Just forget about it!

Forgetting ain't no crime. On the flip side, it's actually a memory booster, finds Hyderabad Times. Forgetfulness is necessary to remembrance . If useless thoughts could be expelled from the mind, all the valuable parts of our knowledge would more frequently recur, and every recurrence would reinstate them in their former place.
- Samuel Johnson
And scientists can't agree less with the renowned British writer either.A little forgetfulness is godsend, say experts. According to a recent study, blocking of certain memory parts lessens the stress on the brain when it is trying to recall something important. So if you want to do fairly well in your exams, keep all your past memories at bay. Sweet remembrance of past fun-filled days may get in the way while you try to recall the important details and events that you need to remember now.
The study
The study, which has recently appeared in a neuroscience journal, is the first to record visual images of people's brains as they suppress distracting memories. Too many longterm memories make it hard to properly filter new information and process short-term memories, according to the study. "In our world, we are constantly bombarded with new information so that we are constantly filtering , and if we did not do this, we would be overwhelmed," says study team member Gaël Malleret of Columbia University Medical Centre. The researchers believe that these findings can eventually help those battling with memory dysfunctions too.
Past flashes
The research suggests that memories are more often crowded out than lost. According to Malleret, too much memory is not always a good thing, and that forgetting is important for normal cognition and behaviour. Dr V N Rao, psychotherapist, says, "Smart people tend to ignore futile things. Remembering irrelevant things is like piling up useless data in you brain. That in turn can affect the memory power adversely."
Smart brain
Observes psychologist Dr Pramila Saxena, "Just as physical activity keeps your body strong, mental activity keeps your mind sharp and agile. One way to do this is to continually challenge your mind by learning new skills. Learning a musical instrument, playing mind games, starting a new hobby or learning a foreign language will help keep your mind sharp." "It may seem incredible, but the brain can differentiate between irrelevant data and useful one. Rather then forgetting , improving memory power is a better option," suggests Dr R Radhakrishnan, city-based psychologist . "Keep your stress to a minimum . Chronic stress can make you feel depressed or anxious - feelings that can interfere with the way your brain processes memories," he adds.
But Dr Rao thinks otherwise. "There's so much stress on accumulating data. Instead of cramming your brain with more and more data, the focus should be on teaching it how to ignore data. This could be an ideal memory improvement exercise ."
hyderabadtimes@indiatimes .com
TIPS TO BOOST YOUR MEMORY POWER
Flash cards:
Flash cards are a good study aid for almost any subject . Just writing something down really helps you remember it Mnemonic devices
Balanced, rich in fibre diet:
Eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables Many of these contain antioxidants - substances that protect and nourish brain cells
Repetition:
Just keep repeating what you need to know over and over again Meditation and yoga