Memory lapses: 5 possible reasons why you forget things

Just to tell a story, write something down, or in from another room to get something and from one Moment to the other, you forget what you say, exactly, or wanted to make.

Often brings with it a little, about the lost thoughts to think – it often comes on only if it is a head again somewhere else.

Gaps in memory usually is not a concern

Such sudden dropouts are not so rare.

A study from the year 2014, which appeared in the journal ‘PLOS ONE’ showed that 14.4 percent of the roughly 4,500 respondents are volunteers going out at the age of 18 to 39 years, to suffer from deratigen memory problems.

Who has from time to time, such gaps do not need to make use of, however, the same Worry and suspect the worst.

There are some reasons why it comes to this type of memory problems – most of which are no big deal.

1. The short-term memory is overloaded

“The short-term memory, working memory is the ability to hold information for a short period of time available,” explains the clinical Neuropsychologist, Dr. Catherine Price, compared to the English Portal ‘SELF’.

Unfortunately, this part of the brain to a limited resource – it can absorb at a time so only a certain Wealth of information.

A study from the year 2016 provided the assumption that the size of the working memory comprises, in the majority of healthy young adults, approximately three or four pieces of information – for example, the Name of a Person you just met.

Therefore, it can be easy to get the feeling to forget a lot of important things that you mentally in front of your eyes.

2. Inattention

Lack of attention may be another factor that makes it difficult to Remember. Creating and Retrieving memories is a complex process and is, in fact, necessary.

This process begins in the cerebral cortex, which collects the information from the outside world, and extends beyond the Hippocampus, which helps short-term memories into long-term convert.

“Who is distracted when Learning new information, will not be able to encode as well and restore it later as usual,” explains Dr. med. Suzanne Schindler, associate Professor of neurology at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, compared to ‘SELF’.

“In order to avoid unintended lapses in memory, it can help you so, take care and mindful not to be.”

When meeting new people whether it is helpful to repeat the name of the Opposite in the head. Another helpful tactic to remember things is by Hand and write them down.

According to a study that was 2014 in the journal ‘Psychological Science’ to be published, arranges for the Writing of the brain to encode information better.

And if that doesn’t help, you have at least a note, which serves as a memory support.

3. The brain ages

With onward age, the feeling that one forgets names of people, objects, and places more frequently than even a few years ago often.

“The truth is that this is probably the case,” says Schindler. To a certain extent, such a reminder of wear is to be expected.

“This is a Problem that is increasing in the course of life,” explains the expert. Brain specialists would not view this phenomenon, however, normally considered to be relevant.

“The word is in the brain, but you can’t get it in the Moment – this is frustrating and annoying.”

But it gives the all-clear: Because the did not mean, according to the expert, that you have dementia or other brain disease.

The explanation is simple: The older you get, the greater the own vocabulary. At the same time it is also less likely to use most of the words, you know.

“The rarer a word, the more difficult it is in the memories to access it,” says David Knopman, Professor of neurology at the Mayo Clinic in the U.S. state of Minnesota and a renowned Alzheimer’s expert.

4. Too little sleep

You do not begrudge his body and brain enough rest, can be frequent and short interruptions and forgetfulness.

In order to optimize brain function, recommends the American National Sleep Foundation, seven to nine hours of sleep per night.

Because during the different stages of sleep creates, and the brain receives different paths that help to learn new things and create memories.

You are overtired, durable, suffers not only the good mood, but also the concentration and memory power.

Photo gallery: 11 tips for your better sleep

5. Depression

There are cases in which memory gaps a sign of an underlying medical Problem may be.

In a study from the year 2014 in various risk have been investigated factors for self-gemeldetete memory disorders – including hypertension, obesity, and Smoking.

The result Of all of these risk factors was associated with a Depression, most with the feeling to suffer from memory problems.

The exact connection has not yet been completely clarified scientifically. The Research assume, however, that the brain can influence changes associated with depression, memory.

A study from the year 2015, which was published in the journal ‘The American Journal of Psychiatry’, shows that people with depression more likely to have a smaller volume in their Hippocampus, which plays an important role in storing new memories.

Schindler, however, to bear in mind that this kind of structural change to occur more likely in people who have been suffering for a long time under severe depression.

Memory gaps are not always cause for alarm

The good news is that there are occasional short drop-outs in the rarest of cases, to serious health losses.

“If the memory start problems, however, affect daily life, this is definitely a time to take a closer look at his health,“ advises Price.

“You should notice that the memory difficulties affect the mood or you’re depressed or anxious, you should definitely take medical aid.”

Sources

  • Mueller, P. et al. (2014): The Pen Is Mightier Than the Keyboard: Advantages of Longhand Over Laptop Note Taking, archived from the original on 17.12.2019: https://cpb-us-west-2-juc1ugur1qwqqqo4.stackpathdns.com/sites.udel.edu/dist/6/132/files/2010/11/Psychological-Science-2014-Mueller-0956797614524581-1u0h0yu.pdf
  • Videbech, P., et al. (2015): Hippocampal Volume and Depression: A Meta-Analysis of MRI Studies, retrieved on 17.12.2019: https://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/appi.ajp.161.11.1957

Cornelia Bertram

*The contribution of “memory gaps: 5 possible reasons why you keep forgetting things” is released by FitForFun. Contact with the executives here.