Forgetting threatens memory.. These are 6 reasons that have nothing to do with aging

You may just walk into your room and can't remember what you came for, or put your coffee somewhere in the house and forget exactly where, or forget where you last left your phone, but when is forgetfulness normal? What are the distinguishing signs that warn of a problem?

"Some memory loss is normal in our society," says Scott Norda, a family physician and mental health expert in St. George, in a report for the American "Live Strong" website. With increased responsibilities and high levels of stress, we tend to neglect our mental health. ".

According to Norda, the warning signs after which you should consult a doctor include:

This confirms that if you've forgotten why you're going to the store or how to get home, it's a cause for concern.

In her report, published by the American "Live Strong" website, Jessica Megala discussed the factors that cause the problem of forgetfulness frequently.

Excessive stress

When your mind goes from thinking about one thing to another, it's really hard to focus. According to Dr. Norda, "In order to really learn and remember something, you have to focus attention on it," but a distracted mind can affect this process.

A chronically high level of cortisol (known as the stress hormone) puts your brain into survival mode, which prevents your brain from storing new information. In this case, Norda recommends finding one activity you really enjoy and doing each day to relieve stress, such as exercising, getting out into nature, or reading a book.

You Don't Sleep Enough

The benefits of sleep go way beyond just helping you feel alert, energized, and energized the next day. In fact, sleep plays a major role in consolidating memory, specifically converting short-term memories into long-term memories.

In a 2014 study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, older women who slept 5, less, or more than 9 hours a day had worse cognitive performance than those who got 7 hours of sleep. sleep.

You're depressed

According to a 2018 study published in Psychological Medicine, people with depression experience memory impairment and difficulty remembering information, likely due to increased cortisol associated with depression.

"Depression is probably the most common thing that overlaps with cognitive impairment," says Dr. Norda. "When you can't think of anything besides suffering from depression, your memory can be affected."

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, other symptoms of depression include feeling sad, anxious, or "empty" most of the time, lack of energy or tiredness, feelings of hopelessness or helplessness, difficulty sleeping, changes in weight and appetite, or thoughts of death or suicide.

Having an infection

Dr. Norda says meningitis, chronic arthritis, and urinary tract infections can somewhat cause memory problems and brain fog. And if you have other symptoms of illness, such as fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, heartburn, or frequent urination, see a doctor immediately.

Thyroid Problems

Located at the base of the neck, the thyroid gland produces hormones that control a large number of vital processes in the body, including metabolism. And if your thyroid function slows down in hypothyroidism, that also affects your brain function.

Hypothyroidism can be caused by autoimmune diseases that attack the gland, certain medications (such as lithium) or damage to the pituitary gland.

Nutrient Deficiency

Dr. Norda says that any type of anemia, such as a deficiency in iron or vitamin B12, can cause brain fog (muddled thinking and scattering) and forgetfulness. A 2020 study published in the journal Medicine on older adults found that those with adequate levels of vitamin B12 performed better on memory and other cognitive tests.