Writing by hand is a good way to maintain your memory, according to a study by neuropsychologists.
- Writing by hand is said to be better for maintaining one’s memory than doing it by typing.
- Drawing also helps stimulate areas of the brain involved in learning and memorization.
- For memory, it is also important to eat a balanced diet, exercise regularly and sleep well.
Most of the time, we write on a computer. However, it is by hand that we should do it to maintain our memory… This is in any case the result of a study published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology and relayed by Psychology.
Writing by hand instead of on the computer to boost memory
To achieve this result, neuropsychologists asked about twenty young people to transcribe fifteen words in three different ways: by handwriting, typing on a computer and by drawing. During the experiment, the participants’ brain activity was measured by an electroencephalogram (EEG).
Thus, the researchers observed that handwriting and drawing stimulated the brain, while this was not the case with typing. In detail, it was the activity of the theta bands of the parietal regions that were particularly stimulated. These are areas linked to learning and memorizing new information.
This is not the first study to advocate the virtues of handwriting. Work published in 2021 in the journal Psychological Science showed that it improved the speed and efficiency of learning, compared to typing.
Sleep, eat and move to maintain your memory
To maintain your memory, it is therefore recommended to write by hand. But this is not the only thing to do. Indeed, a healthy lifestyle is also very important: balanced diet, regular physical activity, social activities and even sleep.
“Experiments have shown that sleeping improves memory, and this is even more true the longer the sleep duration, noted National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm). Conversely, sleep deprivation (less than 4 or 5 hours per night) is associated with memory disorders and learning difficulties.”
So, this summer, make some good resolutions for your memory: eat fruits and vegetables, do sports, sleep as much as possible and write postcards to those around you!
