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Three simple habits that strengthen memory
Science reveals how movement, emotion, and practice make learning last
Mario Peshev
October 15, 2025
Welcome to The Smarter Brain, a curation of thought-provoking ideas and actionable reads to help you build better habits and become more productive.
Happy reading - See you on Sunday!
Cheers,
The Smarter Brain Team
Estimated Reading Time: 2 mins
3 Ideas for Better Habits
Learn. Apply. Grow.
Learning strategist, Peter C. Brown, on unlocking mastery through the science of memory and practice.
“It’s not just what you know, but how you practice what you know that determines how well the learning serves you later.”
Remember to Grow
Science writer and memory champion, Joshua Foer, on uncovering the art of remembering and the limits of the mind.
“The more we remember, the better we are at processing the world. And the better we are at processing the world, the more we can remember about it.”
Memory in Action
Science journalist, Benedict Carey, on harnessing the hidden rhythms of the brain to make learning stick.
“Answering does not only measure what you remember, it increases overall retention.”
Train Smarter, Remember Longer
Platforms like Memrise make mastering new topics engaging and evidence-based. Using real-life context, gamified repetition, and visual learning, it leverages cognitive science to help your brain store information more effectively.
Productivity Tools and Resources
Revisit Memories to Strengthen Recall
New research reveals that mentally reliving an experience - from its sights to its emotions - can boost memory retention by over 80%. This “time-travel” recall technique helps re-activate dormant neural networks and improve long-term learning.
Exercise Your Brain - Literally
Regular movement doesn’t just build muscles; it sharpens the mind. A daily walk or light cycling session promotes memory encoding and reduces brain fog by improving oxygenation and stimulating the hippocampus - the region responsible for learning.
Activate Recall with Spaced Repetition
Apps such as SuperMemo apply scientifically tested repetition intervals to reinforce learning and long-term recall. Whether you’re studying languages or prepping for exams, it optimizes how often and when you review - helping you remember more in less time. See how SuperMemo’s spaced repetition model enhances recall.
What We're Reading
The Learning Scientists Newsletter: Dive into evidence-based insights on how we learn, remember, and think. Each issue explores practical cognitive strategies that boost comprehension, retention, and long-term recall for learners at every stage.
Kwik Brain Newsletter: Bite-sized insights on memory, focus, and accelerated learning. Each edition shares practical tools and brain-training techniques to sharpen thinking, enhance performance, and achieve lasting mental agility.
Brain Food
Today I Learned: Distributed (spaced) practice can improve retention by up to 50% compared to massed (cramming) sessions. (Source)
Science: Synaptic tagging and capture mechanisms allow weakly stimulated synapses to stabilize via shared protein resources. (Source)
Have a productive rest of your week,
The Smarter Brain Team
Resource Spotlight
Cognitive Science Insights, Retention Habits, Memory Blueprint
Monthly dispatches from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences reveal how techniques like active recall, visualization, and mnemonic devices can transform the way you retain information. Grounded in neuroscience, these evidence-based methods make learning faster, easier, and more reliable.
Learning Habits, Brain Optimization, Recall Precision
Drawing from the Learning Scientists’ work, this series explores how small, deliberate learning strategies - such as spaced repetition and retrieval practice - improve memory consolidation and reduce cognitive overload. Each insight translates research into simple, actionable habits.
Everyday Memory Boosters, Mind Mastery, Recall Reinvented
National Geographic highlights how everyday activities - from movement to mindful visualization - can re-energize your memory. Each edition blends neuroscience with practical guidance to help you remember more, think clearer, and strengthen cognitive endurance.
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