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A world memory champion has revealed the secrets to forging a “sharp” memory into old age.
Dominic O’Brien, 66, from London, appeared on This Morning today to share the practical tips he used to win the World Memory Championship a record eight times.
Dominic’s memory is so spectacular that he was included in the Guinness Book of Records in 2002 for memorizing 54 decks of cards after looking at each card just once.
Speaking to hosts Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary, the mnemonist (a person with the ability to remember and recall unusually long lists of facts) advised people to protect themselves from dementia by playing digital games and instruments and committing to exercise regularly.
He also explained how he keeps his memory “sharp” at age sixty: “I play games every day. I do Sudoku, I do WordAll, I make connections – you know the four-by-four grid on TV.
Dominic O’Brien (pictured) has revealed the secrets to forging a “sharp” memory into old age
The mnemonist appeared on This Morning today to share the practical tips he used to win the World Memory Championships a record eight times.
‘I also do spelling bees, crossword puzzles… I try to do them as quickly as possible. From time to time I try to memorize a deck of cards if possible. It’s to keep the wheels turning.
‘Physical exercise too. I walk a lot and play physical instruments. The piano is very good for memory and so are brass instruments.
‘For executive functions and general skills, it’s more about singing and wind instruments. It is better to start early with an instrument, but never too late to start.”
The former memory champion added that by competing he trained his mind for three hours a day. However, he claimed that ordinary citizens needed only “10 to 15 minutes” of practice a day.
Dominic, who is also the author of several memory-related books, warned viewers to do these activities to ward off dementia, which he called “the biggest cause of death currently in the UK.”
He said: “There’s research coming out of the University of York – they talk about playing digital games and you know, exercising your memory.”
‘Keeping the wheels turning here (in the mind) and playing digital games is also very good for older people’…keep an active mind. Use it or lose it.’
Dominic also shared that he started training his memory at age 30 after becoming interested in the classic card game Bridge.
Speaking to presenters Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary, he advised people to protect themselves from dementia by playing digital games and instruments and committing to regular exercise.
WHAT IS DEMENTIA?
Dementia is a general term used to describe a variety of neurological disorders.
A GLOBAL CONCERN
Dementia is a general term used to describe a variety of progressive neurological disorders (those affecting the brain) that affect memory, thinking and behavior.
There are many types of dementia, of which Alzheimer’s disease is the most common.
Some people may have a combination of different types of dementia.
Regardless of which type is diagnosed, each person will experience dementia in their own way.
Dementia is a global concern, but is seen more frequently in wealthier countries, where people are likely to live to a very old age.
HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE AFFECTED?
The Alzheimer’s Society reports that there are currently more than 900,000 people living with dementia in the UK. This number is expected to increase to 1.6 million by 2040.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia, affecting between 50 and 75 percent of those diagnosed.
In the United States, there are an estimated 5.5 million Alzheimer’s patients. A similar percentage increase is expected in the coming years.
As a person’s age increases, the risk of developing dementia also increases.
Diagnosis rates are improving, but it is believed that many people with dementia are still undiagnosed.
IS THERE A CURE?
There is currently no cure for dementia.
But new medications can slow its progression and the earlier it is detected, the more effective the treatments can be.
Source: Alzheimer’s Society
Coming from a long line of Bridge players, he developed an interest in memorizing entire decks of cards.
He would later earn a place in the Guinness Book of Records for memorizing a random sequence of 2,808 playing cards (54 packs).
Dominic revealed that this time in his life was “very exhausting.”
He said: “I made a record here in 2002, in London: I memorized 54 decks of cards that were shuffled together and then dealt only once.”
“So that required a lot of organization: it took me 12 hours to memorize them and another three hours to recite them all… very, very mentally exhausting.”
Dominic is the author of several books on memory training, including How to Pass Tests, The Winning Hand, and The Amazing Memory Box.
He also developed the Dominic System, a mnemonic system used to remember numerical sequences by converting digits into pairs of letters.
You would then associate the letters with people and actions such as Rishi Sunak with the number 10.