Simple Memory Boost: Shut Your Eyes

If you want to boost your brain's ability to memorize things, shut your eyes for a few minutes. That's the message from a group of neuroscientists from Scotland, who performed a study on elderly men and women that tested their ability to memorize details with and without short breaks.

They found that participants who closed their eyes for 10 minutes in a dark room were better able to recall the details of a story they had heard. After the brief "brain rest" people were able to remember significantly more details than when they weren't allowed to take a break.

What's really amazing is that the memory boost lasted for a whole week. So it appears that taking just a short rest could allow you to process and remember large amounts of information. That's good news for older people, students, and those poor folks who have to work 12 hour shifts!

We say: For the best possible memory boost you might want to take things a bit further and try some meditation. It's been shown to be a great memory enhancer!

Learn some mo': To boost memory, shut your eyes