University Health: Boost Your Memory

New research shows that yoga breathing can significantly improve your memory. More specifically, spatial memory.

Spatial memory keeps track of where things are that you can see, where things are that you can’t see, where you are, and how it all fits together.

With a simple breathing exercise you can improve memory by up to 87% after only 10 days.

However there is a big difference between yoga breathing and aerobics breathing. Heavy breathing during exercise will not do the trick.

Helium.com describes a simple and effective yoga breathing exercise:

• Try to sit with your head, neck and spine in a straight line.
• You will inhale through one nostril, hold the breath, then exhale through the other nostril in a ratio of 2:8:4 counts.
• Use the thumb and ring/pinky fingers of your right hand to close the right and left nostrils respectively, and close both nostrils when you hold the breath.
• Once each nostril has had a chance to inhale and exhale, this is called a round. Start with 3 rounds a day and build up slowly to twenty rounds, extending the count within the 2:8:4 ratio (for example, 4:16:8). Read the full article here.

Why should a college student give a shit about yoga, breathing, or memory improvement? Because with all the drugs you take, all the alcohol you drink, and all the shit you have to remember for each class, you need all the help you can get in the memory department. It’s also a nice way to calm down and relieve stress after a trying day. Plus, the sooner you learn about yoga the sooner you’ll thank me.

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