What is the best way to improve memory?

Best Strategy to Improve Memory

The single most effective intervention to improve memory is structured exercise, specifically 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, with resistance training added 2-3 times weekly for optimal benefit. 1

Exercise as Primary Intervention

Aerobic exercise is the cornerstone recommendation for memory improvement, supported by the highest-quality guideline evidence. The 5th Canadian Consensus Conference on Dementia specifically recommends aerobic exercise to improve cognitive outcomes, including memory function. 1

Specific Exercise Prescription

The evidence-based dosing for memory improvement is clear and actionable:

• Minimum effective dose: 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (approximately 724 METs-min per week) 1
• Optimal dose range: 150-300 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity 1
• Practical implementation: Start with 30 minutes of brisk walking 5 days per week, where the patient can talk but not sing during activity 1

Resistance training provides superior cognitive benefits compared to aerobic exercise alone according to the most recent 2022 network meta-analysis. 2 The WHO recommends adding muscle-strengthening activities involving major muscle groups at least three times per week. 3

Important Exercise Principles

• Benefits begin immediately with no minimal threshold required 3
• The dose-response relationship is non-linear, with diminishing returns beyond 1200 METs-min per week (300 min/week) 3
• Multicomponent exercise (combining aerobic and resistance training) is most effective for mild cognitive impairment 3
• Lower doses of resistance training can achieve clinically meaningful benefits, making high-intensity programs unnecessary for many patients 3

Cognitive Rehabilitation Strategies

Beyond exercise, structured cognitive interventions are reasonable approaches:

• Enriched environments that increase engagement with cognitive activities are recommended 2
• Cognitive rehabilitation to improve attention, memory, visual neglect, and executive functioning is reasonable 2
• Specific memory training is reasonable, such as promoting global processing in visual-spatial memory and constructing semantic frameworks for language-based memory 2

Compensatory Memory Strategies

Compensatory strategies may be considered and include: 2

• Internalized strategies: Visual imagery, semantic organization, spaced practice 2
• External memory aids: Notebooks, paging systems, computers, other prompting devices 2
• Errorless learning techniques may be effective for severe memory impairments, though benefits are limited to specific skills with minimal transfer to novel tasks 2

Additional Cognitive Interventions

• Music therapy may be reasonable for improving verbal memory 2
• Virtual reality training may be considered for verbal, visual, and spatial learning, though efficacy is not well established 2

Nutritional Considerations (Adjunctive)

While exercise remains the primary evidence-based intervention, certain dietary factors may provide supplementary benefits:

• Mediterranean diet (rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, olive oil, regular fish consumption) has been shown to reduce incidence of mild cognitive impairment 4
• Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA supplementation at 2,200 mg/day) showed improved object-location memory recall in healthy older adults in a 26-week placebo-controlled trial 5
• Low glycemic index foods appear to improve attention and memory, while simple sugars are associated with concentration difficulties 6

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Do not focus exclusively on aerobic exercise while neglecting resistance training, as resistance training shows superior cognitive benefits 3
• Do not recommend only high-intensity programs, as lower doses of resistance training achieve clinically meaningful benefits 3
• Do not expect medications to be effective: The usefulness of donepezil, rivastigmine, and antidepressants in treating cognitive deficits is not well established 2
• Working memory training programs lack robust evidence for far-transfer effects to real-world memory improvement 2