Essentials: Tools to Boost Attention & Memory | Dr. Wendy Suzuki

Teachers and students alike often struggle. What if that’s because our ideas about teaching are all wrong? In Uncommon Sense Teaching, learning experts Barbara Oakley and Beth Rogowsky team up with neuroscientist Terrence Sejnowski to explain how your brain actually processes and stores information. They also provide practical, science-based strategies to help you harness your brain’s natural learning mechanisms.

We’ll begin this guide by explaining how learning works in a neurological sense and discussing the two main systems your brain uses to learn new information. Then, we’ll explore various ways to create a healthy and effective learning environment for others. In our commentary, we’ll go into greater detail about the scientific reasons behind the authors’ methods. We’ll also compare and contrast their ideas with those of other influential books on education, such as Jim Kwik’s Limitless and Oakley’s own A Mind for Numbers. Finally, we’ll suggest some actionable ways to improve your own learning and teaching skills.

In 2005, journalist Joshua Foer attended the US Memory Championships and became interested in memory. Over the next year, he interviewed mnemonists (master memorizers), researchers, and scientists; researched the history of memory; and trained with a grand master of memory, learning enough mnemonic techniques to win the US Memory Championships the following year.

Moonwalking with Einstein (the title is a mnemonic) is a record of everything Josh learned during his year of exploring memory. Most notably, he learned that a good memory isn’t an inherent talent—anyone can improve their memory if they employ the right techniques.

Do you often feel frustrated by your tendency to forget things? Is your memory just plain bad? According to International Grandmaster of Memory Kevin Horsley, there’s no such thing. In Unlimited Memory, Horsley explains that, using the right techniques, anyone can train their brain to learn and remember anything. He offers several techniques to help you remember everything by making associations between things you already know well—like your car or your body—and things you want to remember. He also describes strategies to help you remember things through story, art, and visualization.

In our guide, we’ll explain Horsley’s theories on learning and memory and the importance of attention and associative learning. We’ll also look at some of his specific techniques and how to implement them and explore how to retain information long after you’ve learned it. We’ll supplement Horsley’s ideas with scientific context and tips from other memory experts and writers.

Do you exercise enough? You know it’s good for your overall health—but do you know it’s also vital for your brain? John Ratey is an associate clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard, and he’s been convinced by the scientific and clinical evidence—our brains are built to move. He’s seen firsthand how patients struggling with addiction, anxiety, and depression are transformed by exercise.

In Spark, he discusses the evolutionary origins of the mind-body connection and how exercise optimizes brain function and supports mental health. In this guide, we’ll examine these theories as well as Ratey’s recommendations for how to incorporate exercise into your life, exploring which exercise is most beneficial and how you can stick to a routine.

Along the way, we’ll discuss how the theories of other experts align with or differ from Ratey’s ideas, and we’ll update the science where new insights have emerged in the years since the book’s release.

Could your daily habits be sabotaging your health and happiness? In Brain Wash, neurologist David Perlmutter and physician Austin Perlmutter argue that our modern lifestyles—filled with technological distractions, processed foods, and chronic stress—are impairing our brain function and decision-making abilities. This leads to a cycle of choices that damage our health, relationships, and mental well-being, increasing our risk of chronic disease, anxiety, and depression. The Perlmutters suggest simple lifestyle adjustments to reclaim your health and happiness in the modern world.

This guide explores the science behind how modern habits affect our brain’s reward systems and stress response. We’ll discuss strategies for improving your brain health—from managing technology use to improving diet and sleep, and practicing mindfulness. We’ll also examine insights from other health experts and provide additional lifestyle tips.

Our brains are uniquely complex information processors, yet most people know little about how they work. In Brain Rules, John Medina writes that when we understand how our brains have evolved, we can use their natural impulses and tendencies to our advantage, improving our thinking and learning in all aspects of our lives.

John Medina is a molecular biologist who focuses on psychiatric disorders. Medina wrote this book in order to help the general public understand in a simple, accessible way how brains work and how the functions of the brain affect how we interact with the world. In this guide, we discuss the 12 rules he’s identified that summarize the brain’s core functions, abilities, and limitations. We also offer ways to apply Medina’s principles in your daily life and discuss scientific and cultural ideas related to his brain rules.