--- title: Memory: Climbing a Tree Can Do Wonders for Your Memory description: So says a new study from the University of North Florida, which found that certain activities dramatically improve cognitive function. canonical: https://time.com/3980498/tree-climbing-memory/ author: Eric Dodds article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-07-31T19:39:02.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:58:21.081Z article:section: Health og:title: If You Want to Improve Your Memory, Try Climbing a Tree og:description: Or if you want to be really cool, give parkour a whirl. og:url: https://time.com/3980498/tree-climbing-memory/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltad0086d480003f33/69885d62524fc06183df3d4f/climbing-tree.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2256 og:image:height: 1269 og:image:alt: Boy climbing tree og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: If You Want to Improve Your Memory, Try Climbing a Tree twitter:description: Or if you want to be really cool, give parkour a whirl. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltad0086d480003f33/69885d62524fc06183df3d4f/climbing-tree.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # If You Want to Improve Your Memory, Try Climbing a Tree > Sponsored content. 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Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=e56ba131-1b5e-43ae-8309-edb835528192&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Do Brain Exercises Really Keep You Mentally Fit? [Watch (HLS stream): Do Brain Exercises Really Keep You Mentally Fit?](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/t67dFcgw.m3u8) (2:03)  _Published 2015-05-15. Do Brain Exercises Really Keep You Mentally Fit?_ by [Eric Dodds](https://time.com/author/eric-dodds/) ## Eric Dodds Jul 31, 2015 7:39 PM UTC  Boy climbing tree Boy climbing tree Getty Images by [Eric Dodds](https://time.com/author/eric-dodds/) ## Eric Dodds Jul 31, 2015 7:39 PM UTC Turns out, the secret to remembering where you left your car keys may not lie with the tried-and-true method of retracing your steps or inside a prescription pill bottle. According to researchers from the [University of North Florida](http://www.unf.edu/publicrelations/media%5Frelations/press/2015/UNF%5FResearchers%5FReveal%5FClimbing%5Fa%5FTree%5FCan%5FImprove%5FCognitive%5FSkills.aspx), climbing a tree or balancing on a beam can dramatically improve cognitive skills, including memory. Those two exercises are examples of proprioceptively dynamic activities. According to the _The American Heritage Stedman’s Medical Dictionary_, proprioception is “the unconscious perception of movement and spatial orientation arising from stimuli within the body itself.” The dynamic part is added when you couple that effort with another element like route-planning or locomotion. According to a press release from UNF, the results demonstrated remarkable cognitive gains: “After two hours, participants were tested again, and researchers found that their working memory capacity had increased by 50 percent, a dramatic improvement.” For those who don’t have easy access to a forest or balance beam, now might be the perfect time to [take up parkour](http://content.time.com/time/video/player/0,32068,1616709085%5F1816418,00.html). Don’t worry, it’s still totally way cool. ## Transcript You're watching everwell. Know more. Live better. [ MUSIC ] I enjoy playing Scrabble from time to time. It keeps me thinking about words and it's fun. I do the Sunday crossword puzzle every week, to keep my mind active. It is an idea that's really caught on, that exercising your brain regularly, with puzzles for example, can keep your mind sharp, and ward off dementia and Alzheimer's disease. And it's become big business. Today you can find video games, DVDs and special software that promise to keep you mentally fit. There are also subscription websites which charge about $ 100 a year for an array of brain boosting games. In a way it makes sense. Just as physical activity can keep your body strong, mental exercise can keep your brain in shape. But is it really true? Studies show that brain training can help improve your memory. But that's different from warding off dementia. And people who do stimulating activities like reading, learning a new language, or playing a musical instrument have lower rates of dementia and Alzheimer's but this doesn't necessarily prove cause and effect. [ MUSIC ] So the bottom line, the jury is still out. Still it's a good idea to keep your mind active, but you don't need to spend a lot on special products. Anything from crossword puzzles to challenging board games can do the trick. Perhaps the best thing for your brain is regular physical activity. Research shows it can help improve older people's ability to remember and process information more quickly. [ NOISE ] So next time you forget where you parked your car, don't sweat it. Just use it as an opportunity to go for a walk. Your brain will thank you. 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