Have you ever misplaced your keys or doubted if you locked your house when you left? Who among us hasn’t? But how frequently does it occur? Is this a once-in-a-blue-moon occurrence or commonplace? Is it just a simple attention slip or is it anything more serious? If you’re plagued by questions like these, keep reading to get the answers.
Memory lapses that are barely noticeable could be symptoms of impending cognitive deterioration. It is strongly advised that you speak with a skilled doctor if your increasing amnesia is raising red flags.
WHAT’S USUAL AND UNUSUAL IN MEMORY LOSS?
Normal aging-related forgetfulness and worrying memory issue are two different things. “As they become older, people frequently start forgetting little things, like where they put their phone or who they met just yesterday. Growing older is a natural feature of brain aging and momentary memory loss. The memory of a particular incident or occurrence can weaken and diminish as time goes on, according to Dr. Kishalaya Karan, a neurologist with Apollo 24|7.
When these memory lapses happen frequently and start interfering with your daily life, it becomes a cause for concern. Memory loss may just be a major issue that needs to be treated right away if it interferes with your ability to carry out simple actions like driving or finding your way to a favorite location. In such circumstances, seeking medical advice as soon as possible is prudent.
A SERIOUS Memory Loss Problem’s Warning Signs
Dr. Karan has provided the following list of typical symptoms if you’re trying to determine whether you should be concerned about memory loss:
Forgetting things that you used to constantly remember
Frequently misplacing stuff and never recovering them
Difficulty carrying on a proper dialogue
Issues with making monthly payments
Losing track of the day, month, or season
Becoming disoriented in a familiar setting
Having trouble recalling crucial specifics of recent occurrences
Having trouble following a book’s or TV show’s plot
In conclusion, it’s always advisable to see a doctor if you are concerned enough to inquire about doing so.
AREA OF MEMORY LOSS CAUSES
Not all people who lose their memory have dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. The following is a collection of Dr. Karan’s explanations for memory loss.
Smoking
In addition to harming your lungs and heart, smoking also impairs your memory. Your brain receives less oxygen as a result, which impairs your cognitive abilities.
Medication
Memory loss is an adverse effect of some medications. It is advisable to have your doctor review all of your over-the-counter and prescription medications because it occurs more frequently in older people.
Unable to sleep
Your brain can store memories more easily if you get adequate sleep. A minimum of 7-8 hours of sleep per night are necessary. In addition, getting too little sleep increases your risk of developing Alzheimer’s.
Drug and Alcohol Abuse
Memory loss and frequent blackouts have long been linked to excessive drug or alcohol use.
Depression, stress, dietary deficiencies, brain injuries, strokes, dementia, temporary global amnesia (TGA), and infections like tuberculosis and syphilis are a few of the other prevalent reasons of memory loss.
It is strongly advised that you immediately seek the opinion of a skilled healthcare professional if you are worried about major memory impairment and are worried about your increasing forgetfulness. Additionally, you can adopt specific lifestyle choices that will improve your memory, such as developing a brain-friendly diet plan, maintaining a regular sleep schedule, and nurturing a stress-free atmosphere.
