Get A Better Memory

Want to make sure you never forget a name, a face, where you put your keys and even have a better sense of direction? Our experts promise it’s possible…

- Fiona Wright

Who is that woman smiling and waving as she bears down on you in the supermarket? Can’t remember where you put your car keys, or how to get to that new cinema? We all worry about our memory (or lack of it!), but experts say new studies in recall and spatial awareness prove you can give your brain a reboot. More than that, facial recognition, or lack of it, losing items and difficulty navigating town and cities often go hand in hand, although experts still don’t fully understand why. But by practising a few simple techniques, we can all acquire instant – or pretty fast – recall. “It’s all about consciously training your mind,” says psychologist Professor Kenneth L. Higbee, author of research paper Your Memory: How It Works and How to Improve It.

I don't recognise people I've met before – it's so embarrassing!

Police super-recognisers are specialists who identify repeat offenders, and the techniques they use can teach us a lot.

“These individuals don’t necessarily have fantastic memories,” says Detective Chief Inspector Mick Neville, head of the Central Forensic Image Team in the Metropolitan Police. “But they look at faces in a different way. They’re highly observant and use whole-brain recognition techniques to remember a face – this means noticing tiny details that ordinary people miss, emotional facial cues, environment, shape and colour recognition. They’re usually very curious about people and interested to know what makes them tick.”

How to do it