Don't get frustrated by
forgetfulness. Use
these simple tricks and
tips
to boost your ability to
learn and remember.
Do you often find
yourself marching
around the house in a
huff, searching for
misplaced car keys or
eyeglasses? Does the
name of someone you
just met at a party
dangle at the tip of your
tongue as you try to
remember it?
Such lapses are
irritating and may spark
anxiety, but do not
necessarily mean
something is wrong.
"There is some normal
memory loss with
aging," says Dr. Anne
Fabiny, chief of
geriatrics at Cambridge
Health
Alliance and an
assistant professor of
medicine at Harvard
Medical School.
"Forgetting a person's
name is an
inconvenience and
an annoyance, but it
doesn't impair your
ability to go to a party,
navigate socially, and
enjoy yourself."
But you're not at the
mercy of forgetfulness.
You can get more from
your memory by
acknowledging age-
related changes and
learning how to work
around them.
Probably
harmless
forgetfulness Consider talking
to your doctor
You forget the name of
a person you recently
met for the first time. You struggle to
remember the name of
a family member, and
it's not the first time.
You forget to call a new
acquaintance about
going to lunch You forget about a
monthly lunch with old
friends that you have
been going to for years.
You forget the street
address of your doctor,
but find the office
anyway. Driving to a familiar
location, you become
disoriented, can't figure
out where to go, and
drive around lost.
You ask someone the
same question you
asked yesterday. You ask the same
question several times
on the same day, and
don't realize it.
You joke about your
own forgetfulness to
other people. Your spouse expresses
concern about your
memory slips and
suggests you talk to a
doctor.
You blank out on the
name of your new
medication and have to
check the label. Even when you write
things down, you have
trouble remembering to
take the right
medications at the right
time.
Aging and
forgetfulness
As we grow older, the
ability to learn new
information and recall it
declines somewhat.
Most people notice it
around age 50. One
reason for the change is
that the rate at which
the brain processes
information slows
down a bit starting in
middle age. "You just
can't pull things out of
your memory the way
you used to at the
same speed," Dr. Fabiny
says.
Another possible
memory spoiler is
medication. Though it is
uncommon overall,
medications can impair
memory. Top offenders
include anti-anxiety
drugs (tranquilizers) and
sedating medications.
A lack of restful sleep
can also make you more
forgetful. "As you get
older, you can't function
cognitively the way
that you used to with
less sleep," Dr. Fabiny
says.
Forgetfulness can be a
serious issue if it's
starting to interfere
with daily tasks and
routines, such as
managing your
healthcare, finances, or
home life. If you have
concerns, ask your
doctor if memory
testing is indicated.
But if you are well
rested and functioning
fine, but increasingly
forgetful, try these
essential tricks and tips
to get more from your
memory.
Follow a routine:
Leave your wallet, keys,
mobile phone, glasses,
etc., in the same place
every day. This makes
it a "no brainer" to
remember where your
belongings are.
Take time: Slow down
and pay attention when
learning new things.
Give the brain's memory
system the time it
needs to get the job
done.
Do one thing at a
time: Multitasking and
absentmindedness
often go together. If
you take on too many
mental tasks at once, it
overwhelms your
memory.
Rehearse names: In
conversation, say a
person's name at least
once or twice before
you part, as in, "It's
been nice talking to you,
Tom." Or silently repeat
the name in your head
while looking into the
person's eyes.
Learn memorization
tricks: Associate a
person's name with a
physical feature. For
example, "Jim Brown
has brown eyes." Or link
it to a vivid image:
Imagine Bob bobbing
out in the middle of the
ocean. Or invent a funny
rhyme with the name—
the stranger, the
better.
Be a better listener:
In conversation, really
focus on what you are
hearing. Use active
listening techniques:
"So, if I hear you right,
what you are saying
is…"
Avoid distractions:
Noisy or activity-filled
environments, like busy
public buildings, make it
more difficult for a
person to understand
and take in information.
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