Countless brain-training products for computers, smartphones, or in newspapers and magazines promise improved memory performance – but whether they are truly effective is controversial. What is useful and what isn't?

Useful everyday exercises to improve your memory

Exercises that can be easily performed in everyday life are definitely useful. " When you're at a red light, mentally retrace your steps. How many intersections have you passed? Or imagine in your mind's eye how many intersections are still to come. Even a short training period is effective," says Prof. Hans Georg Nehen of the Memory Clinic in Essen (see welt.de ). You can also memorize the phone numbers and birthdays of all your friends - or even better: learn something that will be useful to you in life and that you enjoy - for example, a language . You can then use it on your next vacation.

Strengthen your memory with memory techniques

But there are also techniques that directly help you support your memory, so-called memoir techniques, which are primarily used by memory artists. These include the loci technique and the picture association technique .

The loci technique

With the loci method (plural from Latin locus, "place"), you remember a series of things by associating them with familiar places or routes. For example, you mentally distribute the items on a shopping list around your apartment where they don't actually belong: the tomatoes on the telephone cabinet, the flour on the dining table, the milk on the sofa, etc. Once you're in the supermarket, you simply mentally walk through the rooms and then "find" the items again.

Remembering names with the picture association method

Remembering someone's name is often difficult, especially when dealing with larger groups, such as a teacher or a new club member. " The most important thing is to listen when someone is introduced to you. This is actually quite simple, but many people can no longer remember their name ten minutes after meeting someone new because they weren't listening, " says Boris Konrad, the current world record holder for name remembering. So memorize the face of the person you're talking to and try to associate some image with the name. The brain remembers images much better than facts. The image can be absurd, unconventional, or far-fetched. It's more important to choose the first association that comes to mind, as your brain will be most likely to recall it. Some names can immediately evoke images: Mr. Miller - a windmill, Mr. Meier - eggs, Mrs. Krebs - the animal. For many, however, this is more difficult: with Mr. Göß, one might imagine an evil goat, or with Mrs. Elsen, perhaps elves and iron. Of course, it often becomes very difficult with many foreign names, such as Turkish or Eastern European ones. Free association is the order of the day, or as Boris Konrad says: " Think unconventionally – like a child – let your imagination and creativity run wild. It takes some effort at first, but once you've done it once or twice, your brain will automatically 'demand' that you remember names this way, because it works so well. "

The brain is like a muscle

Through everyday exercises like those described here, the loci technique, or the picture association method, you can specifically strengthen your memory. If you do these exercises regularly, you'll train your brain like a muscle, and it will become increasingly easier for you to remember things in the future. It's also important to pay attention to your diet; it should be rich in minerals and vitamins so that your brain is optimally nourished for peak performance.