Memory and Concentration: Why They Fail and How to Improve

Published: 8 October, 2024 - Updated: 7 January, 2025 | 7'

Memory and concentration are functions carried out by our brain in learning processes and assimilation. When learning something new, new neural connections can be established, facilitating memories both in the short term and long term.

Both functions are complementary and necessary throughout our lives, but especially at specific times such as during the period of training and study or demanding work periods, and even adapting to new environments.

We tell you what factors can affect your memory and concentration and how to improve them.

What is memory and how does it work?

The capacity for memory and storage of memories is one of the most complex mental functions of our brain, as it performs the task of encoding and selecting information among all the stimuli we receive, such as images, sounds, experiences, feelings or ideas. These stimuli reach our central nervous system, where acetylcholine plays a key role in memory and learning processes.

It's important to note that other factors also influence these learning processes, such as age and mood, as well as more subjective factors like attention or the importance given to something.

Memory Loss

It is considered memory loss when we are unable to recognise information previously acquired. With age, most of the chemical substances that act as messengers in the brain and are involved in its functioning tend to decrease, although memory loss can be due to various causes. Furthermore, it can be reversible (occasional forgetfulness, certain physical conditions due to nutrient deficiencies, periods of stress, trauma, etc.), or permanent (states of dementia and cognitive decline).

Warning Signs of Memory Loss

Not remembering daily occurrences in detail is common since, under normal conditions, the brain tends to selectively forget what is considered irrelevant.

This memory loss can become a problem when it affects daily tasks, in instances such as:

Disorientation in day-to-day tasks.
Lack of attention and concentration.
Anxious disturbances like sadness, loss of appetite, or apathy.
Difficulties with language.

Lack of Concentration

Attention or concentration is the ability we have to focus our mind on specific things without being distracted by other stimuli. Therefore, it is understood that when we do not pay attention, it is difficult to process complex information and retain it, leading to forgetfulness.

Lack of Concentration in Young People

Currently, we find ourselves in an era full of stimuli due to the stress of daily life and neglect of mental well-being, as well as hyperconnectivity and workplace and social responsibilities. This situation means that it is often more difficult to maintain concentration on a single task, thus affecting our learning.

Various epidemiological studies report that memory, attention, and concentration disorders are quite common among adults, but they can also occur in young adults.

A large postal study documented a high prevalence of subjectively perceived memory loss in healthy young Dutch subjects (29%) and middle-aged individuals (34%).³

Causes of Lack of Concentration

Lack of concentration or memory loss in young adults is often associated with mood (anxious dysfunctions) or stress.

For example, a neuropsychological study conducted on young adults showed some causes of memory-related complaints, such as:

Environmental changes like increased work demands, rising responsibilities, relocations, etc.
Acute stressors that may have impaired memory, such as divorces or the death of family members.
Conditions or pharmacological treatments that alter the metabolism of catecholamines (acetylcholine).

Improving Your Memory

There are different ways to train memory that are valid for any age. These tools will help promote cognitive performance and the normal functioning of the brain as a muscle. Some of them may involve small changes in daily habits, along with other more specific activities.

General recommendations⁴ include regular physical exercise, maintaining a healthy diet, getting sufficient rest and sleep, not smoking, and consuming alcohol in moderation, participating in social activities, or avoiding high levels of stress.

Tools and Technology to Enhance Memory

Proper rest: adequate sleep is essential to promote the good functioning of our nervous system, as it is during these hours that the brain integrates newly acquired information and knowledge along with relevant memories.
Meditation: meditation promotes a state of mental calm and the capacity for concentration and memory without distractions.
Technological breaks: these will help alleviate mental overload and, therefore, enhance attention and the ability to store new memories. Constant exposure to screens can lead to cognitive overload.
Specific mental training: stimulating the brain with challenging activities enhances attention and concentration, thereby aiding memory. For example, through various study techniques, mental games, and other exercises that demand constant stimulation.

Exercises for Memory and Concentration

We have always heard that “the brain is a muscle that needs to be exercised,” and this is absolutely true. For this reason, various health organisations, medical associations, NGOs, among others, dedicate a significant portion of their work to devising effective measures to maintain cognitive function, especially memory.

Memory defines who we are and allows us to learn in order to react to situations and adapt. This is why performing mental exercises modifies and creates new connections in the brain.¹

How can I train my memory?

