When you get a cut or a bruise, your doctor often suggests that you get a tetanus toxoid vaccination. Your doctor also prescribes two more tetanus toxoid injections, one to be administered after six weeks and the other after six months. Once you complete the three injections you are considered safe from tetanus for five years. The second and the third injections are called boosters.

Your memory also works similar to the tetanus vaccine. By revising what you learned at definite intervals, you can place what you learned in your long term memory.

How often should you revise for this to happen?

Imagine you've just read some notes, 24 hours later recall what you read without looking at the notes. You may not remember every detail. However try to recall as much as possible. The best system to do this is to read the notes and make a mind map or a short note with graphics as soon as possible. Then try and remember the mind map. Seven days later recall the mind map in your mind. Do this without looking at the map you made.

Then look at it and check to see what you've missed. Repeat this process after six weeks, a month and after six months and what you studied will go to your long term memory. Once information is placed in your long term memory it can easily be remembered, even many years later.

How important is recalling at intervals?

What you learn remains in your memory clearly for about two days and then gradually decreases. You renew your memory when you review repeatedly. Once you know this, you will be keen to review what you learn at intervals.

Memory and age

How often would your grandfather or grandmother forget where he or she hides money? Usually the answer will be 'not very often". If so, can there be much truth in the belief that the elderly can't remember well.

German researcher Paul Bates showed that although a small reduction in the number of brain cells with ageing was seen, there was a greater development in the mental ability as the years pass.
An elderly person may take longer to remember what he or she remembered quickly during youth. However, Bate's research showed that older people had more wisdom than the young.

World History shows that Michael Angelo drew his world famous painting at St. Peter's in his nineties. Piccaso drew his best, also around the same age. Arthur Rubenstein performed best in the famous Carnagie Hall in his eighties. Research at the Duke University in the United States has shown that there is no reduction in the intelligence of a human between age 65 and 75.

Age is relative

Imagine two people of 60 years. If you ask them "How old do you feel you are?" One may answer "I feel I'm about 45 years" and the other may say "I feel I'm about 70 years". What they feel is their psychological age.

The person who feels he is about 45 years will in general have a better memory than the other.
Whatever your age is now, you can change your psychological age by simply changing your thoughts.
Changing your psychological age will give a better memory. Your ability to recall will improve and you will feel that you remember facts much better than before.

Irrespective of your age I'm sure you are able to understand most of this article. Whatever your age you can start learning anything you want. Put aside all concern about age.

If you are elderly, you can learn like a youngster, and if you are young, you can learn and understand matters normally learned by elders. Realize that you are able to bring out the amazing memory within you, whoever you are and whatever your age.