By Martin Mak

If you need to recall something that you learned just a few seconds ago or maybe 2 minutes ago, you are using your short term memory. Many factors affect your short term memory, also known as working memory. Understanding, or being aware of these factors, can help you dramatically improve your short term memory. Alternatively, there are also methods and techniques that will strengthen your short term memory.

Factors that affect short term memory include stress, lack of sleep, lack of exercise and lack of proper nutrients essential for proper brain functioning. It is important to be able to de-stress if you have a stressful job or a stressful family environment. De-stressing techniques include body massages, long baths, and hanging out with friends. Intake of B-complex vitamins, zinc and foliate can often help you cope better with stress.

It is important to be able to get enough sleep for proper brain function. A good eight hours of sleep is important for short term memory improvement. When stress is preventing you from falling asleep, a hot cup of chamomile tea or warm milk can sometimes do the trick. Exercise also does wonders for short term memory. A morning or evening walk or jog often helps to de-stress a person and helps to bring oxygen to the brain.

In today's work environment, it is not uncommon to multi-task in a job. Being forced to handle 2 or more tasks at any given moment will invariably force the brain to focus on more areas and leads to short term memory loss. This again leads to the topic of stress and its management. Being able to be situationally aware of the jobs at hand, and staying alert is the best option to remembering things on a short-term basis.