Exercises To Increase Memory: 9 Powerful Brain Habits Most People

What Actually Works For Memory (Without Overcomplicating It)

Alright, let's talk about exercises to increase memory in a way that actually fits into real life. Exercises to increase memory are just simple mental habits and activities you repeat often so your brain gets better at storing and recalling information. Think of them like workouts for your brain: the more you practice, the easier it becomes to remember names, facts, formulas, or even exam content. The key is doing the right kind of practice—things like active recall, spaced repetition, and focused attention. That’s exactly why using a smart flashcard app like Flashrecall) makes a huge difference: it turns these memory “exercises” into an easy daily routine.

Why Memory Exercises Actually Matter

You know how you can scroll social media for an hour and remember nothing, but one intense study session can stick for weeks? That’s because memory isn’t about time spent, it’s about how you use your brain.

Good memory exercises help you:

• Remember things longer (long-term memory, not just cramming)
• Find info faster in your head (better recall)
• Feel less overwhelmed when studying or working
• Make learning way more efficient

The cool part: you don’t need anything fancy. A lot of the best exercises are super simple—especially when you combine them with tools like Flashrecall that automate the boring parts.

1. Active Recall – The #1 Exercise To Increase Memory

If you only pick one exercise to increase memory, make it this.

Active recall is just: *trying to remember something without looking at the answer first.*

Example:

• Instead of rereading your notes on the heart, close your book and ask:

“What are the four chambers of the heart?”

Then say or write the answer from memory.

Why it works:

• Your brain gets stronger every time it struggles to pull information out
• It tells your brain, “Hey, this is important, keep it!”

How to do active recall with Flashrecall

This is literally what Flashrecall is built for.

• You create flashcards (or let the app generate them from your notes, PDFs, images, YouTube links, etc.)
• You see the question side first
• You try to recall the answer before flipping

Flashrecall has built-in active recall on every card, so you’re doing the best memory exercise by default every time you study.

Get it here:

👉 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085

2. Spaced Repetition – Timing Your Reviews So Stuff Actually Sticks

Spaced repetition is another core exercise to increase memory: you review information right before you’re about to forget it.

Example schedule for one fact:

• Day 1 → Learn it
• Day 2 → Quick review
• Day 4 → Review
• Day 7 → Review
• Day 14 → Review

…and so on, with longer gaps.

Why it works:

• Your brain gets a “refresh” at just the right time
• You don’t waste time reviewing things you already know too well
• It massively boosts long-term retention

How Flashrecall makes spaced repetition automatic

Instead of tracking all this manually (which no one actually does consistently), Flashrecall:

• Uses built-in spaced repetition
• Schedules cards for you based on how well you remember them
• Sends study reminders so you don’t forget to review
• Works offline, so you can review anywhere

So your “exercise to increase memory” becomes: open the app, do your queue, close it. Done.

3. The “Teach It Back” Exercise

You ever notice that when you explain something to someone else, you suddenly realize what you don’t know? That’s a powerful memory exercise.

How to do it:

• After learning something, pretend you’re teaching a 12-year-old
• Explain it out loud, super simply, no notes
• Anywhere you get stuck = a gap in your memory

You can even:

• Take a topic (e.g., “Photosynthesis”)
• Make a few Flashrecall cards like:
• “Explain photosynthesis in your own words.”
• “Explain photosynthesis like you’re talking to a 10-year-old.”
• Then practice answering them out loud during review

This forces deep understanding, which is way easier to remember than random facts.

4. Chunking – Turning 10 Things Into 3

Chunking is an exercise to increase memory where you group information into meaningful “chunks” so your brain has fewer pieces to handle.

Examples:

• Phone number: 1234567890 → 123-456-7890
• Shopping list:

Instead of 10 random items, think:

“Breakfast stuff, cleaning stuff, snacks.”

For studying:

• Group facts by theme: “Causes of WWI,” “Consequences of WWI”
• Group vocab by category: “Food words,” “Emotion words”

How to use chunking with Flashrecall:

• Make flashcard decks by topic (e.g., “Biochem – Enzymes”, “Biochem – Metabolism”)
• Use tags or clear titles so your brain sees the structure
• Turn long definitions into multiple shorter cards instead of one giant wall of text

Chunking + flashcards = way less mental overload.

5. Visualization – Turn Boring Info Into Mental Pictures

Your brain loves images. Turning words into pictures is a super underrated exercise to increase memory.

Try this:

• Need to remember “hippocampus = part of the brain that helps form memories”?

Picture a hippo camping in your brain, recording memories with a camera.

• Need to remember someone named “Rose”?

Imagine them with a giant rose hat.

How to use visualization with Flashrecall:

• Add images to your cards (photos, diagrams, screenshots)
• Or create cards that force visualization, like:
• “Visualize the Krebs cycle and describe it step-by-step.”
• “Picture the scene from this historical event and describe it.”

