Just as we can strengthen any other muscle in our bodies, we can train our brains to remember more and learn anything faster.

Whether you need to study for a test, want to learn a new language, hope to avoid embarrassing memory lapses, or simply want to stay mentally sharp, improving your memory is easier than it sounds. All it takes is trying out new memorization techniques or making key adjustments in your lifestyle.

The human brain is incredible. Because our neurons can store many memories at a time, our mental storage capacity is somewhere around the 2.5 petabytes (million gigabytes) range–enough to hold three hundred years’ worth of nonstop TV shows.