Easy Steps of How We Make Memories in Our Brains

1. Encoding:

   • This is the first step in making memories.
   • Here, new information is changed into a form that our brain can keep.
   • If we don't do this step well, we can lose about 80% of what we learn.

2. Storage:

   • This step is about keeping information for a while.
   • Our brains can hold short-term memories for about 20-30 seconds.
   • But long-term memories can last for days, years, or even forever.

3. Retrieval:

   • This means getting back the information we have stored.
   • It’s easier to remember things if we have helpful hints or clues.
   • We can recall up to 50% more memories if we have the right triggers.

Did You Know?

• About 40% of people say they forget things they just learned within a week.
• There’s something called long-term potentiation (LTP) that helps with this.
• LTP makes the connections between brain cells stronger and is super important for learning and memory.
• It uses about 50-80% of specific brain cells to help with this process.