9 Unexpected Causes of Memory Loss and Forgetfulness
According to SHAHEDNEWS, The experience of forgetting items or even important tasks throughout the day is familiar to all of us. This experience, which results from memory decline, has become a widespread issue. It is no longer certain that memory changes and forgetfulness are specific to the elderly and middle-aged individuals; young people and even children sometimes experience memory decline as well.
Signs of Temporary Memory Loss:
Forgetting names or faces of people
Forgetting conversations
Irritability
Getting stuck or lost in the middle of a task
Confusion and general mental sluggishness affecting your attention and ability to recall events
Reading a printed text and being unable to remember its content
Forgetting phone numbers
How do symptoms of temporary memory loss occur?
Occasionally: They happen rarely but do occur.
Infrequently: Sometimes, but in a monthly or weekly cycle.
Mild to moderate: They happen continuously with mild to moderate symptoms throughout the day.
Severe and persistent: Symptoms occur most often with a significant impact during the day.
Causes of temporary memory loss:
Infection
Whether it's a cold or a urinary tract infection, an infection can impact your memory function.
Hormonal changes
An underactive thyroid may contribute to low mood, energy, and mental alertness, which can decrease the ability to recall information.
An underactive thyroid can lead to forgetfulness and other cognitive issues.
Injury
Minor (transient) concussions and moderate head trauma can temporarily impact memory health.
Emotional trauma can also be quite temporary, with changes in memory health felt in the short term or slightly longer.
Sleep deprivation
People with sleep deprivation disorders experience fatigue during the day, attention problems, and reduced memory levels. The standard recommendation focuses on eight hours of sleep per night. However, this amount of sleep may not be sufficient for everyone. If you always feel tired when you wake up and experience unwanted sleepiness during the day, you may need more than 8 hours of sleep per night.
Prescription medications
Many prescription medications can make you forgetful. Xanax, Valium, and antidepressants have these effects. Heart medications like statins and beta-blockers, painkillers, and even antihistamines like Benadryl have similar effects. If you think you experience temporary memory loss from taking these medications, be sure to consult your doctor.
Anxiety and Depression
Strong evidence shows that anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorders interfere with the neural circuits involved in memory development and retrieval. Severe depression is often accompanied by memory loss. Long-term daily stress increases cortisol levels in the brain, which leads to the loss of synapses in brain cells, resulting in difficulty retrieving memories. The good news is that memory loss caused by mood disorders is reversible and improves with mood recovery.
Dehydration
Dehydration is the most important factor in memory loss. So, to prevent memory weakness, make sure to drink enough fluids.
Vitamin B12 deficiency
Vegetarians are at higher risk for this deficiency. Vitamin B12 is found in animal-based foods like meat, poultry, eggs, dairy products, etc. In addition to fatigue, loss of appetite, constipation, weight loss, and other symptoms, a deficiency in this vitamin can lead to memory problems. If you are a vegetarian, you should definitely get tested for vitamin B12 deficiency. Vitamin B12 supplements may be necessary. Pregnant women, the elderly, people with anemia, and those with digestive disorders like celiac disease and Crohn's disease may need this supplement.
Smoking
Smoking disrupts the memory process by affecting blood flow to the brain. Those who smoke experience a faster decline in brain function with age compared to others. Additionally, smoking leads to the accumulation of abnormal proteins, which interfere with the brain's ability to process and transmit information. So, if you want to protect your memory, quit smoking now.
