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Oct 21, 2022 · Forgetfulness is a normal part of life, and it’s common to grow more forgetful as you age. Still, it can be scary and make you concerned about developing Alzheimer’s disease , a progressive neurological condition associated with memory loss.
- Adrienne Dellwo
- hhp_info@health.harvard.edu
- Transience. This is the tendency to forget facts or events over time. You are most likely to forget information soon after you learn it. However, memory has a use-it-or-lose-it quality: memories that are called up and used frequently are least likely to be forgotten.
- Absentmindedness. This type of forgetting occurs when you don't pay close enough attention. You forget where you just put your pen because you didn't focus on where you put it in the first place.
- Blocking. Someone asks you a question and the answer is right on the tip of your tongue — you know that you know it, but you just can't think of it. This is perhaps the most familiar example of blocking, the temporary inability to retrieve a memory.
- Misattribution. Misattribution occurs when you remember something accurately in part, but misattribute some detail, like the time, place, or person involved.
- Daniel Pendick
- hhp_info@health.harvard.edu
- Lack of sleep. Not getting enough sleep is perhaps the greatest unappreciated cause of forgetfulness. Too little restful sleep can also lead to mood changes and anxiety, which in turn contribute to problems with memory.
- Medications. Tranquilizers, antidepressants, some blood pressure drugs, and other medications can affect memory, usually by causing sedation or confusion.
- Underactive thyroid. A faltering thyroid can affect memory (as well as disturb sleep and cause depression, both of which can be causes of forgetfulness).
- Alcohol. Drinking too much alcohol can interfere with short-term memory, even after the effects of alcohol have worn off. Although "too much" varies from person to person, it’s best to stick with the recommendation of no more than two drinks per day for men and no more than one a day for women.
Nov 14, 2022 · If you or someone you know is becoming increasingly forgetful, showing changes in their normal behaviors, or displaying other concerning symptoms, seek the help of a healthcare provider in making an official diagnosis and recommending treatment.
Sep 5, 2024 · This article discusses forgetfulness and mental health, aging, and sleep. It also discusses forgetfulness with medication side effects, hypothyroidism, and tips to manage forgetfulness.
Mar 15, 2023 · Forgetting is the loss or change in information that was was previously stored in short-term or long-term memory. It can occur suddenly or it can occur gradually as old memories are lost. While it is usually normal, excessive or unusual forgetting might be a sign of a more serious problem.
Learn the difference between normal age-related forgetfulness and signs of a memory problem, such as mild cognitive impairment or dementia, and about other factors that can affect memory and may be treatable.
