Episodic memory allows you to explicitly recall past experiences. It’s also what makes it possible to remember (and understand) the events that have shaped your life. Integrative neurologist Romie Mushtaq, M.D., explains further: “Episodic memory is your unique ability to remember your emotions and experiences around a specific event or situation in your life. [It] helps construct your sense of self, [as] it is unique and personal to you.” Episodic memory, like all types of memory, relies on the hippocampus. However, there’s a 1wide variety of brain regions involved, including the cerebellum2; diencephalon; and temporal, parietal, and frontal cortices, according to Chloe Carmichael, Ph.D., licensed clinical psychologist and author of Nervous Energy: Harness the Power of Your Anxiety. Consider this: An example of an episodic memory is remembering where you parked your car. You might also recall how you were feeling and what was happening around you (like the SUV that took the spot you wanted or the song that was playing when you pulled into the parking lot). On the flip side, semantic memory helps you remember and understand what a car is and how to go about parking it. Together, episodic and semantic memory make up what’s called declarative memory, aka explicit memory. This refers to the ability to consciously retrieve memories about previous events and facts. For most people, declarative memory is what comes to mind when they think of memory in general. For the most part, it involves the same strategies used to improve memory in general. However, certain habits are especially helpful for episodic memory, as they target the uniqueness of individual events. Case in point: In a 2021 clinical trial4, 500 milligrams of citicoline (as Cognizin®) increased episodic memory as well as overall memory in healthy older adults.* This clinically backed dose of 500 milligrams is intentionally included in mbg’s scientifically advanced nootropic formula, brain guard+, along with additional potent neuroprotective bioactives, South African botanical extract kanna and powerhouse polyphenol resveratrol. To optimize and support your memory (episodic or otherwise), getting enough deep, restful shut-eye is key. Another recent scientific review7 found that aerobic exercise can improve episodic memory in healthy older adults. What’s more, regular exercise can help you get better sleep, which is also essential for supporting episodic memory. Examples of memory-healthy foods include omega-3-rich fish, antioxidant-packed berries, turmeric (with a pinch of black pepper for optimal absorption), Brazil nuts8, and leafy greens, says Naidoo. Carmichael echoes this strategy, noting that recapping your day each evening will help you better remember experiences later on. If journaling isn’t your thing, no worries—you can still reap the benefits of this practice by simply mentally walking through your day. Even playing video games has been found to improve episodic memory in older adults, according to a 2016 study9 published by Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. As mentioned, episodic memory taps into many different brain regions, thereby increasing activity between them. It also requires “a certain amount of emotional control because you have to go through everything that happened without [focusing too much] on any one particular detail,” notes Carmichael. This puts your executive functioning skills to work, as it involves attention control, she says. From the perspective of mental and emotional wellness, episodic memory is essential for creating the richness of your past experiences, shares Mushtaq. She goes on to add that “episodic memory is personally important to each individual because no two humans experience one event the same way.” Episodic memory, after all, is what will help you personalize a certain event—from the sounds you heard to the emotions you felt. Finally, episodic memory is key for maintaining independence throughout life. The ability to remember specific occurrences—again, like where you parked your car or what you made for breakfast—is crucial for overall longevity and well-being. To improve episodic memory, aim to nurture memory in general. This includes strategies like getting enough sleep, staying active, eating a healthy diet, and challenging your brain. Some daily practices, like journaling and taking a premium nootropic supplement, can target episodic memory specifically.* For an advanced nootropic formula designed to support multidimensional aspects of memory (including episodic memory), consider mbg’s brain guard+ (or check out the high-quality supplements featured in our roundup of best memory supplements) so you can have your experiences and recall them too.*
