It's so easy, you're probably already doing it!
It's so easy, you're probably already doing it.
Ever find that when you're trying to remember a small detail that you close your eyes? If so, you were on to something!
A new UK investigation at the University of Surrey has discovered that closing your eyes boosts memory recall. The research team also found that building a rapport also helped.
The study was completed with 178 participants. It was conducted across two studies. The first experiment involved participants who watched a film depicting an electrician entering a property, carrying out jobs and stealing items. The participants were then asked a series of questions about the film, like "what was written on the front of the van."
The researchers discovered that closing their eyes led participants to answer 23% more of the questions correctly.
In the second part of the study, participants watched a different clip about a burglary, and were asked to recall audio and visual details. Again, those who closed their eyes were able to recall more from the clip, including auditory details.
Rapport-building proved to be important across both experiments. Those who did not build rapport said they felt less comfortable when they closed their eyes; whereas, those who built rapport felt more comfortable with their eyes closed.
So put simply closing our eyes can actually help us remember stuff. It reduces distractions, making it easier for us to remember tiny details. So the next time you're struggling to remember where you left your keys or your PIN number for example, just close your eyes.
Works a treat for baby brain!
