Why Numbers Feel Impossible to Recall (And the Science-Backed Ways to Remember Them

In an increasingly digital world, we’re surrounded by a constant stream of codes: phone numbers, security PINs, authentication codes, credit card digits, ZIP codes, and countless passwords. While apps can store most of this information, security experts actually recommend keeping frequently-used codes in your memory rather than relying solely on your devices. The problem? Our brains treat numbers fundamentally differently than words, making them extraordinarily difficult to recall.

Dr. Larry McCleary, a neurosurgeon and author of “The Brain Trust Program,” explains the core challenge: “Most numbers lack any personal meaning or emotional connection. When you hear the word ‘cat,’ your brain immediately activates memories of cats you’ve seen or owned. But a random sequence like ‘4837’ triggers nothing—it’s abstract and emotionally empty.” Without that emotional anchor, numbers simply don’t stick in our memory.

The good news? Brain scientists and memory competition champions have developed reliable strategies that work. Here’s what the research shows about how to remember numbers effectively.

Build Meaningful Connections Between Numbers

The secret to retaining difficult digits is finding relationships between new numbers and numeric values already firmly embedded in your memory. According to Scott Hagwood, the first American “Grandmaster of Memory,” who has successfully memorized sequences of 800 numbers, the key is creating associations.

Think about significant numbers already in your life: birthdays, anniversaries, jersey numbers of favorite athletes, or memorable dates. If you’re struggling to connect a new code directly to one part of it, Hagwood suggests trying the next set of digits—that can unlock a memory you can use to bridge back to the first section. For instance, if you can’t associate with “58” but suddenly “17” reminds you of a specific song or event, use that memory as the connection point.

Break Codes Into Manageable Chunks

Working memory—the mental capacity you use moment-to-moment—can typically hold only about seven arbitrary pieces of information simultaneously. However, this limitation becomes irrelevant when you organize information into meaningful groups, a technique called “chunking.”

This is precisely why telephone numbers divide into groups of three digits. Instead of trying to recall “7814921945” as ten separate numbers, you’re far more likely to succeed if you recognize embedded patterns. If that sequence contains dates you recognize, you’ve suddenly reduced your cognitive load to just three chunks instead of ten random digits. Your brain can handle that with ease.

Identify and Use Patterns

For longer codes, examine the relationships within the numbers themselves. Do the first two digits sum to the third? Is there a sequence alternating between odd and even numbers? Does a particular section repeat? Once you spot these patterns, weave them into a memorable story or mental image.

For example, if your code is 5500 0842, you might notice “0842” and construct a story connecting it to “5500”: “After spending $5,500 on my credit limit, I’ll restart from zero and build back up at a rate of 8 dollars a day—8, 4, 2.” This narrative transforms an arbitrary sequence into something your brain can retain.

Engage Multiple Senses to Cement Memory

Our muscles retain information more reliably than our brains alone, which is why passive thinking about a code is ineffective. McCleary recommends saying the number aloud at least three times. When you verbalize it, your brain must coordinate mouth muscles to produce the sound while your ears receive and process the auditory feedback—this multi-sensory activation strengthens the neural pathway.

Go further by writing the code down several times or even singing it to a tune stuck in your head. The more senses and brain regions you involve, the stronger the memory trace becomes.

Use Strategic Repetition at Critical Moments

Once you’ve encoded a number initially, the most vulnerable period occurs approximately one hour later—this is when memories are most susceptible to degradation or distortion. After that critical first hour, revisit the number and your associated memory. Then repeat after 24 hours, again after one week, and finally after 30 days.

Hagwood explains the principle: “Repeat the information just as you’re about to forget it, using gradually expanding time intervals, and it shifts to long-term storage. Whatever survives the 30-day cycle typically becomes permanent.” This spaced repetition technique exploits how memory consolidation actually works in your brain.

Visualize the Keypad Pattern

If you’re a visual learner, map how the digits would appear on a phone keypad or numeric pad. This approach works particularly well when numbers form recognizable patterns—a straight vertical line, a diagonal X, an L-shape, or other geometric forms. Your brain excels at retaining visual patterns, so this technique provides an alternative encoding pathway.

Convert Digits Into Images or Words

For advanced practitioners, assign each digit 1-9 a corresponding letter: A=1, B=2, C=3, and so forth. A PIN of 2737 becomes BGCG. Now construct a sentence from those letters: “Bad Guys Can’t Get [this account].” Suddenly, you’re remembering words instead of abstract numbers—a massive cognitive advantage.

Competitive memory athletes like Hagwood take this further, creating vivid mental images or actions for each two-digit combination from 00-99. The number 23 might represent Michael Jordan, while 43 evokes the UNC Chapel Hill ram mascot. To remember an extended sequence, they construct an elaborate mental story using these images. “It sounds like a heavy investment,” Hagwood acknowledges, “but practice makes the process automatic and natural.”

The strategies for encoding numbers don’t depend on innate talent—they rely on understanding how your brain actually works and applying proven techniques consistently. Whether you’re protecting a security code or simply trying to retain a phone number, your capacity to remember numbers improves dramatically once you stop fighting your brain’s design and start working with it instead.