A TELLY doctor has revealed the simple tricks Scots can use to train their brain at any age.
Aberdeen-based psychiatrist Tharaka Gunarathne, known as Dr T, specialises in how brain science impacts everyday life.
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And the dad-of-three, who made the Channel 4 show Can I Improve my Memory with Sandi Toksvig, says there’s a perfect window when you can teach yourself how to learn.
Dr T said: “When I was about 11 my dad gave me a book on memory techniques. Sri Lankan parents in the 80s were pushy and they want you to be a doctor. So he said, use these techniques and become a doctor. I did what I was told. I learned the techniques at a young age and they changed the way I did my learning.
“It helped me get straight As in secondary school, I got into medicine and then got through my medical exams and senior psychiatry exams with this new way of learning.
“I can help young people not only to learn more effectively, but decrease their stress and anxiety around exams too.”
Dr T will deliver a webinar on these techniques to Scots as part of a free Digital Science Festival run by the charity TechFest.
And ahead of the event, he shared some of his brain training techniques.
RELEARN HOW TO LEARN
DR T says schools teach you what to study, but they don’t tell you how to learn.
He explained: “They’ll give you the exam syllabus, equations to solve or vocabulary to memorise. But you won’t be taught, ‘this is your brain and this is how it takes in information’.
“There are lots of circuits in your brain and areas that work together to help you absorb new information and attach it to what you already know. And what’s important is memory is only memory if you can recall it, not if you just store it. You have to be able to fish it out.
“There is a window of opportunity in your younger years to learn how to learn. And then that shapes the way that you absorb information.”
BE POSITIVE
THE expert says it’s key to have self-belief when it comes to your brain health.
Dr T said: “Working on your mindset when it comes to learning is really important. Having an ‘I can’ attitude goes a long way.
“Many people that I meet say, ‘oh, my memory is shocking. Oh, I’m so forgetful. Oh, my memory is terrible’.
“And interestingly, these self-negative narratives play a role in a sort of self-fulfilling prophecy. In other words, we start to notice the mistakes we make even more, which then gives us more evidence that our memory is bad.
“Those lower beliefs have an impact on our performance level.
“So if you want to have a brain that can learn and recall and be superhuman, you’ve got to look after it and its wellbeing.”
GIVE IT A REST
THE telly doc says one of the key ways to keep your brain sharp is to make sure you are getting enough rest.
He said: “You’ve got to look after your sleep. Sleep is a non-negotiable ingredient for learning and memory. Doing all-nighters isn’t helpful.
“While you sleep, your hippocampus in your brain replays and consolidates the learnings of your day.
“So it’s a system which then solidifies and imprints what you’ve learned. That happens only while you sleep.
“And so for a number of reasons, sleep is essential for good memory function, concentration, attention, all that kind of stuff.
“When parents understand this, they can support their kids that little bit more when it comes to exam period. Tell them to switch off their devices and get to bed.”
DRINK IT IN
AS well as resting your brain, another key ingredient for training your brain to learn and keeping your memory sharp is making sure you drink enough.
Water helps your brain cells communicate with each other and it also clears out toxins and waste that impair brain function.
The psychiatrist said: “You have to look after your water intake.
“It turns out if you’re better hydrated, you’ll perform at a higher level on certain cognitive tasks compared to if you were less well hydrated.
“And depending on where you look, you could perform maybe 10 or even up to 20 per cent better on certain cognitive tasks just by hydrating.
“And again, I think young people need to know this because we’re not all good at being dehydrated in general.”
TRICKS A TREAT
THERE are memory techniques that help you take in and retain information.
And he’ll go through some of these in his webinar, including the cloak room trick in which you choose a place you know well and imagine yourself there. Then think of a striking image that represents the thing you want to remember and pop it on a visual coat hook.
The doc says: “Your short term memory is like an inbox tray designed to hold things for just seconds. So information comes in, evaporates, leaving space for more information in the moment.
“Memory techniques help you take information from that tray and shuffle it through into your long-term memory so you can recall it in a week’s time or three weeks or three months.”
HELP THE AGING
THE good news is you can improve your memory as you get older.
Dr T said: “Memory techniques work at any age. In our adult years, there are so many different things we can do to stay cognitively stimulated. Using your brain is akin to going to the gym and lifting weights.The more you do, the more muscle you grow and preserve.
“So learning new skills is a great and fun way to boost cognitive health. Painting, languages, a new recipe or even switching up your route to work.
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“Anything to keep your mind active is great, such as puzzles and crosswords.
“And physical exercise is helpful too in the here and now for your mental health. It helps with improving endorphins and dopamine, but also is neuroprotective for your later years.”
