The human body seems to focus its cognitive resources on retaining areas such as logical reasoning and emotion regulation. Similar to when your phone clears its cache, its running speed naturally increases.
In fact, the hippocampus is not only where memories are stored but also acts as a “spatio-temporal editor” in the brain.
While awake, the hippocampus functions like a postman, temporarily storing external information in its own “cupboard,” but when asleep, it becomes the director, editing the day’s memory fragments into a “brain movie” and transmitting it to the cerebral cortex, the “permanent storage room,” via slow-wave sleep.
The Golden Time for Memory Retention
When it comes to learning, most children will study diligently using a systematic approach. In reality, learning experts know how to arrange study time reasonably and “upload knowledge” into the brain at the right time. For example, about 1-2 hours before bedtime is an appropriate time to address weaknesses and study subjects that need to be memorized.
Research has found that information received one hour before sleep is replayed in the hippocampus more than 2.3 times compared to information received six hours before sleep. In other words, for the same piece of knowledge, the brain replays the first piece of knowledge more than twice as much as the second. This indicates that the hippocampus plays a more crucial role in processing sleep-related events.
We can also imagine the hippocampus as a 24-hour express sorting station. During the busy day, it receives various types of information packages, and at night, just before closing, it receives a notification from headquarters: “All express packages received in the past 30 minutes will be upgraded to priority!” The hippocampus has no choice but to obey, marking the information received just before sleep as “urgent packages.”
The hour or two before bedtime is an ideal time to address weaknesses and study subjects that require memorization.
Learning just before sleep is like putting knowledge into a slow cooker. Once deep sleep is achieved, the brain will initiate a dual-memory optimization program.
On the one hand, the supplementary system eliminates inefficient synaptic connections, while on the other, BDNF strengthens essential neural circuits. This “weed-out-and-plant-good-seeds” mechanism can effectively consolidate core memories.
Experts cite an example: the brain is like an intelligent garden that operates 24 hours a day. During the day, you sow numerous memory seeds (knowledge points), but weeds (useless information) will also grow wild.
When it’s late at night and everyone is asleep, the weeding robot (supplementary system) starts to accurately identify the overgrown weeds (such as wrong answers and advertisements), pulling them out by the roots and making room, while the nutrition spray (BDNF) spritzes “memory growth hormones” on the main flower seedlings (formulas, essays, poems…) so that their roots can dig deep into the soil.
Therefore, parents need to nourish their children’s knowledge at the right time, and it can start with these three methods.
Guiding Children to Use 3 Tricks to Achieve “Photographic Memory”
Children with good memory retention can easily grasp knowledge, remember key points, build a knowledge system, and maximize learning efficiency. While it is challenging to acquire this ability, if children master scientific memory methods, they will learn effectively and be well-equipped to face various challenges.
The Scent Anchoring Method
Scientists have discovered that exposure to the same scent during learning and sleep can enhance memory consolidation by approximately 29% through the hippocampus-axis coordination mechanism.
For instance, if a child smells an orange while reading poetry and then smells it again just before falling asleep, their memory retention will significantly improve.
Therefore, if you want to improve memory, establish multisensory connections during this time and equip your child’s memory with a “scent GPS,” facilitating the hippocampus in collecting and prioritizing the reinforcement of this knowledge.
About 30 minutes before bedtime, gently apply cedarwood or rosemary essential oil (choose a fixed scent) to your child’s study desk.
Then, have them focus on reviewing weak areas. After your child has been asleep for 20 minutes, place a drop of the same essential oil on their pillow.
The Lion Memory Method
Lions typically hunt when they are hungry, and their memory is crucial during this activity. When the stomach is empty, the body releases ghrelin, which not only serves as an alarm clock reminding the lion to eat but also travels directly to the hippocampus, increasing the sensitivity of memory neurons. It’s like placing a microscope in the brain, making vague knowledge suddenly clear and distinct.
This survival program, embedded in our genes, is the essence of the “Lion Memory Method.” Moderate hunger allows the brain to automatically switch to “hunting mode,” enhancing memory retention.
For example, suppose a child is reading a story before bed. When full, the hippocampus will store a random draft and replay it 2-3 times during sleep. However, when slightly hungry, it will begin to encode details and replay it 5-6 times during sleep.
Guide your child to use these three tricks to develop excellent memory retention.
This tells us that we should consume protein-rich foods with a low GI for dinner to provide the brain with efficient and long-lasting energy. Simultaneously, eat until your child is about 70% full, and ensure they experience mild hunger 30 minutes before bedtime to memorize the core points. With the help of ghrelin, the brain will mistake this information for survival-related knowledge and prioritize its storage.
When pacing back and forth, the hippocampus will automatically generate theta waves, turning on the memory switch. If your child struggles to recall something, don’t let them sit still. Encourage them to get up and walk around while memorizing; the memory effect will double.
The Emotional Awakening Method
Studies have shown that memories with strong emotions are retained more than 40% better than neutral memories after 24 hours.
When reflecting on the past, we often find that most happy memories are intertwined with sad ones. This is because when we experience joy, anger, sadness, or happiness, the amygdala releases norepinephrine, which can increase the hippocampus’s memory encoding speed, similar to highlighting memory fragments.
Therefore, if your child consistently makes mistakes on the same question, spend more time soothing their emotions. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
– Prepare a “wrong question memory card” and only record the three most common mistakes of the day.
– Use illogical association techniques to reshape memory 15 minutes before bedtime. For example, if your child always remembers “7×8=56” as 54, make up a story, “On the Chinese Valentine’s Day, 56 birds built a bridge to save the cowherd.”
– Deliberately draw a colorful explosion icon next to the wrong question to stimulate the hippocampus’s attention.
In reality, the time before sleep should not be used to cram new knowledge but rather to “highlight the key points” for the brain.
It’s similar to when a child prepares their school bag for the next day, placing the textbooks needed for the first class on top. The hippocampus will prioritize processing this marked information during sleep. Take advantage of this golden period and utilize the three methods mentioned above to help your child develop superior memory retention.
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