My brain is a sieve. Stuff goes in and then, while I’m not looking, slips quietly out again. I misplace my keys, my wallet and, occasionally, my sanity. I can’t remember the name of the lady who lives down the road or my car registration number and I definitely can’t remember high school calculus.

Mmm…what was I talking about again? Ah yes, memory. It gets worse as we get older, in part because we need to store more and more information and in part because we become lazy. Yip, improving your memory actually involves some effort.

Memory basics

It is obvious that memory involves retaining and recalling information, but an often overlooked fact is that memory also involves receiving information. If you don’t receive the information correctly, you won’t be able to retain it or retrieve it.

Your short-term memory (or working memory) holds a limited amount of information for a brief period of time. If the information is not transferred to your long term memory, it will soon be forgotten. This process involves integrating the new information with existing information.

Simply put, long-term memory can be divided up into episodic memory, procedural memory and semantic memory. Episodic memory is like your mind’s video recorder or photo album – it holds your experiences. Procedural memory allows you to walk, write or make a cup of tea without becoming bogged down by the complexities of the actions. Semantic or declarative memory retains ‘knowledge’.

Give your memory a nudge

There are active steps you can take to improve your memory. The first is to get your life in order. If you don’t have to worry about remembering all the day-to-day things, you’ll be more likely to remember the important stuff.

Get a diary and write down all your appointments, important phone numbers and shopping/to-do lists. Put your keys or wallet in the same place every time you come in the door.

In the same way that you need to re-organise your life, you also need to re-organise the way in which you think. BBC Radio 4 (www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/) suggests a few strategies for improving your memory.

Be active — actively engage in what you are learning. Verbally acknowledge what the other person is saying, read a text aloud or take notes. The more senses you use in receiving information, the more likely you are to remember the information at a later stage.

Make associations — create links between the new information and things you already know. Try to refer any new information back to yourself as this will make it easier to remember. For instance, your bank PIN could be the year you started school.

Repetition — the more you repeat the new information, the more likely you’ll be to remember it. If you meet someone for the first time, try to find a way to use their name without it appearing to be too forced. It also helps to repeat the information to yourself at regular intervals after first encountering it.

Imagery — a useful mnemonic (memory aid), which relies on visual imagery rather than words. Make a visual picture of what you are trying to remember. If you meet someone called Susan Flower imagine her face with flowers instead of hair. It’s not likely that you’ll forget her surname.

Chunking — your short-term memory can only hold seven (plus or minus two) ‘chunks’ of information at one time. You can trick your memory by chunking together pieces of information. For instance the number 1649873022 will be easier remember as 16 49 87 30 22.

Keep brain fit

One way to stave off memory loss is to ensure that you have a fit and healthy brain. Our brain, like the rest of our bodies needs a nutritious diet, stimulating exercise and healthy lifestyle habits. Here’s a quick guide to what you should be doing.

Stimulate your brain through new sensory experiences — tastes, sounds, colours and tactile sensations. Break your habitual patterns by visiting new places and interacting with different people.

Challenge your mind with puzzles, games and interesting literature. Try to learn a new language or to play a musical instrument.

Get regular cardiovascular exercise — it’ll keep your body healthy and pump oxygenated blood to your brain. Eat a nutritious diet full of berries, nuts and food rich in omega three. Chronic stress has been found to severely impair memory, so it is a good idea to learn (and practice) a relaxation technique such as meditation.

So, while you may still be completely perplexed by the intricacies of calculus, you won’t be faced with the acute embarrassment of forgetting your neighbour’s name. And, if you put your mind to it, you should be able to remember other important stuff — the history of the Roman Empire, the stars in the solar system and your wedding anniversary.