The natural ways to improve memory with the best support are ordinary ones: exercise regularly, sleep enough, eat a heart-healthy pattern like the Mediterranean or MIND diet, stay mentally and socially active, and use a few memory techniques for the things you need to recall. No single herb, spice or vitamin is a shortcut. Harvard Health says food marketers sometimes exaggerate the benefits of specific foods, so it is better to think in broad patterns.
What are the best natural ways to improve memory?
Harvard Health says proven ways to help protect memory include a healthy diet, regular exercise, not smoking, and keeping blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar in check. It adds that a mentally active life matters too: just as muscles grow stronger with use, mental exercise helps keep cognitive skills and memory in tone.
| Habit | What the sources say |
|---|---|
| Exercise | Harvard Health says exercising three or more times a week has been associated with a 40% to 50% lower risk of a dementia diagnosis, and that a mix of aerobic and strength work is best. |
| Sleep | Sleep helps turn short-term memories into long-lasting ones. Harvard suggests seven to nine hours; Healthline cites the CDC's advice of at least 7 hours for adults. |
| Diet | Build meals around plants, fish, nuts and olive oil; cut back on sugary and processed foods. |
| Alcohol | Healthline says repeated binge drinking can damage the hippocampus, a brain region central to memory. |
| Stress and social life | Harvard says meditation, stress reduction and a good social network have been shown to stave off the effects of aging on the brain. |
| Mental challenge | Learning languages, playing an instrument, doing puzzles or playing board games all keep the brain working. |
What foods improve memory?
Mass General Brigham's Dr. Rudolph Tanzi recommends several food groups for brain health. If you want three to start with, fatty fish, leafy greens and berries are on the lists from both Mass General Brigham and Harvard Health.
| Food | Why it is recommended |
|---|---|
| Fatty fish (salmon, cod, pollock) | High in omega-3 fats, especially DHA, which Tanzi calls excellent for brain function. |
| Berries and other fruit | Tanzi says fruit reduces inflammation and helps control blood pressure. He names berries, oranges, avocado, black currants and strawberries. |
| Leafy greens and other vegetables | Fiber, antioxidants and flavonoids. Tanzi names kale, spinach, broccoli, bok choy, arugula, mushrooms and peppers. He says to use beets with caution if you have kidney stones. |
| Nuts | Walnuts contain omega-3 and alpha-linolenic acid. Choose unsalted if you are watching sodium. |
| Eggs | High in choline, which supports brain function. Tanzi suggests one or two times a week. |
| Soy (edamame, tofu) | Polyphenols and antioxidants, considered safe and healthy once or twice a week. |
| Whole grains | Steady energy for brain cells: whole wheat bread and pasta, brown rice, oatmeal. |
The MIND diet, a Mediterranean-style plan designed for brain health, is heavy on leafy greens, nuts, berries, fish and poultry and avoids red meat, butter, cheese and sweets. Harvard reports that in one study, people who followed it were 30% to 35% less likely to score poorly on cognitive tests.
Healthline reports a 2024 study of 84,000 adults in which an anti-inflammatory diet was linked to a 31% lower dementia risk. It also says a 2025 study of adults aged 50 to 64 found that just 10 days on a high-added-sugar diet hurt memory recall. Tanzi suggests limiting red meat, fried foods, soda and refined carbs.
Is there a drink that helps with memory?
Harvard Health lists tea and coffee among foods that help memory. Mass General Brigham's list of beverages and treats to consider includes coffee, tea (including green tea) and unsweetened fruit juices such as pomegranate juice. It also lists olive oil, seeds and dark chocolate around 70% cacao. Mass General Brigham lists red wine, but Harvard advises drinking alcohol in moderation or avoiding it, so you have no memory reason to start. Skip sugary drinks: Tanzi names soda as a food to limit.
Is there a vitamin, herb or spice that protects memory?
You will see exaggerated claims online about vitamins, memory herbs, and spices. Here is what the medical sources say.
- Vitamins: Harvard says you do need certain vitamins for memory, but studies have not shown that taking more than the recommended daily allowance helps. B vitamins and vitamin D deserve attention because they matter for keeping dementia at bay. A blood test can show whether you are low in B12, and your doctor may then recommend a supplement. Harvard says 10 to 15 minutes of daily sun exposure provides plenty of vitamin D, and a supplement may be called for if that is not possible.
- Herbs: Harvard says ginkgo biloba is often touted as a wonder supplement, but numerous studies have found it has no effect on memory, attention or risk of dementia.
- Single foods and spices: Treat any claim that one food, spice or mix (honey and cinnamon, rosemary, a red spice) can prevent or treat dementia with caution. The better-supported approach is the overall eating pattern above. If you want to add a particular herb or spice to your cooking, that is a food choice, not a treatment. For dementia concerns, see a clinician.
Do memory supplements work?
