A good memory is a powerful tool for life. Helping your homeschool student learn how to memorize things better is a task that most homeschool teachers take rather seriously. There are many techniques and short cuts that allow homeschooling parents to make their children learn quickly and well.

What’s New in Memory Research

There is constant research being conducted around the world on the brain, cognition and behavior.  Apparently learning and improving your memory is not just about excising the mind. It is also about ensuring that there is enough physical exercise. The study conducted at Radboud University’s Medical Center, in Nijmegen, the Netherlands found that the kind of activity you do after you have just been taught a new skill can go a long way in helping you remember it better.

Resting or Reactivating

In the study the participants were asked to memorize the location of 90 items on a computer screen. Then some were allowed to watch relaxing videos of nature and others were put on a cycle and made to peddle hard for thirty five minutes. For some participants the workout came immediately after the memorization session and for others the workout was performed four hours later. When tested for the same items on the computer screen two days later, it was the group which exercised that came out on top of those who watched relaxing videos.

The Time of Exercise Matters

However within the group of those made to do the workout on the cycle, the people who exercised four hours later had a tendency to do better than the ones who cycled right away. The researchers say that the part of the brain known as the hippocampus was activated when they exercised four hours later and helped the group improve their memory. While they are not yet sure why it happens, they are convinced that workouts and exercises are a great way to improve the memory of an individual. So the next time your homeschool student has finished studying something new, four hours later make sure he gets a good physical workout to help him remember it better!