How does your memory work? | Head Squeeze

Several of you have asked about how our memories are stored, LittleSolarSystem on YouTube asked 'Why does our brain store memory separately into long-term and short-term memories?'

Our friends at Freedem Living have lent us this short film to explain just how memory works.

When you need to recall a memory, the brain calls on your memory network. The hippocampus and other parts of your brain work together to rebuild that memory. To remember something your brain goes through the following process:

First your brain consciously registers the memory, this is called encoding.

Next, the brain must consolidate the memory.

The last step is called retrieval.

The best way to improve your memory is to keep remembering the same thing, over and over. This strengthens the neural pathway to the memory. There are other things you can do to improve your memory; get a regular sleep pattern, eat a balanced diet, and exercise often. Oh and keep your brain active, this will actually increase the physical size of your brain.

The FreeDem films project has been developed by the NEIL (Neuro-Enhancement for Independent Lives) Programme at Trinity's Institute of Neuroscience with funding from GENIO.

The videos were produced by makers of Head Squeeze, 360Production.

If you want a mystery of the universe solved, or one of your questions answered, drop a comment below, or join our G+ Community 'Head Squeezers'.

[Benedocta]

My brain just processed the information how my brain processes information.

[EweChewBrrr]

I've always wanted to improve my memory but I keep on forgetting to do it.

[NostalgiCrazy]

Ok, but what I want to know is... how is that we can just "see" things? How can we remember or imagine something? We can see, hear, and possibly smell memories. But _where_ exactly are we seeing/hearing them? It's not like a movie that is actually physically in front of you, it's just... there? "In our head"? Doesn't anyone else trip out about this lol? I need an explanation cause I think about this a lot.

[KCRRaja]

A very good short video! Yes, sleep, exercise and reptition are three vital instruments of building a good memory network.I would also find association of ideas/ tagging a thought or person to an event a good way to improve memory.

[josephcoon]

2:05 “...increase the physical size of your brain.”
Your skull get bigger, or does space inside your skull warp to accommodate the larger size of the brain?

[arturitta]

Great video. A lot of effort was put into this.

[nbrb]

There should be some mention of how fallible memory is... and how some memories are of things you really never experienced.

[frankhu]

So, <inside outside> borrowed the concept from this video, I mean the memory ball and the memory passage?

[physicsmonkey]

Imagination plays an important role, you can remember details and when put them together in a picture you will use alof of imagination.

[brandonhowarth]

ways that things can improve memory short term it if such thing- improve the memory skills- maybe is believing in it rather then not that could help

[sayomi]

It's like what i learned about memory in psych -encoding, storage, and retreival

[Oujouj]

So that's why I still remember that horror movie so vividly.

[LordMarcus]

My memory works by squeezing my head until the thoughts squirt out.

[RiaRadioFMHD]

Question: Is memory independent of time? Meaning, if someone were to time travel back 5 years, alter something small but significant like a childhood book title, would everyone (or most) remember the original title even though it was always the altered title in the new timeline?

[puckaduck]

me immensely scrolling down to see if anyone from my English class is here

[taylin]

It's weird cause not only do I see memories, but I also can smell them when I inhale, or remember how something feels on my fingertips like I'm actually touching it. I can even remember the taste of something like I'm actually eating it at the moment. The brain is amazing.

[TannerandMelanie]

I remember this one time at band camp....

[schmittelt]

I think I was was one of the several who asked about memory...but I forgot. HA! I'm so freaking clever.

[andyfryett]

Research on the brain's ability to process information in the presence of distractions, such as music, reveals nuanced findings depending on several factors, including the type of task, the nature of the music, and individual differences.
In summary, while background music can be beneficial for some tasks and individuals, it can be detrimental for others, particularly those requiring significant cognitive resources. The effects of music on cognitive performance are highly variable and context-dependent.
Now, if the research about the presence of distractions such as background music suggests it may be detrimental to comprehension, why do so many teaching videos include it?

[amelleaj]

The only reason why im watchng is because of school teacher for online work lol were learning about our brains.