Mass General Brigham's Dr. Tanzi says the most effective way to get nutrients for brain health is food rather than supplements. He says some supplements might help, but they generally lack clinical data. In his words, “the majority of brain health supplements either contain one ingredient that's not proven to do anything, or multiple ingredients but not enough of any one of them to make a difference.” His advice for now is to ask your doctor.
Healthline notes that if you do not enjoy fatty fish, an omega-3 supplement is one way to reach your daily intake. If you are weighing a specific product, NeuroLift ingredients by version and evidence is the place to read about that product. For a general way to weigh label claims, see Ingredient evidence vs. marketing claims. You can also read about one commonly sold ingredient in our Bacopa monnieri research page.
How does exercise help memory?
Harvard says the brains of people who exercise regularly shrink less with age, especially the hippocampus, and their white matter stays healthier. Swimming, walking and tennis are good choices. Consistency matters more than the activity, so set a regular time. Healthline adds that open-skill exercise, such as team sports where the environment keeps changing, may improve cognition more than closed-skill exercise like hitting golf balls, though that finding comes from one 2019 study of older adults with mild cognitive impairment.
How does sleep affect memory?
Sleep consolidates memories, and too little of it impairs memory and concentration. Harvard also lists sleep deprivation, stress, fatigue and feeling overwhelmed as common contributors to short-term forgetfulness. Stanford's Center for Teaching and Learning suggests 7 to 10 hours of sleep for students. For a way to track your sleep before a doctor visit, see Sleep and Memory: A Simple Record.
What mental exercises improve memory?
Harvard recommends lifelong learning: traveling, learning a language, picking up an instrument, taking art or cooking classes, doing puzzles and playing board games. Healthline reports a 2022 review in which electronic “serious games” may have improved memory in older adults with mild cognitive impairment, but it cautions that the review was small and more high-quality research is needed. Healthline also points out that hands-on puzzles engage the brain differently from screen games, so mixing types is sensible. Mindfulness has been linked to less interference in working memory and better verbal learning.
How can you improve memory and concentration?
Harvard suggests staying organized: keep your keys in one place, put appointments in your phone, keep lists. It also suggests repeating a person's name when you are introduced, paraphrasing conversations, and re-reading carefully. Stanford recommends using reminders and automations to free up working memory, which it says holds roughly 3 to 4 units of information at a time. It also recommends short breaks, since cognitive fatigue impairs working memory, and stress management such as deep breathing.
How do you improve memory for studying?
The Stanford guidance and a University of St. Augustine memory guide describe the same core techniques. If you meet a named “memory trick” online, check whether it uses one of these.
| Technique | How to use it |
|---|---|
| Association | Link new facts to what you know. Harvard's example: remember parking spot 42 because your son is 42. |
| Chunking | Break a long list into groups, such as the Baltic states together. |
| Mnemonics and rhymes | Acronyms or sentences like Stanford's “Dear King Phillip Came Over For Good Soup” for biological classification. |
| Memory palace (loci) | Place items to remember along a path through a familiar building. |
| Storytelling and visualization | Turn information into a sequence of events or mental pictures. |
| Active recall | Test yourself with flashcards instead of re-reading. The St. Augustine guide says retrieval practice can beat simply restudying. |
| Spaced repetition | Spread study over time rather than cramming. |
| Write by hand, say it aloud | The same guide says handwriting forces you to pick key points, and speaking and hearing yourself helps words reach long-term memory. |
Stanford also suggests mind maps and taking regular breaks, and says to be patient: change takes time.
When is forgetfulness more than normal aging?
Harvard says some memory slowing with age is normal, mostly a slowing of recall rather than loss. See a doctor if you struggle to complete familiar tasks or if forgetfulness disrupts your day. Memory problems can also stem from depression, thyroid problems, vitamin deficiencies, sleep apnea, head injury or medications, and some improve with treatment. Harvard suggests reviewing your prescriptions with your doctor, especially drugs with anticholinergic properties such as older antihistamines (diphenhydramine), some older antidepressants (amitriptyline) and drugs for urinary symptoms (oxybutynin). It also suggests checking hearing, vision, blood pressure, thyroid function and cholesterol. Do not change any medication on your own; ask your clinician. For background on how memory chemistry works, see The Cholinergic System.
Before you buy a memory product
- Ask whether any study tested that exact product at that dose in people, not just one ingredient in animals. A NIH-hosted review of memory enhancement notes that much of the mechanism research comes from animal models and that enhancers can have drawbacks.
- Ask your doctor or pharmacist about interactions with your medicines. See our St. John's wort interaction guide for an example of why this matters.
- A blood test can show whether you are low in B12; discuss suspected deficiencies with your clinician.
- Check whether the plan costs more than free habits such as walking, sleeping and eating fish and greens.
By GlobalMHSummit.com Research Team