Helping Our Memory Work Better, Via Design

In this article, we’ll cover how design can support the memories of those of us with regular old brains, specific issues raised by dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and other concerns will be addressed in future issues.

The single most important way to support memory function is to design flexibility and longevity into spaces. 

The research consistently shows that we recall material best in the space where we learned/encoded/thought about it.  That means that you should watch a podcast to learn something you need to do your job better in your home office; if you do, when you need to recall information later to apply it for work, you’ll do a better job.

If you do any work, whether it’s writing an advertising slogan or coming up with a materials distribution plan or something else (that produces a mental product), you’ll remember more of the logic that brought you to the slogan, distribution plan, etc., if you return to the place where the original work was done.  Also, if you made mental notes about things you want to do to move that mental product forward, say make the slogan even better, more compelling, or to recapture other thoughts that came to you during the slogan development process occurred.

If you have a feeling you’re forgetting something important about that slogan, or anything else, go back to the place where you last thought hard about whatever it is that you feel you need a memory refresher on.

• These place memory links are as strong for “simple” jobs like remembering what to put on your sopping list as they are for more complex ones, such as how to develop a new vaccine.

If you want a totally clean break from thinking you’ve done in the past, go to a new place to think, one where you haven’t tried to do any mental exercise.

Even if you can’t go back to the place you originally thought about whatever is of interest, going for a walk can help you remember things.

Smelling rosemary has, time and again, been linked to enhanced memory function.  It’s the scent to have on hand as you try to link the random receipt in your hand to the reason why you bothered to save it.  This rosemary-memory link has been found in both children and adults so if your child returns home from school with only one mitten or sneaker, having them spend a little time smelling some rosemary is probably a good idea.  Additional research link the smells of garden sage, and, separately, peppermint to better memory performance

Other Essential Tips to Help Boost Your Memory

Exposure to blue light  (473 nm) also has been tied to enhanced memory function.

There is also some evidence that we may do a better job remembering when sitting on a hard surface instead of a cushioned one.

Being in biophilically designed spaces has been tied to enhanced memory performance.  The important elements of biophilic design are discussed in this article.  Not surprisingly, researchers have also shown that being exposed to nature, by being in it, looking at it though a window or in photographs or other art, or hearing it, all can improve memory performance.

Finally, creating napping areas outside the home is a good idea—napping improves memory.

Design can help our memories perform to their full potential!  If only we could remember what that is.