The need to remember

 Some people say that they have no memory at all, but of course we all have a memory. Our memories tell us who we are and help us to make use in the present of what we have learnt in the past.

In fact we have different types of memory. First, our visual memory which helps us to recall faces and places. Some people have a strong visual memory; they can remember exactly what they have seen, for example; pages of a book, as a complete picture.

Second, our verbal memory helps us to remember words we may have heard but not seen written: items of a shopping list, a chemical formula, dates, or a recipe.

Third, our emotional memory, we recall situations or places where we had strong feelings, perhaps of happiness or unhappiness. We also have special memories for smell, taste, touch and sound and for performing physical movements.

Have you ever been approached by someone whose face you recognize but whose name you can't remember?

This problem may happen, as you have a strong visual memory which enabled you to recognize this person's face, but you have a weak verbal memory, so you didn’t remember his name.

We have two ways of storing any of these memories. Our short term memory stores items for up to thirty seconds. Our long term memory, on the other hand, may store items for a life time. A strong memory depends on the health and vitality of your brain.

If our brains were computers, we'd simply add a chip to upgrade our memory. The human brain, however, is more complex than even the most advanced machine, so improving our memory isn’t quite so easy. Just as it takes effort to build physical fitness, so too does boosting brain power.

What should I do to improve my brain memory ?

1: Don’t skimp on exercise or sleep: Treating your body well can enhance your ability to process and recall information, physical exercise increases oxygen to your brain and reduces the risk for disorders that lead to memory loss  ,so When you exercise the body, you exercise the brain and sleep is necessary for memory consolidation .

2: Make time for friends and fun: Humans are highly social animals. Relationships stimulate our brains in fact, interacting with others may be

the best kind of brain exercise. Research shows that having meaningful relationships and a strong support system are vital not only to emotional health, but brain health. researchers found that people with the most active social lives had the slowest rate of memory decline.

3: Keep stress in check: Stress is one of the brain’s worst enemies. Over time, if left unchecked, chronic stress destroys brain cells and damages the hippocampus ( the region of the brain which is  involved in the formation of new memories and the retrieval of old ones) .

4: Give your brain what it needs : Get your omega-3s, fish is a particularly rich source of omega-3, such as salmon, tuna, halibut, trout, mackerel, sardines, and herring. animal products like : red meat, whole milk, butter, cheese, sour cream, and ice cream, you should know that  fruit and vegetables are also good for your brain .

5: Laughter is good for your brain : you’ve heard that laughter is the best medicine, and that holds true for the brain as well as the body.

From what we have mentioned above, you might assume that the more we remember, the better we will be. How wonderful never to forget anything! but in fact we need to forget, If we remembered all our unhappy times, we would become mentally ill.