How to Improve Memory Naturally: 12 Evidence-Based Steps (2026)

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Walking into a room and forgetting why. Losing a name halfway through a sentence. After 40, small memory slips like these become more common, and many people start to wonder how to improve memory before things get worse. The good news is that some of the most effective steps cost nothing at all.

We read the major research on memory and brain ageing, including the 2024 Lancet Commission on dementia prevention, large randomised trials and meta-analyses, to build this list of 12 practical, evidence-based ways to improve memory naturally. We also rate how strong the evidence is for each of these memory improvement tips.

Is Some Forgetfulness Normal?

Yes. The US National Institute on Aging explains that taking longer to learn new things, or occasionally misplacing glasses or forgetting a name, is a normal part of ageing. Serious memory loss is not. Making poor decisions most of the time, getting lost in familiar places or being unable to keep track of monthly bills are signs that need a medical check.

Memory also depends on things that are easy to fix: poor sleep, stress, low mood, some medicines, and conditions such as low vitamin B12 or an underactive thyroid. That is why the last step on our list is a simple health check.

How to Improve Memory: What the Evidence Says

12 Ways to Improve Memory Naturally

1. Move your body most days

If you only change one thing, make it this. A 2018 meta-analysis of 39 randomised trials in adults over 50 found that exercise improved cognitive function, whether or not people already had memory problems. Aerobic exercise, strength training, mixed programmes and tai chi all helped. The benefits were linked to sessions of 45-60 minutes at moderate intensity or higher. Brisk walking, cycling, swimming or dancing count. Add two strength sessions a week if you can.

2. Protect your sleep

Sleep is when the brain files away what you learned during the day. In a well-known study, a single night of sleep deprivation reduced activity in the hippocampus, the brain’s memory centre, while people tried to learn, and they remembered less afterwards. Aim for 7-9 hours, keep a regular bedtime, and limit screens and caffeine late in the day. Loud snoring with daytime sleepiness can be a sign of sleep apnoea, which is worth raising with a doctor.

3. Eat a Mediterranean-style diet

Vegetables, fruit, beans, whole grains, fish, nuts and olive oil form the base of this pattern. In a Spanish trial of 447 older adults at high heart risk, people given a Mediterranean diet with extra virgin olive oil or nuts kept their cognitive scores steady over about four years, while the low-fat control group declined. However, a 2023 trial of the MIND diet in 604 older adults found that both the MIND group and a control group on a mildly calorie-reduced diet improved by similar amounts over three years. The honest takeaway: a healthy diet seems to help, but no single “brain diet” has proven to be better than general healthy eating.

4. Keep learning new, challenging skills

Crosswords you can already do with ease are less helpful than something truly new. In the Synapse Project, older adults who spent about 16 hours a week for three months learning quilting, digital photography or both improved their episodic memory (memory for events) compared with groups doing easy tasks or purely social activities. A language, an instrument or a demanding hobby are good options.

5. Stay socially connected

Social isolation is one of the 14 risk factors in the 2024 Lancet Commission. Interestingly, the Synapse Project found limited memory benefit from social activities alone, so the best choices may combine people and mental effort: a class, a club, volunteering or a team sport.

6. Control blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar

What is good for your heart is good for your brain. High blood pressure, diabetes and, newly added in 2024, high LDL (“bad”) cholesterol are all on the Lancet list. In the SPRINT MIND trial of 9,361 adults with high blood pressure, aiming for a systolic reading below 120 instead of below 140 lowered the risk of mild cognitive impairment. It did not significantly reduce probable dementia, possibly because the trial stopped early. Get your numbers checked and follow your treatment plan.

7. Get your hearing and eyesight checked

Untreated hearing loss is among the largest modifiable dementia risk factors in the Lancet report, and untreated vision loss was added in 2024. The ACHIEVE trial gave 977 adults aged 70-84 hearing aids or health education. Overall, there was no difference in cognitive decline after three years, but in the group at higher risk the hearing aids appeared to slow decline. If you often ask people to repeat themselves, a hearing test is a simple step.

8. Cut back on alcohol

The idea that a little alcohol protects the brain does not hold up well. In a UK study that followed 550 adults for 30 years, people drinking 14-21 units a week had about three times the odds of shrinkage in the right hippocampus compared with non-drinkers, and light drinking showed no protective effect. The Lancet Commission lists drinking more than 21 units a week as a risk factor. Less is better.

