The Complete Guide to Memory

The Science of Strengthening Your Mind

By: Richard Restak MD

Narrated by: Jason Culp

A comprehensive guide to understanding how memory works, how memory forms, the mind-body connection, and more!

In the busy, information-filled world in which we live, it’s often easy to forget things and hard to keep track of how details get stored in our brain. The Complete Guide to Memory serves to provide a one-stop resource that covers the essentials on memory. World-renowned memory expert, Dr. Richard Restak, addresses the following topics in detail:

How memories form

The different kinds of memory

Changes in brain structure

The mind-body connection

The relationship between memory and emotional regulation

And much more!

With tips and tricks to manage memory well for people of all ages and personal examples of the techniques used, this book leaves no stone unturned.

©2022 Richard Restak (P)2022 Skyhorse

Critic reviews

From the New York Times (Hope Reese):

"As we age, our memory declines. This is an ingrained assumption for many of us; however, according to neuroscientist Dr. Richard Restak, a neurologist and clinical professor at George Washington Hospital University School of Medicine and Health, decline is not inevitable.

"The author of more than 20 books on the mind, Dr. Restak has decades’ worth of experience in guiding patients with memory problems. “The Complete Guide to Memory: The Science of Strengthening Your Mind,” Dr. Restak’s latest book, includes tools such as mental exercises, sleep habits and diet that can help boost memory.

"Yet Dr. Restak ventures beyond this familiar territory, considering every facet of memory—how memory is connected to creative thinking, technology’s impact on memory, how memory shapes identity. “The point of the book is to overcome the everyday problems of memory,” Dr. Restak said.

"Especially working memory, which falls between immediate recall and long-term memory, and is tied to intelligence, concentration and achievement. According to Dr. Restak, this is the most critical type of memory, and exercises to strengthen it should be practiced daily. But bolstering all memory skills, he added, is key to warding off later memory issues.

"Memory decline is not inevitable with aging, Dr. Restak argues in the book. Instead, he points to 10 “sins,” or “stumbling blocks that can lead to lost or distorted memories.” Seven were first described by the psychologist and memory specialist Daniel Lawrence Schacter—“sins of omission,” such as absent-mindedness, and “sins of commission,” such as distorted memories. To those Dr. Restak added three of his own: technological distortion, technological distraction and depression.

A handful of different berries, peanuts, yogurt and dark grape juice w dark chocolate daily

There is excellent evidence and information in this book to help take reasonable action to protect your memory including short daily after lunch naps followed by a small amount of dark chocolate. Also 4 foods to eat daily including different colors of berries, legumes including peanuts, fermented foods and leafy greens daily.