(from the discontinued RET Forum)
Moving your eyes horizontally, from side-to-side, for about 30 seconds may be all it takes to give your memory a boost, according to researchers from Manchester Metropolitan University in England.
After hearing a list of words, the study found that those who moved their eyes side-to-side for 30 seconds correctly remembered more than 10 percent more words, and falsely recognized about 15 percent fewer “lure” words, compared to those who moved their eyes up and down or did nothing.
Why would moving your eyes influence your memory?
The researchers suspect it’s because the horizontal eye movements cause the two hemispheres of the brain to interact more, and communication between the left and right brain hemispheres is known to help us remember certain things.
The researchers aren’t sure whether the eye movements will help people in their daily lives … but it’s certainly worth a try the next time you’ve misplaced your keys or forgotten your grocery list at home!
LiveScience.com April 25, 2007 (http://www.livescience.com/humanbiology/070425_eyes_memory.html)