Is it possible to gain photographic memory

Practice taking an eidetic memory test. To test whether or not you have an eidetic photographic memory, you can take a pretty basic test. It involves looking at 2 images that are similar, and trying to superimpose them over one another. You can take the test online via the University of Iowa. If you like it, talk to your doctor about taking a a certified test.

This test is still a fun way to exercise your brain and improve your memory. Use image associations. One way to help you remember something, whether it is the title of a book or where you left your keys, is to take a moment to visualize the item at hand. For example, if the object is a book called "A Thousand Splendid Suns," take a moment to visualize what a thousand splendid suns would look like. Having the image imprinted in your mind can help you recall the title of the book later. Similarly, if you place your car keys down on the kitchen counter, try to imagine your keys doing something silly in the kitchen like cooking or eating the fruit in the fruit bowl.

When it comes time to look for your keys later, you'll be unlikely to forget that silly image you created in your head. Repeat names. Many people struggle to remember the names of people they have just met, even after only 30 seconds. This is likely because we tend to focus so much on ourselves how we look, whether we're being polite, etc that we neglect to listen to the other person's name.

This can be especially difficult if you are being introduced to several people at once. One way to combat this is to repeat the person's name right after meeting them: "Nice to meet you, Sam. Another way to remember names is to associate the new name with somebody you already know by that name. If you don't already know anybody by that name, then try to think of a character in a book or film with that name.

Making this kind of association can help you recall the name later. Employ "chunking. If you are trying to remember items on a grocery list, then try clumping them together in different categories like fruits, vegetables, frozen items, condiments, meats, etc. Alternatively, divide grocery lists into potential meals; for example, you could group lettuce, tomato, cucumbers, goat cheese, and vinegar into one "chunk" called "salad items. For example, instead of trying to remember the following sequence: , you could break it up into Repeating the number back to yourself will be a lot easier if you do it in smaller sections.

Minimize distractions. For many people, forgetfulness is not a memory issue, but a result of being too distracted to effectively learn the information in the first place.

When possible, try not to multi-task. Focus all of your attention on completing one activity at a time. Though it's tempting to take care of several things at once to save time, you will be more likely to retain the information if you do each one individually, saving you time in the long run. Part 2. Read with purpose. If you want to retain information, it will help to clarify why you're reading. Use association to categorize what you read.

As you read, try to relate what you're reading to other parts of the book, chapter, or article. It's helpful to think about the general organization of the piece and mentally sort the information you're reading into the corresponding parts of the outline. Practice visualization to create a vivid memory.

Creating a mental picture of what you're reading is a helpful way to memorize the information. If you're reading about how to bake a pie, picture each of the different parts as you read about them. Imagine the ingredients, the crust, the filling, and the finished product. Concentrate only on what you are reading.

Avoid trying to multitask when you are reading for information. It will increase the likelihood that you won't have picture perfect recall. Instead, focus intently on what you are reading and tune everything else out. Part 3. Make relaxation a priority. There are many ways to alleviate anxiety and stress. Spend more time doing activities that you enjoy, especially those that involve being outdoors.

Take up activities that promote mindful awareness, like yoga or tai chi. Another way to help alleviate anxiety and depression is to socialize more often. Play games and do puzzles to exercise your brain. Your brain is like the muscles of your body; the more exercise you give it, the better it will perform. Unfortunately, many people get so caught up in their daily routines that they can go days with their brains performing on "auto pilot.

Read something every day. Learning new information is a great way to keep your memory sharp. Even if you're not an avid reader, make a point to read a little bit each day. Choose a book that interests you and commit to reading a chapter or even just 5 pages a day. It doesn't matter whether it is fiction or non-fiction. Read the newspaper to stay up to date on current events.

This will also exercise your brain! Learn something new to keep your brain fresh. In addition to reading on your own, you can learn new skills to give your memory a workout. Maybe you'd like to learn about a certain topic or try a new hobby or sport. Choose something that excites you!

Learn a new language or instrument. Sign up for a class at your local community college. Get more exercise. Physical activity increases blood flow to every part of your body, including your brain. This ability is referred to as eidetic memory. Eidetic memory is thought to occur in a small percentage of children, although even this assumption is far from conclusive.

After that, the details in eidetic memories may change, fade completely, or be captured in short-term memory, where it may again fade, change, or be captured in long-term memory. Some people use the terms photographic memory and eidetic memory interchangeably, but these two phenomena are different.

People who believe they have photographic memories say they can recall visuals for very long periods of time, or permanently, without alterations in detail. Both are hard phenomena to test conclusively. Whether photographic memory is attainable or not, there are strategies for supporting your brain to remember more of what you see.

And that is a very good thing. Once upon a time, it was thought that only around 60 percent of the population were visual learners, meaning that they were able to retain knowledge and memory obtained via visual stimuli. The current conventional wisdom is that all — or practically all — people obtain knowledge and memory this way. Visual learning differs theoretically from photographic memory, but may be a necessary element in its occurrence.

That is assuming that photographic memory is a real thing. People who believe themselves to have photographic memory say they can look at a photograph, scene, image, or other form of visual stimuli and retain that image exactly as it appeared for an extended period of time.

While we do know that the brain has a very large capacity for retaining visual, long-term memories, this type of claim is hard to substantiate definitively.

Certainly, there are people who have better photographic recall than others. Some early studies correlated photographic memory with intelligence, although this is unproven. People with eidetic memory are known as eidetikers. Eidetikers are sometimes tested via a technique known as the Picture Elicitation Method.

This method utilizes an unfamiliar visual prompt, such as a painting or photograph. The person with eidetic memory is allowed to study the visual for around 30 seconds. Eidetic images can be visually removed from memory by blinking.

The scientific consensus is that roughly 1 percent of the U. But here's the good news! If you're interested in boosting your recollection skills, there are a ton of great measures you can take—foods to indulge, great brain exercises to take up—that will help your ability to recall things in much more vivid detail. Here they are! It's an adage as old as time or at least Malcolm Gladwell : Practice makes perfect. And yes, this applies to your noodle, too.

One way to practice is to take an eidetic memory—that's scientific lingua franca for "photographic memory"—test. The test requires looking at two separate, yet wildly similar, images, and then trying to visually superimpose them on each other.

To check out a practice test, the University of Iowa has you covered. Then, if that piques your interest, ask your doctor about taking a real, specialist-certified one. You're likely well aware by now of the outsize benefits of the oils in fatty fish—like salmon or sardines. Omega-3s are widely known to reduce both inflammation and blood pressure. But did you know that those smelly oils can help your brain, too? According to a new study out of Harvard Medical School, omega-3s have been proven to reverse the decline of memory.

When it comes to digesting binders of information for future recollection, it's tempting to mentally wolf the material down as expediently as possible. If this sounds like you and college kids, in particular: ears up we have two words for you: Slow. According to research out of the UCLA, if you're trying to memorize something, it's best to break up the knowledge over several days—and to repeatedly go over the material.

For example: If you're learning French, instead of attempting to memorize several dozen adjectives by the end of the week, pick ten, and dedicate time to go over them on, say, Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.

But as it turns out, your cardio-obsessed coworker might be onto something more than just perfect running form.