Memory loss can happen at any age for a variety of reasons and at various levels of severity. Memory loss can be temporary or permanent. Your memory loss may also affect short-term or long-term memories. It could occur gradually over time or suddenly. And, the loss of memory could be directly related to the choices you make on a daily basis or originate from a disease or a medical condition. Permanent memory loss is far more troubling than most types. Severe seizures and strokes can contribute to permanent memory loss. It could also result from a brain tumor, old age, infections or psychological conditions.
Temporary memory loss is when your memories come back after a period of time. This type of memory loss could be directly associated with your lifestyle choices. If you have a poor diet or smoke, you could experience difficulty with your memory. The sources of the issue could even be more severe such as resulting from the side effects of a minor seizure or stroke. Short-term memory loss is a circumstance when you are able to recall all of your past memories up to the most recent 30 seconds to the past several days of your life.
Each person will be different in the length of time. Long-term memory loss means that you are likely perfectly capable of remembering and creating new memories, however you are unable to remember events from your childhood to the past few years or possibly months. And, in some instances, it is possible you may remember everything before a trauma and nothing after a tragic event.
1. Stress and Anxiety
Stress and anxiety could be the sources of your difficulty with memory. A study published in the Journal of Neuroscience by the University of Iowa revealed a possible direct link between short-term memory loss and the stress hormone called cortisol. The study revealed that when cortisol levels are raised for prolonged, long-term and repeated periods of time, it can cause interruption to memory as a person gets older. Basically, the more stress you incur and hold on to throughout your life the more it could affect your memory as you age.
While you might think anxiety is the same as stress, it is actually the result of stress in many people. It is another form of an emotional disorder that can be the result of a mental or physical condition, as well as due to excessive drug use. Whether you experience anxiety on a regular basis or simply from time to time, the biggest cause of anxiety is stress. It could be stress at work, finances, relationships, death of a loved one or even news of a medical condition. Just like stress, anxiety contributes to increased levels of cortisol and loss of memory as you age.
2. Depression
Depression has a wide array of symptoms, and one of the lesser-known symptoms is that of loss of memory in several forms. You might start by becoming a bit more forgetful which could lead to growing confusion over time. And, eventually, your short-term memory could become greatly affected. The good news is that it is unlikely that depression will affect your long-term memory. And, if you manage your depression properly, you can reduce the effects altogether before any permanent damage takes place.
3. Alcohol
You might think of blackouts when you associate alcohol and memory issues, however it can be far more serious than losing the memories of a few hours after one rare night of hard drinking. When you have frequent memory lapses due to alcohol consumption, this can lead to permanent damage to your brain. This damage could eventually lead to the inability to create new short-term memories whilst your long-term memories remain intact. If you abuse alcohol on a regular basis and have regular issues with memory, you should seek help from medical professionals before you damage your brain even further and your memory issues become even worse.
4. Under Performing Thyroid
An underperforming thyroid, also referred to as hyperthyroidism, slows down your body functions and primarily results in dry skin, fatigue and memory issues. This condition is often difficult to diagnose because the symptoms are quite similar to those of many other health issues. Sadly, an underperforming thyroid can also strike people of any age from babies to the elderly. Memory issues associated with hyperthyroidism will be different in every person and it can range from difficulty concentrating on tasks at work and remembering the names of people to short-term memory loss and the inability to focus.
5. Medication
Medications have countless potential side effects and, sadly, loss of memory can be just one of them. Some of the most common prescription and over-the-counter drugs that lead to memory loss include anti-anxiety drugs, antihistamines, anti-seizure medications, antidepressants, cholesterol-lowering pills, hypertension meds, incontinence drugs, narcotic-level painkillers, Parkinson’s medications and sleeping aids. As with all medication, each person will be affected differently. This side effect of medication can be quite alarming as some cases have been reported where people drive cars and participate in other potentially dangerous activities without even realizing.
6. Lack of Sleep
A University of California, Berkeley, study revealed a direct correlation between poor sleep and forgetfulness and loss of memory. It has even been directly linked to brain deterioration. The study showed that it is essential to get quality sleep during the night for your brain waves to be able to transfer and store your memories properly. Younger people are often far more likely to be able to reach deep sleep; therefore, memory loss due to lack of sleep is far more common in older adults who do not sleep well. Fortunately, you can take steps to improve your deep sleep and, in turn, improve your memory.
7. Hereditary
You may do everything right to keep your memory as sharp as it was when you were in your teens, however it is possible that your genes will play a direct role on your ability to maintain your short-term and long-term memories. While you may not be able to avoid certain types of dementia due to your family history, you can take measures to delay it or minimize the effects. Memory loss is a serious matter and the moment you feel something is not right, see a doctor.
You can easily improve your memory conditions in many circumstances by addressing the causes such as to reduce the amount of alcohol you consume, ask your doctor to switch your medication, take measures to improve your sleep quality and manage your stress and depression properly. If you take these steps and you still have difficulty with your memory, see a doctor straight away as it could be something far more serious and life-threatening.
