Anishka Jannu Blog #13 - Power and Memory
People use their memory every day to remember people’s names or recall what they need to do. Memory gives us the ability to observe something and come back to it later. It offers a place for one to store any feelings, ideas, or experiences they may have. Unfortunately, many people often do not value their memory and brain until they start to lose it. In addition, they lack the gratitude they should have for their life and health. These people do not realize that their memory is a temporary gift that will eventually fade and worsen over time.
Having a good memory is a very important part of one’s health. Doctors and pediatricians often reccomend solving puzzles and brain games to exercise your mind. This is because the only way to maintain your brain power and memory is to use it often.
In recent years, more and more people have started relying on technology to remember things for them. This reliance on technology causes people to not exercise their brain power. As a result, they are more likely to lose their memory and brain power. A study states that relying on technology “[affects] the user’s brain chemistry” and “[leads] to a loss of old memories’ synapses due to disuse” (Nachnani). These unsettling statistics demonstrate the importance of exercising one’s brain power and memory.
Luckily, memory loss and dementia can easily be prevented or postponed. Research shows that “people who have more education or do more mentally stimulating activities throughout life build up a higher cognitive reserve” so their brain can “resist damage caused by disease like Alzheimer's for longer” (Brisbourne). Therefore, practicing cognitive skills and complex mental tasks can help people preserve their memory for the long term. As people age, it is inevitable that their body functions and mental activity will slow down. For that reason, it is important for people with these abilities to be grateful for the skills that they often take for granted. In addition, they should constantly exercise their mind and prevent memory loss for as long as possible.
Brisbourne, Robin. “Why Do Some People Get Dementia and Not Others? .” Alzheimer’s Research UK, 4 Mar. 2024, www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/news/why-do-some-people-get-dementia/.
Nachnani, Celeste. “Technology’s Impact on Memory.” Simply Neuroscience, Simply Neuroscience, 3 May 2023, www.simplyneuroscience.org/post/technology-s-impact-on-memory.
Hi Anishka. I found your blog very interesting, as it addresses an apparent issue in today’s world. Modern technology definitely takes away from our ability to remember things well due to how reliant we are on devices like smartphones and tablets to remember our responsibilities for us. While this is efficient, it detracts from brain health, weakening your memory. I agree with you that exercising our minds is something we should strive to do with care, as weak memory is not something we would want to have, especially if it’s easily avoidable. I find it unusual that there are people who don’t try to remedy their habits, such as the excessive use of technology that does have detrimental effects on both the body and the mind. I’m glad that there are more studies about the topic you discussed, and I hope we can change our ways in order to work toward a healthy future. I really enjoyed reading your blog; it was very informative and engaging.
ReplyDeleteHi Anishka, your topic brings up an interesting point that I completely agree with. I have been able to witness this concept firsthand as technology makes a huge difference in my own memory retention. In my classical dance class, the pieces we learn are 10 minutes minimum, so we would always record videos to remember the dance and have a model to practice in the future. Being able to rely on videos, I did not have to remember the dance, so I would just relearn it before the next class, which deteriorated my memory retention. However, as I have been progressing to higher levels, my teacher has stopped letting me take videos in class. Instead, she makes me write down all the steps. At first, I hated doing this as it was a tedious process, but now I am able to understand why she makes me do it. By writing it down, I am able to comprehend the steps and break it down to describe what exactly my feet and hands do at every second. For the storytelling parts of dance, I write my own interpretation of the story, allowing me to understand the characters better and emote accurately. By writing, I am relying on my memory and am more likely to remember the dance than have to learn it all over again. This allows for the strengthening of my memory. The same thing occurs when I take notes. If I take online notes, I am less likely to remember the information as I am simply pressing keys on a keyboard, but when I write it in a notebook, I am physically writing the letters and words, which lets me comprehend the concepts.
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