June 17, 2026

Seven Research-Based Ways to Build a Better Memory

The press and pace of daily life can make paying close attention to, capturing, and recalling what is important a significant challenge. We might rely on technology to remind us of some things and keep us on track with others. However, there is no substitute for an active and dependable memory.

Some of us may struggle more than others to recall everything we need to navigate our days without memory gaps and lapses. Of course, some memory-related issues are more serious and require more formal intervention and support. For more routine memory-related challenges, there are several research-based, practice-proven strategies we can employ to build a better memory and forget fewer things we want and need to remember.

Say things you want to recall out loud. Interestingly, just mouthing the words can be enough to increase our ability to remember. The process appears to separate and prioritize what we want to recall from a random thought. Our brain treats the process as input from multiple sources—hearing and thought—and is more likely to treat the information as important.

Engage in mental repetition. We are more likely to capture something someone said, recall the details of a multi-step process, or remember a sequence of events when we mentally replay what we want to remember. Studies show that mentally repeating what we want to recall for as little as 40 seconds can embed the recollection and make it more accessible later.

Explain what you want to recall. We know that teaching someone is an effective way to consolidate information and deepen our understanding. In this context, explaining what we want to recall is like teaching ourselves. Of course, finding someone to explain what we want to recall is a great option, too.

Make a prediction about what you will remember. Saying to ourselves that we will remember something can increase the likelihood we will remember it by as much as 50%. Predicting that we will recall something functions much like a challenge or a test in that the brain seems to categorize and prioritize the item for later recall. The technique is especially effective if what we want to recall is tied to a future, timed action, such as following up on a commitment or a scheduled task.

Engage in self-quizzing. Asking ourselves questions about something we want to recall signals to the brain that the item is significant and needs to be stored. In addition, forming questions to ask ourselves helps to consolidate information and illuminate details that might otherwise be lost.

Write what you want to recall. Writing an explanation or capturing process steps in writing can be an effective way to increase recall. The process of writing can make our invisible thinking visible. Of course, having a written set of notes or reminders to review later can be helpful. Nevertheless, this technique can work even if we misplace what we wrote.

Prioritize your sleep. Finding time for adequate sleep can be a challenge. However, feeling tired and sleep-deprived works against a sharp memory. We can skip over important details and misremember what we want to recall. During sleep, the brain works in the background, filing and storing what we have learned and want to remember. Taking a few minutes before falling asleep to review what we want to remember can increase long-term memory by up to 50%.

In addition to the memory-strengthening benefits these strategies can offer to us, they can be equally effective and beneficial to our students. Obviously, the more our students recall what they have learned, the easier and less frustrating our work becomes.

Sources:

Haden, J. (2025, June 27). Want to get smarter? Neuroscience says 5 simple steps significantly boost memory. Learning and Cognition. Inc. https://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/want-to-get-smarter-neuroscience-says-5-simple-steps-significantly-boost-memory-learning-and-cognition/91206959