Flashrecall lets you make cards from images instantly, so you can snap a photo of a diagram and turn it into a study card in seconds.

6. The 5-Minute Recall Session

This is a quick daily exercise to increase memory that takes almost no effort.

At the end of the day:

• Set a 5-minute timer
• Without looking at anything, write or say:
• 3 things you learned today
• 3 names, terms, or concepts you want to remember
• Then quickly check your notes or Flashrecall cards to see what you missed

If you’re using Flashrecall:

• Open the app
• Do a short review session
• Add a couple of new cards from what you learned today (notes, PDFs, lecture slides, whatever)

This tiny daily habit compounds like crazy over weeks and months.

7. Association Chains – Link New Stuff To Old Stuff

Your brain remembers things better when they’re connected to something you already know.

Exercise:

• When you learn something new, ask:
• “What does this remind me of?”
• “Where have I seen something similar?”
• “Is there a real-life example?”

Example:

• Learning a new business term? Link it to a company you know.
• Learning anatomy? Link structures to their function with a story.

With Flashrecall, you can:

• Add “connection” cards like:
• “How is X similar to Y?”
• “Give a real-life example of [concept].”
• Or use the chat feature to ask:
• “Explain this like I already understand [related topic].”

That chat-with-your-flashcard feature is super handy when something doesn’t click and you need a different angle.

8. Dual Coding – Mix Words + Visuals

Dual coding is just: using both words and visuals together. It’s a strong exercise to increase memory because your brain gets two ways to store the same idea.

How to do it:

• Draw simple diagrams or mind maps
• Use timelines for history
• Use tables for comparisons

With Flashrecall:

• Turn your diagrams (from a notebook, lecture slide, PDF) into cards by snapping a picture
• Make one card that shows the diagram
• Another card that asks you to recreate or explain it

Flashrecall can make flashcards from:

• Images
• Text
• Audio
• PDFs
• YouTube links
• Or just stuff you type manually

So you can build a really rich set of memory exercises without spending hours formatting.

9. Focused, Short Study Bursts (Instead Of Endless Cramming)

Your memory tanks when you’re exhausted and scrolling between apps.

A super practical exercise to increase memory is just: short, focused sessions.

Try:

• 20–25 minutes focused
• 5-minute break
• Repeat 2–4 times

Use Flashrecall as your “session container”:

• Open the app
• Do one full review queue (or set a 20-minute timer)
• Close it when you’re done

Because Flashrecall works offline and on both iPhone and iPad, you can do these little bursts on the bus, in bed, between classes—wherever.

How Flashrecall Fits Into All These Memory Exercises

Instead of trying to remember all these techniques and apply them manually, you can bake them into one simple habit: open Flashrecall daily.

Here’s what it gives you out of the box:

• Active recall on every card (you see the prompt, try to remember, then reveal)
• Spaced repetition with automatic scheduling and reminders
• Fast card creation from:
• Images (photos of notes, textbooks, whiteboards)
• Text
• Audio
• PDFs
• YouTube links
• Or manual entry if you like full control
• Chat with your flashcards if you’re unsure about something and want it explained differently
• Works offline, so your “brain workouts” are always available
• Great for:
• Languages
• School subjects
• University
• Medicine
• Business
• Exams of any kind
• Free to start, modern, and easy to use

If you want all these exercises to increase memory to actually become a habit instead of just “good ideas,” using an app like this keeps you consistent without thinking about it.

You can grab it here and test it out:

👉 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085

How To Start Today (Simple Plan)

If you want something super practical, do this:

1. Download Flashrecall

→ https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085

2. Take one topic you care about (exam, language, work stuff)

3. Create 10–20 flashcards (or auto-generate them from your notes/PDF)

4. Do one review session (10–15 minutes)

• Do at least one short session each day
• Add a few new cards after classes, meetings, or reading
• Use visualization, association, and “teach it back” on tricky cards

Stick with that for a week and you’ll feel your memory getting sharper. All these exercises to increase memory don’t need to be complicated—you just need a simple system you’ll actually use.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the fastest way to create flashcards?

Manually typing cards works but takes time. Many students now use AI generators that turn notes into flashcards instantly. Flashrecall does this automatically from text, images, or PDFs.

Is there a free flashcard app?

Yes. Flashrecall is free and lets you create flashcards from images, text, prompts, audio, PDFs, and YouTube videos.

How do I start spaced repetition?

You can manually schedule your reviews, but most people use apps that automate this. Flashrecall uses built-in spaced repetition so you review cards at the perfect time.

What is active recall and how does it work?

Active recall is the process of actively retrieving information from memory rather than passively reviewing it. Flashrecall forces proper active recall by making you think before revealing answers, then uses spaced repetition to optimize your review schedule.

How can I study more effectively for this test?

Effective exam prep combines active recall, spaced repetition, and regular practice. Flashrecall helps by automatically generating flashcards from your study materials and using spaced repetition to ensure you remember everything when exam day arrives.

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