems keep happening or affect daily life, speak to your GP so the cause can be assessed.1, 2
Having a good memory is essential for so many aspects of our everyday lives. Our memories also shape our sense of self, so it's understandable that changes can feel worrying. A few practical habits can make day-to-day remembering easier, while recognising when to get advice matters too.
Forgetful – or more serious memory loss?
Minor lapses of memory are not unusual as we get older, and for most of us they are not the start of dementia, says the Alzheimer's Society.
Misplacing things from time to time, but being able to retrace your steps to find them, can be a common experience. More persistent changes, difficulty following familiar tasks or problems that interfere with everyday life deserve attention. One misplaced set of keys does not establish a diagnosis.3
If you or a relative recognise unusual memory changes, speak to your GP. Stress, anxiety, depression and sleep problems can affect memory, and some causes can be treated. It can help to take someone who knows you well and bring examples of the changes you have noticed.1
How does the brain make memories?
The hippocampus is important for forming new memories and remembering places. It works with other brain regions as information is learned and stored. Sleep helps the brain consolidate memories, rather than simply switching it off for the night.
During sleep, patterns of brain activity help support learning and memory. This is one reason regular, good-quality sleep matters. Memory processing also happens while we are awake; it is not an activity that only occurs during sleep. Read more about the stages of sleep.4
The different types of memory
- Short-term memory: briefly holding information, such as a number you are about to write down. Working memory involves using and manipulating information while you hold it in mind.
- Long-term memory: information retained over longer periods. Long-term memories can change or become harder to retrieve; they are not necessarily permanent or fixed.
- Implicit and explicit memories: implicit memories include familiar skills and habits, like writing. Explicit memories involve information you consciously recall.
- Episodic and semantic memories: these are types of explicit memory. Episodic memories involve things and events that have happened to you; semantic memories involve general knowledge.
Memory Support
A once-daily bacopa complex with added vitamins and zinc.
- 250mg bacopa extract, equivalent to 5,000mg whole leaves
- Zinc supports normal cognitive function
- Pantothenic acid supports normal mental performance
7 ways to support and improve everyday memory
Aside from regular, good-quality sleep, these habits and techniques can help you make more deliberate use of your memory. Pick one or two to practise consistently.
1 Exercise
Being active supports your general health, including the health of your heart and circulation. Choose movement you enjoy and build it into your routine at a level that suits you.
Researchers working with the Framingham study found that poorer fitness around midlife was associated with smaller brain volume almost two decades later. This was an observational finding, rather than proof that a particular workout prevents memory loss.5
Exercise can also support sleep and help you manage stress. For practical ways to unwind, read our guide to coping with anxiety.
2 Mental stimulation
Continued learning gives your brain new challenges. How you stimulate your grey matter is up to you; it can involve doing something challenging like learning a new language, or something more creative. Choose something you enjoy enough to keep doing, rather than assuming one brain game will prevent cognitive decline.
As Chartered Psychologist Dr Meg Arroll explains:
"Research shows that dance, storytelling and video game playing enhances memory, particularly visuospatial short-term memory in the latter."
The practical aim is to stay engaged and keep learning. The National Institute on Aging notes that evidence for lasting benefits from specific cognitive activities is still developing.2
3 Repeat yourself
Repeat what you hear out loud, or write it down and go back and look at it later. Instead of rereading information continuously, pause and try recalling it before checking.
Repetition also helps you to remember names and faces, so when you are introduced to someone repeat their name back to them and continue to use it throughout the conversation.
4 Create a 3D memory
One tactic of memory champions is that they don't rely on just one sense to help them cement memories – they relate it to others (like colour, taste and smell) to create more of a three-dimensional memory.
For example, when trying to commit the name of a particular plant or flower to memory, try to 'store' its colour and particular scent as well as its name.
Linking a detail to its context can also give you another cue when you try to recall it. Think about where you were and what you were doing when you learned it.
5 Eat brain food
A Mediterranean-style diet offers a practical pattern built around vegetables, fruit, beans, wholegrains, nuts, olive oil and fish. A study following older adults associated closer adherence to this pattern and greater physical activity with lower Alzheimer's risk, but it could not establish that these habits caused the difference.6
Oily fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines provides omega-3 fatty acids. A 2022 study linked higher red-blood-cell omega-3 levels with some favourable brain-imaging and cognitive measures in midlife. It measured blood levels, not the effect of eating one portion of salmon a week, and did not show that fish or supplements prevent memory loss.7
6 Use less tech – when it helps you practise recall
Instead of going straight to Google or Alexa, try to access that information yourself from your memory. Give yourself a moment to recall a name, fact or familiar place, then check if you need to.
