Ever been in a situation where someone rattled off their phone number and the only thing you could remember is the first 3 digits? Or, have you ever heard a musical lyric and then two minutes later you can’t remember what you just listened to?  The question you have to ask yourself is, does this happen to me often?  If the answer is yes, then you might want to engage in some auditory memory exercises to help keep your brain sharp. Here are a couple to try out:

The Top Ten Countdown

A good auditory memory exercise is to listen to a top ten countdown on your favorite radio station. Don’t write any of the songs down but try to remember the titles to each one as they are played. Then, at the end, try to write them down in the order that you heard them. As you get better, you should be able to write down the artist and song title without having to try very hard. The best part about this type of auditory memory exercise is that the radio stations that play these types of countdowns often have contests to see who can remember the list the best. You could cash in while also helping to increase your short term memory capacity!

Partner Exercises

Another type of auditory memory exercise requires you to have a partner. Have a partner recite something to you, such as a phone number, list of names, a shopping list, or anything else that you have to remember. Then, try and recite back what you heard verbatum. As you practice, you’ll get better and soon you’ll be able to recite everything you heard without having to ask for a cue.  As with anything, the more you practice the better you’ll get.

If you don’t have a partner, you can do this with a recording. Play back a recording of a song, a comedy routine, or anything else and then try to write down what you heard.  As you get better, you’ll be able to write down every detail without having to go back and check.

Auditory memory exercises are easy to do and a great idea for anyone who would like to hold onto information a little longer than the few milliseconds after they’ve heard it.