For most people, understanding memory and carrying out memory improvement exercises isn’t something that gets a lot of attention - that is until they notice themselves start to slip. Many things, including aging, stress and other lifestyle factors, can cause this. Not everyone is born with an innate ability to recall facts and important information. The good news is that you can learn these skills and improve your memory. Whether you are a young college student, or entering your golden years, these five easy tricks will help keep your mind active throughout your life.

1. Just Sing a Song

How many times have you been sitting at a red light or in a doctor’s office and found a song stuck in your head? If you are lucky, it’s something pleasant, but it’s just as likely that it will be some annoying ditty that you heard somewhere. While you might have plenty of techniques to rid your brain of these unwanted tunes, the better approach is to use this power of connection to your advantage. Your brain is optimized to recall with the assistance of music. If you have a sequence of things that you need to remember, or a table of facts, set it to music. In fact, pick the most annoying tune you know- the one that most frequently pops up in those unguarded moments - and use it as your musical association. This is one of those memory improvement exercises that any person, of any age can do.

2. Play Games

Your brain loves a good challenge. Luckily, it is also good for your memory. There is a reason for the cliché of the sly old bird, bespectacled and sporting a crossword puzzle. This character pops up repeatedly in mystery novels and films. Indeed, playing mental games does keep your memory and brain function sharp, well into your golden years. Things like Sudoku, Scrabble and other word, number and recall games qualify.

3. Test Yourself

We all have memory tricks and aids that we use to keep ourselves on track. There is nothing wrong with using those tools. However, don’t become too dependant on them or your memory function will decline. Instead, use those memory aids to test yourself. For example, if you make a grocery list, bring it with you, but try to see how many items you can remember without referring to the list. Make your goal to improve your results each time you do this exercise.

4. Associate With the Familiar

Association has always been a trick used for those with active minds. Many people are impressed by an acquaintance that is always able to add the personal touch to communication; they do this by simply remembering names. Most of these associates do not have some magic trick to making this happen. Instead, they associate each person they meet with another mental picture that is already familiar to them. This simple technique helps keep their minds active.

5. Relationships Matter

This may seem like an out-of-place category to look at when dealing with memory improvement exercises. However, memory has a close connection with emotions and relationships. In fact, it’s common for a dementia patient to recall events based upon smells, sights or surroundings. In many instances, this is an emotional association. Building quality relationships can keep memory sharp throughout your life.