Your brain draws blank when you try to place a familiar face, you are again at loss when you call your son but don’t remember what you wanted to talk about. Along with forgotten car keys and ways lost back home, forgetting things have now become a routine… Now, you are annoyed that you need to write everything down and have reminders in your cell phone for every chore or errand. You are also worried that this forgetfulness isn’t just related to aging but maybe something more serious….
This article will tell you about memory loss in old age and signs that tell if something is serious. There are also some tips that will help you cope with your forgetfulness.
Aging and memory loss
As we grow old our body stops producing some of the chemicals that are essential for the brain to function. Thus we find it difficult to remember names, take more time to react and have difficulty learning new skills.
What we observe is that long term memories i.e. of our childhood, facts and figures stored years ago remains largely as it is, even temporary memory i.e. which stores what you had for dinner, remains untouched, it is the short term memory, which stores the name of the person you recently met, that you have difficulty remembering.
When to know it’s more than aging?
However not everybody who is old suffers from forgetfulness. Large numbers of people have sharp minds even in their nineties. With memory loss taken for granted with aging, often dementia may be mistaken for aging.
It is normal to forget your keys, names, whether we have locked the door but it is not normal if you forget the way to your home or forget how to use the telephone etc.
It is not just forgetfulness if
- You need to ask a question over and over again.
- You lose your way home or places you are familiar with
- You are confused by places, time and people.
- You are not taking care of yourself that is, not bathing, eating or sleep well.
Some reasons could be:
- Minor head injury
- Depression
- Reaction to medicine
- Malnutrition, sometimes lack of nutrients can create memory problems.
It could be very serious as Alzheimer’s if you are experiencing,
- Difficulty to focus or concentrate
- Problems prioritizing
- Disinterest in socializing
- Inability to converse
- Losing interest in day to day activities and aloofness
- Mood changes
If you experience some of these symptoms or see them in your closed one, please consult your physician who may evaluate the symptoms and may guide you further.
Some tips to deal with Forgetfulness:
Once you are convinced that your forgetfulness is not serious, we give you everyday tips to help you deal with your forgetfulness.
Write everything down
You always had a memory to rely on but since it is no longer as faithful as it used to be, you have to write everything down to ensure that you don’t miss on important chores. Make a list of things to do in the day and keep it in a fixed position. As you go on and finish a chore, scratch it off.
Also note down any detail that you used to memorize i.e. note down the addresses and telephone numbers of people you meet, write down the ATM password codes (in a secure position).
Keep Reminders
If you have to attend a function or have a visit to your doctor, mark the dates prominently on your calendar. Also have a reminder set in your cell phone for the occasions which are very important. Make a list of all the payments you have to make in a month and place this list prominently so that you don’t miss paying any of these.
Be Organized
Since it is difficult for you to locate things, you need to be more organized in your day to day life. You need to have specific locations to keep the things like your eye-glasses; phone-book and the keys. Being organized will thus save a lot of your time and effort which would be otherwise spent in searching for things. Also, you need to be very careful in keeping your financial records in place, keep your cheque books and bank accounts organized and upto date.
Have an exercise routine
Daily exercise improves blood circulation to your body, helps reduce stress, improves memory by more blood supply to the brain as well as releases feel good hormones called ‘endorphins’ that help improve your mood. Research shows that 30 minutes of physical activity, even household chores like cleaning, dusting and gardening along with aerobic exercises, helps to keep our brain sharp.
Exercise your Brain cells
Memory loss in elderly is not absolute, research shows that our behavior and habits affect our capacity to work and think. As lack of exercise weakens our muscles, lack of mental exercise also weakens our brain. Though scientists don’t know how exactly to improve your memory, you can indulge in challenging mental exercises like – crossword puzzles, Sudoku. You could also play some games found on the web which are specially designed to challenge and stimulate brain activity. Not resigning from day to day activities, having interest in things around you, learning new skills- all help your brain remain active.
Other habits
Studies have shown that as we age, we easily get distracted and cannot focus as we used to. So in order to improve our memory, we need to focus on one thing at a time as well as not multitask which is known decreases our mental performance.
Also, in order for your brain to function at its best, it needs its adequate rest. So 7-8 hours of sleep every night helps your brain get the adequate nutrients and make connections in the brain which are needed for proper thinking and good memory.
So in order to have healthy body and healthy mind, remember- sleep right, be organized and do mental exercise!
