Auditory Memory Exercises: How to Keep Your Brain Sharp

Do you forget someone’s name immediately after they have told you? Perhaps you watch the t.v for a particular segment, but have trouble remembering what was said. If this sounds familiar you may want to practice some auditory memory exercises to help overcome this problem.

If you practice consistently, you’ll find that after awhile you won’t have to write things down anymore. Instead, once you hear something, your short term memory will hold the information for longer. Especially useful in the workplace (think busy office, café or restaurant environment), you’ll find you’re able to remember addresses, phone numbers, instructions, names and more.

Top Ten Countdown Memory Exercises
A great way to start, especially if you like music, is to listen to a countdown on the radio. Many stations have them nightly, so there are plenty of chances to practice. Without putting pen to paper, try to remember the song titles of the top ten, as they are played. Once the countdown has finished, try to recall the songs and write them down in the correct order.

The more often you practice, the quicker your memory will improve and you should find that you can write down both the song title and artist with little effort. Another advantage to this auditory memory exercise is that it is possible to make a little cash, as many radio stations have competitions based on the song order, at the end of the program.

Partner Exercises
Auditory memory exercises can also be performed with a partner. Have someone tell you something – an instruction, a to do list, a phone number or any other type of information – and then try to repeat, word for word, what your partner said to you. Again, consistent practice will help you perfect this skill, and you should be able to recall anything you hear without needing a prompt.

If using a partner isn’t an option available to you, try using a recording instead. Play a segment of an audio book, a song, or anything else you might be interested in, then try and write down what you just heard. The more you practice this exercise, the more details you’ll be able to recall and write down, without having to recheck what you had previously played.

The great thing about many auditory memory exercises is that they can be practiced anywhere, at anytime. If you want to improve your memory, and hold onto details for more than a second, give some of the exercises a try and see how quickly your memory improves.

         

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