Memory support and practice

Practice, plain guides and next steps for memory after a concussion or brain injury

Memory changes after a crash, a concussion or another brain injury are common, and they can be frustrating for you and the people around you. This page brings together our free memory practice games and our guides on memory. They cover what changed, when to get checked, everyday strategies, rehabilitation, sleep and mood, work and school, and family life.

The most important topics come first. Start at the top, then come back as new questions come up.

Practice with memory games

Free memory practice

Memory practice games and challenges

Collect sets of matching cards in a seaside village, find pairs along a quiet trail, trade cards by lantern light, or practice names and faces with friendly neighbors. Each game starts small and grows with you, so go at your own pace.

  1. Game 1 of 4

    Memory harbor

    Welcome to the harbor

    Collect sets of four matching cards. Notice what your neighbors ask for, and remember where the cards go.

    36 levelsGo Fish with MayaDaily voyage

  2. Game 2 of 4

    Memory trails

    Find a pair. Find your pace.

    A quiet place to remember. Little discoveries, familiar places and a matching journey that grows with you.

    48 levelsEight places

  3. Game 3 of 4

    Lantern lodge

    A quiet game of clever choices

    Remember your hidden cards. Trade high values for low ones. Make yourself at home.

    48 levelsA friendly opponent

  4. Game 4 of 4

    Meet the neighbors

    A fun memory game

    Practice remembering names, faces and everyday details. Meet fictional neighbors, then see what you remember.

    7 levelsNames and faces

Play a memory game

These educational games are not a clinical assessment or therapy. Results cannot establish recovery, cognitive health or fitness to drive.

When to get checked right away

Most memory changes after a concussion improve with time. Some signs need care the same day, so start here if anything feels new or worse.

Get emergency care right away

Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room if memory or thinking problems come on suddenly or quickly get worse. The same goes if they come with a headache that keeps getting worse, repeated vomiting, a seizure, slurred speech, new weakness or numbness, or growing drowsiness.

Start hereConcussion / TBI red flag checklist after an accidentThe warning signs that can appear hours or days after a crashRead the guideOld memory problems or a new change: when should you get checked?How to tell steady memory problems from new changes, and how fast to get helpRead the guideFeeling fine after a crash?Lucid interval after a crash and why feeling fine can still be dangerousRead the guideWhen persistent brain fog needs a broader medical evaluationOther health problems that can feed brain fog, and when extra testing makes senseRead the guide

Understand memory after a concussion or brain injury

Why memory slips happen, what scans and tests can and cannot show, and how to tell whether things are getting better.

Start hereWhy is my memory worse after a concussion?How attention, learning and recall change after a head injury, and what helpsRead the guideWhy can I remember years ago but forget yesterday?Why old memories often stay sharp while new ones slip after a brain injuryRead the guideHow can I tell whether my memory is improving?Track daily memory, make sense of test scores and know when to get recheckedRead the guideWhy can't I remember the crash?What causes memory gaps around an injury and how to piece together what happenedRead the guideMy brain scan was normal. Why am I still forgetting things?What CT, MRI, blood tests and thinking tests can and cannot show after a concussionRead the guideHow a concussion can cloud memory and focus after a car crashHow adults can manage memory and focus problems while the brain healsRead the guideYour first few weeks after a concussion from a crashRest, warning signs and a gradual return to activity in early recoveryRead the guideHow a concussion can affect the brainWhat happens inside the brain after a serious blow, and why memory and mood can changeRead the guideDaily safety and progress after a serious brain injury from a crashDaily safety, routines and progress after a serious brain injuryRead the guideWhat families need to understand about memory loss after a severe concussionWhy new memories may not stick after a severe concussion, and how families can helpRead the guideMemory, personality, and emotional changes after a car crashWhy someone may seem different after a severe auto accidentRead the guideWhen you can’t remember parts of a serious car crashHow to cope with memory gaps and sort what you know from what you don'tRead the guide

Everyday memory strategies

Simple systems and habits that take the load off a tired memory at home, on the phone and with money and medicines.

Start hereHow to build a memory system you will actually usePick a notebook, calendar or phone setup that fits your life and make it stickRead the guideRemembering appointments, medicines, and things you meant to doUse reminders, cues and simple records to keep plans on track after a brain injuryRead the guideWhy doing one thing at a time can make remembering easierHow attention, interruptions and multistep tasks affect memory, and what helpsRead the guideRemembering names, conversations, and what you readSimple ways to keep hold of names, conversations and reading after a brain injuryRead the guideUsing your phone as a memory aid without becoming overwhelmedSimple reminders, calmer screens and privacy steps that make a phone easier to useRead the guideCan spaced practice help you remember after brain injury?How spaced practice and fewer mistakes can help you learn specific skills againRead the guideManaging medicines, cooking, and daily tasks when memory is unreliableSafeguards for pills, the stove and household jobs that fit what you can doRead the guideManaging bills and avoiding repeated payments or missed deadlinesRecords, alerts and trusted help that protect your money and your say over itRead the guide

Memory rehabilitation and treatment

What memory therapy involves, how to find it, and what the research says about brain games and medicines.