Some of the exercises to exercise our brain that we can do include:

Card games or puzzles: enhances concentration, fosters patience, and reduces anxiety.
Making lists with descriptions of the family environment: from names to addresses and who makes up your family or different groups of friends.
Dressing a silhouette according to the situation: pairing a body with the appropriate accessory stimulates procedural memory, semantic memory, and planning.
Identifying shapes within a drawing and mathematical operations.
Reminiscing about recent past activities, such as what you ate yesterday, how you dressed for last weekend's wedding, etc.
Reading and comprehension.
Word searches, crosswords or Sudokus.
Associating facts with dates and images with uses.
Describing images after viewing them: helps to exercise visual memory, which is key in the reading and writing process as it helps us relate the visual with the verbal.
Singing.
Correcting grammar of certain words.
Practicing antonyms and synonyms.
Practicing spatial localisation through images, etc.

Memory improvement techniques and strategies

When embarking on a learning process, for example, during study or new tasks, there are different tools and techniques that will help us visually or verbally in the development of memory capabilities. Some of these are:

Chunking: divide the information into different parts and memorise each of them rather than everything at once.
Recordings or songs: we can also memorise through hearing. Reading aloud, listening to recordings or songs will help us retain information in memory.
Loci Method: involves associating elements of a room in your home or everyday environments with those to be memorised.
Flashcards or memory cards: involves writing down information or specific concepts and topics to memorise on different cards.
Diagrams and graphics: it is also very useful to create diagrams or graphics with the main concepts.

What to take to improve memory and concentration

Science has demonstrated that proper nutrition is fundamental for having good health, particularly at the brain level.

The brain represents 2% of body weight, however, it demands 20% of the energy that we consume in our body. Therefore, maintaining a balanced diet is directly related to the well-being of the nervous system and thus memory.

Foods for memory and concentration

Among the foods that stand out for their usefulness in promoting good memory are four main groups:

Omegas: it has been proven that they are key for memory, especially DHA and linolenic acid. Their sources include fish, nuts, and vegetable oils such as olive or soybean oil.
Antioxidants: oxidative stress negatively impacts cognitive function and memory. Plant sources are excellent providers of antioxidants like berries, grapes, tomatoes, nuts, sesame, vegetable oils, green tea, and leafy greens.
Amino acids: they are part of the so-called neurotransmitters responsible for brain responses, including memory. One of them, serine, is involved in the production of acetylcholine and is found in meats, fish, dairy products, eggs, beans, lentils, legumes, rice, wheat, barley, avocado, and quinoa.
Choline: it is part of acetylcholine and is crucial for memory processes. You can find choline in meat, eggs, chicken, dairy products, potatoes, and cruciferous vegetables (such as cauliflower), nuts, seeds, and whole grains.

Vitamins for memory and concentration

Vitamins play a role in cognitive functions, and among them, some stand out for their antioxidant functions like vitamins C and E, or for their roles in nerve connections and brain metabolism like B vitamins.

B Vitamins

Specifically, B vitamins facilitate nerve connections, the production of neurotransmitters, and normal brain metabolism, with vitamin B6, B12, and folic acid (B9) being particularly significant in this regard.

Food sources where you can find the B vitamin group include meats, offal, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products, legumes, vegetables (avocados, potatoes, broccoli, and sweet potatoes), leafy vegetables like spinach, mushrooms, whole grains, and nuts.

Vitamins C and E

Due to their antioxidant power, vitamin C and vitamin E also promote the well-being of the brain's structure. They can primarily be found in citrus fruits and nuts, respectively.

Additionally, there are dietary supplements, in either liquid or capsule forms, that also serve as adjunct sources of B, C, and E vitamins.

Supplements that promote memory and concentration in students

Along with a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle, dietary supplements can help to complement the diet of a young adult, such as students.

As we mentioned, one of the causes for memory to “fail” is stressful conditions and lack of sleep. Two aspects that can frequently arise during student life.

That is why, along with the general measures mentioned earlier, good nutrition can be complemented with ingredients such as a B vitamins complex, phospholipids containing choline and serine, omegas, ginseng, and vitamins C and E.

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References

Content reviewed by specialists from the Scientific Information area of MARNYS. This article is informative and does not substitute consultation with a specialist.