Does Drinking Coffee Actually Improve Memory?
The brain is the most complex organ in the human body. In fact, while frequent research is executed on the functionality of the brain, the brain remains an area with a lot to be discovered in medical research.
Memory is an important function of the brain that allows us to store and retrieve information on demand – whether it’s the name of a new friend, the telephone number you’ve had for five years or the address where you need to deliver a package. It is reported that memories help us develop a sense of self-worth and plays a role in our development.
Memories also connect the past with the present and help us familiarize objects.
Memory Improvement :–
When the ability to recall memory is not efficient enough, it leads us to seek a method that will show us how to improve memory. Memory improvement is possible and comes in various forms, methods, and techniques.
From playing brain training games to taking a supplement each day. When looking for a method to assist with improving memory, it is important to realize how memory works and what effect certain methods will have on the brain.
While a positive effect on the ability to store and recall memories may be the only goal of such a journey, several techniques can also cause harm to the brain, such as memory supplements that contain harmful chemical compounds.
Physical Exercise :–
Physical exercise, in the form of resistance training and aerobic training, provide several health benefits to the entire body. The brain can also benefit from physical exercise.
They also report that physical exercise assists the brain in both a molecular and behavioral level. They recommend a brief exercise routine in the morning to spike brain activity throughout the entire day. This also helps the brain cope with mental stresses during the daytime.
Sleep :–
Sleep is an important part of our lives, no matter how much we wish to go on without the need to sleep. Sleep deprivation has also been linked to memory loss and lower levels of brain activity.
While sleeping, the body recharges and gets some much-needed rest. When this element is eliminated, the body and brain cannot restore, and the brain will not be able to process the information from the past day.
WebMD reports that an inadequate amount of sleep affects a person’s ability to concentrate, which makes storing new memories more difficult. They also report that sleep is required for memories to store and be available for future recall properly.
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke recommends a total of seven to eight hours of sleep per day for an adult person.
Stress :–
The brain is the situation at the center of the body’s central nervous system. It is responsible for a large number of functions and constantly send signals throughout the body. Stress can have an impact on the brain’s ability to store and recall memories. Both short-term and long-term memory processing can be affected by stress.
The University of Tennessee reports that memory abilities are affecting differently by stress. The effect of stress on memory depends on several aspects of the stress experienced, including:
- Source of the stress
- Duration of the stress
- Intensity of the stress
- Timing within memory phase
Cognitive Neuroscience Society also reports that research has linked the stress hormone named cortisol to short-term memory loss. To avoid stressful occasions and situations to interfere with the brain’s ability to process memory, it is important to develop coping mechanisms and to deal with stress in a more effective way.
Coffee and Memory :–
Every now and then, science reveals something amazing. In 2014, Johns Hopkins University conducted a study that provided evidence that drinking coffee helps memory processing.
Unlike the majority of other studies in this area, this particular study looked at the brain’s pattern separation ability, which is also known as the ability to recognize a difference between two items that is similar, yet not 100% identical.
Participants were divided into two groups. One group received a 200mg caffeine tablet, and the other group received a placebo. The tablets were administered exactly five minutes after the participants were asked to observe a range of images. Salivary samples were taken before the tablets were administered, as well as after one, three and 24 hours.
Individuals who were given a 200mg caffeine tablet had improved long-term memory recalling abilities after a 24-hour period, and their pattern separation abilities worked better than the group who were given a placebo.