Memory

Can meditation help improve your memory?

Memory and mental performance are inextricably linked. The higher our attention, clarity of thinking, and focus, the greater our memory becomes – it’s almost seen as the peak of the mental mountain. Meditation like ‘mindfulness’ or ‘awareness’ can increase all of those qualities individually, yielding great results, but it can also help stave off the enemies of memory – stress and age.

Stress can come in many forms; whether it’s foggy thinking or bouts of depression, most of the manifestations of stress have memory issues as one of the symptoms. Meditation has been shown [1] to help reduce the symptoms of stress, and importantly, to prevent it from arising. If, for instance, if you worked in a job where having an unfailing memory is essential, preventing lapses is just as important as alleviating them, thankfully meditation has this quality too. [2]

Will meditating help making your memories last longer?

Age-related issues with memory are almost inevitable, but that doesn’t mean we just have to wait for it, we can push back, starting right now! Meditation has had numerous studies related specifically towards elderly people with memory issues and has been shown to be extremely beneficial. In one study, it increased alertness, memory recall, and quickness of thinking in a short span of time! [3] Nowhere is this more present than in a study involving those suffering from dementia. The study showed that meditation contributed to an increase in memory capability for dementia sufferers by reducing stress and confusion. In the same study, those caring for dementia sufferers were also meditating and the data showed an improvement in emotional coping and reduced stress.

Meditation has been shown to improve almost every factor that contributes towards a good memory and can help reduce most of the factors that contribute towards a bad one.

"Practising meditation every morning has given my life structure. The discipline that I cultivate with just 10 minutes every morning spills into every other aspect of my life. I undertake tasks and challenges with a new sense of focus and confidence."

"10 years ago, I was suffering from extreme anxiety. I was recommended mindfulness from a friend. At first, I was unsure, but being at breaking point, I thought I'd give it a try. With a few weeks of practice, I was sleeping again and had a skip in my step. For me, it was a game-changer."

"After two decades of dealing with insomnia, never being able to achieve a restful nights sleep, I knew there had to be a better way. Meditation allowed me to feel like someone who can sleep through the night and approach the new day feeling restored and full of energy."

And here’s for the science, take a look in full:

[1]www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/

[2]www.sciencedirect.com/

[3]www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/