Start hereWhat actually happens in memory rehabilitation?What to expect at each stage, who is on the team, and how goals are setRead the guideHow to find qualified memory rehabilitation when access is difficultWhere to look, how to check credentials, and how to prepare for coverage talksRead the guideCan memory rehabilitation still help months or years after an injury?What later rehabilitation can offer, how long gains last, and how to set goalsRead the guideDo brain games improve everyday memory after concussion?What practice games can and cannot do for memory, recovery and readiness to driveRead the guideCan medicines help persistent memory problems after brain injury?What drug studies found, who took part, and what to ask your care teamRead the guideHow to hold your rehab plan together after a serious crashHow to bring appointments and therapies together into one plan that worksRead the guideWhen recovery stalls or symptoms linger after a car crashHow to get a fresh look at your care when progress slows, without blaming yourselfRead the guide

What can make memory worse

Sleep, fatigue, pain, mood, medicines and problems with hearing or vision can all drag memory down, and many of them can be treated.

Start hereCould poor sleep be making my memory worse after concussion?Spotting sleep problems that cloud memory, and the treatments with real evidenceRead the guideWhy does my memory seem worse when I am tired?How mental fatigue drains attention and memory, and how to plan your day around itRead the guideHow pain, anxiety, depression, and PTSD can affect memoryHow hurting, worry, low mood and trauma stress crowd out memory, and what helpsRead the guideCould medicines, alcohol, or cannabis be affecting my memory?Which medicines and substances can dull memory after a brain injury, and what to askRead the guideCould hearing, vision, or dizziness problems be making learning harder?How eye, ear and balance changes can look like forgetting, and which checks helpRead the guideSleep, pain, mood and focus problems after a serious car crashHow these symptoms overlap and how to sort through them with your care teamRead the guideWorn out after a car crash? When fatigue needs a closer lookWhen low energy during recovery is normal and when it needs a closer lookRead the guideWhen reading and screens get hard after a concussionWhy reading and screens can be hard after a concussion and what helpsRead the guide

Work, school and driving

How to plan a safe return to the job, the classroom and the driver’s seat, each with its own check.

Start hereMemory problems at work: asking for support without losing your confidencePractical work supports, how to ask for them and how to decide what to shareRead the guideReturning to school, sports, and driving: why each needs its own assessmentWhy feeling ready for class is different from being ready for the field or the roadRead the guideStudying and remembering schoolwork after a concussionHow to pace study, ask for school supports and keep learning while the brain healsRead the guideConcussion when you already have ADHD or a learning difficultyHow ADHD or a learning difference can shape recovery, and how to plan around itRead the guideWhy learning difficulties may become noticeable later after a childhood brain injuryWhy rising demands at school, college or work can reveal an early injuryRead the guideReturning to driving after brain injury or surgery: are you really ready?Why feeling ready is not enough and how to return to driving safelyRead the guideGetting back to work, school and caregiving after a serious crashHow to handle work, school and caregiving duties as you healRead the guideHelping a child go back to school after a concussionHow to plan a gradual return to school after a child's concussionRead the guide

Family, caregivers and daily life

Ways for families and partners to help without quizzing, and records and routines that make daily life easier.

Start hereHow families can help without constantly testing someone's memoryGentle reminders, shared routines and support that keep your loved one in chargeRead the guideI forgot does not mean I do not careWays for couples and families to handle memory lapses with less blameRead the guideWhat records should you keep after a brain injury?Build a simple brain injury file, get your own records, and share them safelyRead the guideCaregiver strain and healthy limits after a serious car crashHow to share the care, set limits and look after yourself as a caregiverRead the guideRoutine, independence and who you are after a serious car crashPractical ways to rebuild daily routines, independence and a sense of selfRead the guideSudden confusion in an older adult after a crashWhat delirium looks like in older adults and why it needs prompt attentionRead the guide

Brain health for the long run

Activity, food, hobbies and steps for healthy aging, plus clear answers about repeated concussions, dementia and CTE.

Start hereHow physical activity fits into concussion recoveryWhen to rest, how to start moving again, and how to work around other crash injuriesRead the guideLooking after brain health as you age after an injuryEveryday habits that help protect your brain in the years after a head injuryRead the guideFood and supplements for memory after concussion: what do we know?What studies show about omega 3, creatine and other pills, and how to stay safeRead the guideCan music, hobbies, or learning a new skill help?What research shows about music, hobbies and new skills after a brain injuryRead the guideWhat repeated concussions and repeated head impacts mean for memoryHow repeat concussions and smaller hits may affect memory, and ways to lower riskRead the guideDoes a concussion when you are young increase dementia risk later?What long term studies show about brain injury and dementia, in plain numbersRead the guideConcussion, persistent symptoms, dementia, and CTE: how are they different?Clear definitions of four terms that often get mixed up after a head injuryRead the guide

Support memory research

Safety Behind the Wheel Foundation is raising funds for research that aims to help restore memory after brain injury.

Learn about the research fund

These guides offer general education, not medical advice. Talk with your own care team about your symptoms, testing and treatment. In an emergency in the United States, call 911.

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Guides, self-checks and articles for drivers, parents of new drivers, and families recovering after a crash.

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