9. Stop smoking

Smoking damages blood vessels, including those that feed the brain, and it is another of the 14 Lancet risk factors. Quitting at any age is good for your heart and blood vessels. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about stop-smoking support.

10. Manage stress and low mood

Worry and low mood make it harder to concentrate, and things you never really paid attention to cannot be remembered later. Depression is also on the Lancet list. Exercise, sleep and social contact help. If low mood lasts more than two weeks, speak to a doctor: treating depression often improves concentration and memory.

11. Use proven memory techniques

If you want to know how to increase memory power for things you need to learn, these methods have the strongest lab evidence:

• Retrieval practice (self-testing). In a classic experiment, students who tested themselves on a text remembered more after two days and one week than students who re-read it, even though re-reading made them feel more confident. Close the book and try to recall.
• Spaced repetition. A review of 317 experiments found that spreading study sessions out beats cramming, and the longer you need to remember something, the bigger the gaps should be. Review a new name or fact after a few minutes, then a day, then a week.
• The method of loci (“memory palace”). Picture a familiar route and place each item along it. In one study, 6 weeks of this kind of mnemonic training changed brain network patterns in ordinary volunteers to look more like those of memory champions, and memory gains lasted up to 4 months.

Simple habits help too: write things down, keep keys in one place, and say a new name out loud when you hear it.

12. Rule out medical causes

The National Institute on Aging lists several treatable causes of memory problems, including vitamin B12 deficiency, thyroid problems, medicine side effects, alcohol misuse and depression. Older adults, people on a plant-based diet, and people taking metformin or acid-reducing medicines for a long time are more likely to have low B12. Sleeping pills, some allergy and bladder medicines (anticholinergics) and some anxiety medicines can also affect memory. Ask your doctor for a medication review and simple blood tests. Never stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Why Combining Steps Works Best

The FINGER trial in Finland tested several steps at once. It enrolled 1,260 people aged 60-77 with an above-average dementia risk score. Half received two years of diet advice, exercise, brain training and monitoring of heart-risk factors; the other half received general health advice. The combined programme group improved more on a broad set of memory and thinking tests. The difference was modest, but measurable.

What About Memory Supplements?

Many products promise sharper memory and better focus. The evidence behind most of them is much weaker than the evidence for the lifestyle steps above: trials tend to be small and short, and few were done in healthy adults with normal age-related forgetfulness. A supplement cannot replace exercise, sleep or blood pressure control. If you try one, pick a product that lists its doses and check with your doctor first.

One example is Phytomem One, a once-a-day tablet marketed for memory and focus. Its formula includes saffron extract, which has some small trials behind it, plus several ingredients studied mainly for blood sugar, and it does not list the dose of each ingredient. We checked what is known about each one in our full Phytomem One review.

How to Improve Memory: FAQ

What is the fastest way to improve memory?

For learning specific information, self-testing and spaced repetition work within days. Getting a full night of sleep before and after learning also helps quickly. Exercise and diet changes take weeks to months.

Can you improve memory after 50?

Yes. Trials in adults over 50 and over 60, including the FINGER trial and exercise meta-analyses, found improvements in memory and thinking tests with lifestyle changes.

Which exercise is best for memory?

Aerobic exercise, strength training, mixed programmes and tai chi all helped in a meta-analysis of 39 trials. Sessions of 45 to 60 minutes at moderate intensity or higher were linked to benefits. The best exercise is the one you will keep doing.

Do brain games improve memory?

Evidence that brain-training games improve everyday memory is limited. In one trial, older adults who spent three months learning a demanding real-life skill, such as quilting or digital photography, improved their memory.

Can low vitamin B12 cause memory loss?

Yes. Vitamin B12 deficiency is a known, treatable cause of memory problems. A simple blood test can check your level, especially if you are older, eat a plant-based diet or take metformin or acid-reducing medicines long term.

Can dementia be prevented?

Not always, but the risk can be lowered. The 2024 Lancet Commission estimated that nearly half of dementia cases are linked to 14 modifiable risk factors, such as high blood pressure, hearing loss, physical inactivity, smoking and social isolation.

Medical disclaimer: This article is for information only and is not medical advice. Statements about supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Supplements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Talk to your doctor about any memory concerns and before changing your medicines, diet or exercise routine, or taking a supplement.