How to Improve Your Memory for Learning (Without Eating a Jar of Ginkgo)

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Hi, this is Ray.

I used to think my memory was just bad. Like, “walk into a room and forget why I’m there” bad. Once I forgot my own phone number during a job interview. I panicked, gave them my mom’s number, and pretended it was a “shared line.” Needless to say, I did not get that job.

But here’s the twist. Your memory isn’t broken. It’s just misunderstood. You’re not supposed to remember everything, only the things that your brain decides are important. The trick is making your brain believe the information is worth saving.

Let’s explore the nerd-approved, science-backed, zero-fluff ways to actually remember what you learn.

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Step 1: Stop Re-Reading. Start Recalling.

If you only take away one thing from this newsletter, let it be this. Retrieval beats review.

Most people study by re-reading their notes or textbooks. That feels productive, but it’s actually a trap. Your brain goes “yeah, I’ve seen this before” and tricks you into thinking you’ve learned it. This is called the illusion of competence.

The cure is active recall.

Here’s how to do it:

• Close your book and try to write or say what you just learned

• Use flashcards to quiz yourself

• Write practice questions based on your notes

• Teach the concept out loud like you're explaining it to a curious alien

The act of pulling information from your brain strengthens memory much more than simply reviewing it. Every time you do this, you engrave it a little deeper.

This is backed by research from Roediger and Karpicke (2006), who found that students who used testing to learn retained far more than those who just re-read [1].

Step 2: Space It Out

Cramming is like trying to hydrate for a week by drinking eight gallons of water on Sunday night. It feels like a solid effort, but your brain will be very confused.

The real way to lock information into long-term memory is through spaced repetition.

Here’s how it works:

• Learn a concept

• Review it a day later

• Review it again after three days

• Then a week

• Then two weeks

Each time you space the review out, your brain works harder to recall it, which strengthens the memory. You’re training it like a muscle.

Use tools like:

• Anki (open-source flashcard app with spaced repetition)

• Quizlet (easy to use, good for quick reviews)

• RemNote or Brainscape (for structured academic content)

Spaced repetition works especially well with active recall. You’re not just reviewing at the right times, you’re struggling productively. That is where the magic happens.

Step 3: Sleep. Seriously. Sleep.

Sleep is not just rest. It is neurobiological maintenance. Your brain consolidates memories while you sleep, especially during deep and REM stages. It decides what to keep and what to toss. It's your brain's nightly editorial meeting.

Walker and Stickgold (2006) showed that people who got proper sleep after learning performed significantly better on memory tasks [2].

So:

• Skip the all-nighters

• Prioritize seven to nine hours of sleep

• Use naps wisely. Even 20 to 30 minutes after studying can boost memory

If you want to remember more, don’t just study harder. Sleep better.

Step 4: Connect New Info to Old Info

Your brain is not a filing cabinet. It is a network. The more connections you build between new and known information, the stronger your memory becomes.

This is called elaborative encoding.

Instead of memorizing a fact, ask:

• How does this relate to something I already know?

• What’s a real-life example?

• Can I turn it into a metaphor or story?

Example:

• "Mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell" is fine

• But imagining mitochondria as caffeinated factory workers pumping out ATP? That sticks

Make it vivid. Make it weird. Your brain loves that.

Step 5: Move Your Body

Exercise helps more than your mood or waistline. It boosts memory too.

Aerobic exercise increases blood flow to the brain and stimulates the growth of new neurons in the hippocampus, the area linked to memory.

Erickson et al. (2011) found that people who walked regularly saw increases in brain volume and memory function [3].

So:

• Take a walk after studying

• Review flashcards while pacing

• Add movement between study sessions

You don’t need a gym membership. Just get moving. Your brain will thank you.

Step 6: Add Emotion and Meaning

You remember emotional moments better than boring ones. That’s because your amygdala gets involved and tells your brain to pay attention.

Use that to your advantage:

• Turn facts into funny stories

• Use visualizations or metaphors

• Add personal meaning to material

• Make it feel like a challenge or game

For example, I still remember all the planets in order because I turned them into an overly dramatic courtroom drama. Was it ridiculous? Yes. Did it work? Also yes.

Emotionally charged memories stick. Even when they’re ridiculous.

Step 7: Don’t Multitask

Multitasking kills memory. You're not actually doing two things. You're switching back and forth, which burns more mental energy and reduces retention.

Stanford researchers found that people who multitask regularly perform worse on memory and attention tasks [4].

So:

• Turn off notifications

• Study with intention

• Eliminate distractions during recall or review

• One tab. One goal. One task.

Deep focus leads to long-term memory. Shallow attention leads to shallow recall.

Step 8: Review Before You Forget

Your brain forgets things fast. Like within hours fast.

This is called the forgetting curve, discovered by Ebbinghaus. Without review, you forget over 70 percent of new information within a day.

Fight this by:

• Reviewing notes right after learning

• Doing a follow-up recall session the next day

• Building a long-term review schedule using spaced repetition

Each review slows the curve. You’re reinforcing the memory and making it harder to forget.

Think of it as hitting save on a document. The more often you do it, the less likely you’ll lose progress.

TL;DR for Forgetful Legends

• Retrieval practice is more effective than re-reading

• Use spaced repetition to move knowledge into long-term memory

• Get enough sleep and your brain will consolidate learning

• Link new ideas to what you already know

• Exercise to boost your brain’s memory center

• Add emotion, stories, and weirdness for stronger recall

• Focus on one thing at a time

• Review material before the forgetting curve strikes

You don’t need to be born with a great memory to be a great learner. Memory is a system. Build the system, and the brain will follow.

So next time you forget your Netflix password but remember every lyric from your high school pop-punk playlist, don’t panic. Just apply these tools to the stuff you want to remember. Your brain is ready to help you out. You just have to train it right.

Yours in memory boosts and brain hacks,
Ray

Sources

1. Roediger, H. L., & Karpicke, J. D. (2006). Test-enhanced learning: Taking memory tests improves long-term retention. Psychological Science.
   https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2006.01693.x

2. Walker, M. P., & Stickgold, R. (2006). Sleep, memory, and plasticity. Annual Review of Psychology.
   https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.57.102904.190200

3. Erickson, K. I., Voss, M. W., Prakash, R. S., et al. (2011). Exercise training increases size of hippocampus and improves memory. PNAS.
   https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1015950108

4. Ophir, E., Nass, C., & Wagner, A. D. (2009). Cognitive control in media multitaskers. PNAS.
   https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0903620106