This week it’s my privilege to welcome Dr. Charan Ranganath to the show for a fascinating discussion about his new book, Why We Remember: Unlocking Memory's Power to Hold on to What Matters. Charan is a Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience and director of the Dynamic Memory Lab at the University of California at Davis. For over 25 years, he has studied the mechanisms in the brain that allow us to remember past events, using brain imaging techniques, computational modeling and studies of patients with memory disorders.

In this episode we uncover the malleability of memory and discuss practical strategies for not just remembering more, but remembering better. Charan guides listeners through the science of memory preservation and the critical role of sleep in processing and retaining our experiences, and more importantly turning the memories of those experiences into Charan also discusses the brain's dopaminergic pathways and how intentional distractions can hamper our performance. 

In addition, we touch upon how lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise, and stress can affect our cognitive abilities and explore the concept of error-driven learning—why struggling to recall might actually be good for us. So join us as Charan challenges cultural myths about brain usage and busts the notions of effective multitasking and magic techniques for developing a perfect memory.

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Related Episodes:

Jonathan Levi on Learning, Speed Reading and Memory Palaces

Gretchen Rubin on Discovering How To Live Life In Five Senses

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