You can also practise remembering landmarks or the route through a familiar area before checking a map. This is a learning exercise, rather than evidence that using GPS damages your brain.
Reminders and technology still have a useful role. A calendar, a shopping list or a regular place for important items can free you to focus on the things you want to remember.
7 Stay hydrated
Keep drinks within reach and drink regularly through the day. Dehydration can affect aspects of attention and cognitive performance, although effects vary between studies. The evidence does not justify saying that a little thirst inevitably causes lasting brain shrinkage or memory damage.8
Where did I put my keys?
If you are always losing your car keys, Barry Reitman, author of Secrets, Tips and Tricks of a Powerful Memory, suggests when you put them down imagine you are dropping them into a glass of milk.
As you drop them into the imaginary glass, imagine that milk splashing onto the surface where you dropped your keys – that way you build a picture to help you better remember where you left them.
Pair the image with a consistent place for your keys, and pause to notice where you are putting them.
Supplements and nutritional support for memory
When comparing supplements, look at the ingredients, daily amounts and the role each nutrient plays. Support for normal brain or cognitive function is different from a claim that a product treats memory loss or prevents dementia.
Nootropics and bacopa
'Nootropics' is a broad term used for substances marketed for mental performance; it is not a single treatment or a guarantee of benefit.
Bacopa monnieri has been studied for memory. In a trial of adults aged 65 or older without dementia, 48 people completed 12 weeks of a specific 300mg daily extract or placebo. The bacopa group improved on delayed word recall and some other measures. The findings relate to that extract and study population, rather than every bacopa-containing product.9
Memory Support combines bacopa with guarana, L-tyrosine, pantothenic acid, biotin and zinc. Zinc contributes to normal cognitive function, while pantothenic acid contributes to normal mental performance.10
Ginkgo biloba
Ginkgo has also been investigated for cognition, but the evidence for improving cognitive performance in healthy people is uncertain. It has not been shown to prevent dementia. If you are considering it, check suitability with a pharmacist, particularly if you take other medicines.11
Turmeric
Curcumin, found in turmeric, has been investigated for cognitive outcomes. A 2019 review reported some favourable results in older adults, with findings differing between populations and studies. This does not establish that a retail turmeric supplement prevents cognitive decline, and animal studies cannot demonstrate that benefit in people.12
Omega 3
DHA contributes to the maintenance of normal brain function, with the beneficial effect obtained from a daily intake of 250mg DHA. When comparing our omega-3 supplements, check the amount of DHA rather than just the total fish-oil weight. This nutritional role is distinct from preventing Alzheimer's disease.10
B vitamins
B vitamins have different roles and storage patterns. Contrary to the idea that we store none of them, the body's vitamin B12 reserves can last for years. A low intake is only one possible cause of deficiency; absorption problems can also matter.13
Vitamin B12 contributes to the normal functioning of the nervous system and normal psychological function. If you have persistent memory concerns or symptoms that could suggest a deficiency, speak to your GP so the cause can be assessed. Our B-vitamin range lets you compare formulations and labelled amounts.1, 10
For a broader look at the options, explore our brain and mood range. Check the full ingredients and directions, including overlap with products you already take.
Improving memory: frequently asked questions
What can I do today to remember things better?
Choose one small habit: repeat a new name, write down an appointment immediately, or put your keys in the same place. Pause and pay attention when learning something, then try recalling it later before checking.
Can you improve your memory as you get older?
You can keep practising memory strategies and build habits that support everyday functioning. Staying active, sleeping regularly and continuing to learn are useful starting points. New or worsening difficulties still deserve assessment rather than being dismissed as ageing.
Does poor sleep affect memory?
Sleep supports learning and memory consolidation. Poor sleep can also make it harder to concentrate when taking in new information. A regular sleep routine may help; seek advice if sleep problems persist.
Which foods support brain health?
Think about your overall pattern: vegetables, fruit, wholegrains, beans, nuts, olive oil and fish can form part of a varied diet. No single food guarantees better recall or prevents dementia.
Which nutrients are relevant to memory and mental performance?
Zinc contributes to normal cognitive function, pantothenic acid to normal mental performance, and DHA to normal brain function at the qualifying intake. Compare products according to nutritional needs and their full ingredient lists, rather than treating all 'memory' supplements as equivalent.
When should I see a GP about forgetfulness?
Arrange an appointment if problems keep happening, are getting worse or interfere with daily life. Bring examples and, if helpful, someone who knows you well. An assessment can identify possible causes and the right support.
