People say that a mind is a terrible thing to waste, and they hit the nail right on the head with that catchy little slogan, because, to put it bluntly, once the mind is gone, so too is the person. Check out these great memory tips to improve one of your most precious gifts, your mind.

If you want to have a better long-term memory, then you need to get in the practice of regular stretching and other exercise. These exercises keep the brain's arteries open, and this is important because the brain is responsible for 15 percent of your body's blood flow. Stretching also increases energy, flexibility and relaxation, which all help towards improved long-term memory as well.

If you need to remember a complicated piece of information, use the mnemonics technique. in loving memory gifts is a way of associating the information with something that is common and familiar. When you make that association, you can think of the common item, and it will trigger your memory of the more complicated piece of information.

There is a ton of information you should learn and keep in mind, and it will help you study at a lot of different places. This allows you to dissociate this information with certain locations. As a result, it becomes more of a portion of you. In other words, learning the material in different places encourages it to become a part of your long-term memory.

The more difficult the information is, the harder it's going to be to retain, so you have to break down tough information into smaller tidbits. Breaking the whole down into segments and then reassembling them in your mind not only allows you to retain the memory, but it also creates a road map to allow you to recall the memory.

Retaining knowledge is only hard when you start to doubt yourself, so always be sure that you're as confident as possible when studying or attempting to learn anything. Doubt creeping in causes you to only recall the doubt. It doesn't necessarily make you forget, but it certainly doesn't help you to remember.

One method you can use to help you commit things to memory is to use mnemonic devices. A mnemonic device is a simple technique to aid recall of information you are trying to remember. You might develop a rhyme, a joke or a joke to help you remember a piece of information. An example of a common mnemonic is "1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue". You can utilize this same type of rhyming scheme to help you remember a specific date or term.

Keep lists of everything. Keep a shopping list at all times. Hang it on your refrigerator. Every time you think of something you need, add it to the list. This will help make sure you don't forget anything. Keep lists for other things as well, such as things that need done around your house.

If you find that your memory has deteriorated drastically in a short period of time, it is important that you see your doctor right away. Sudden memory loss could be a sign of a more serious medical condition, such as Dementia or Alzheimer's Disease, which can effect people of all ages.

To better commit names to memory, repeat a person's name after an introduction, and try to come up with something about the person that might help you remember his or her name. If you meet a Bob who mentions that he enjoys fishing, you might associate his name with a bobber like those used on a fishing line, for instance.

Take a ginseng supplement to have a better memory. Studies have indicated that its ingredients can help your brain grasp and retain information. There are also health benefits to consuming ginseng. Green tea is also thought to have some benefits in improving memory retention.

Make no mistake about it -- your ability to remember is a tremendous gift. Most people will never realize just how vital their memory is until they begin to lose it. You should never have to allow your memory to lapse. Pay attention to the tips in the article and you can work on repairing and improving your memory.