WHERE ARE MY KEYS?
36 times this week – I lost or forgot something. I counted! I actually documented it on my phone because I was afraid I would forget the number!
SERIOUSLY! Sometimes I think it would be easier to microchip everything I own and walk around with a master remote control- but God knows that I would probably lose that as well!
I sound like I am poking fun at myself (and I am), but sometimes it really worries me. I’ve discussed this with family and friends because I hear so many stories about Dementia and Alzheimers. Most people tell me it’s just a part of aging or that I am doing too many things at once. They say I am easily distracted. I’m guessing it could probably be a bit of the latter.
I decided to do a little research myself and wanted to share what I found.
In an article in Everyday Health, Mary Elizabeth Dallas writes about 5 Surprising Causes of Memory Loss. Here is what she wrote-
1. Sleep Apnea
This common but treatable sleep disorder causes breathing to stop briefly and frequently throughout the night. It is linked to memory loss and dementia, according to Constantine Lyketsos, MD, director of the Memory and Alzheimer's Treatment Center at Johns Hopkins Medicine and professor and chair of psychiatry at Johns Hopkins Bayview. You might have sleep apnea if you wake up with a headache and have daytime fatigue — or if your partner complains of loud snoring.
When not treated, sleep apnea affects spatial navigational memory, according to a study published in The Journal of Neuroscience. This type of memory includes being able to remember directions or where you put things like your keys. The research suggests that deep sleep, also known as rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, plays an important role in memory.
One explanation is that for people with sleep apnea, oxygen delivery to the brain is interrupted several hundred times during the night, explains Dr. Lyketsos. “The brain is stressed, so people wake up,” he says. The injury sleep apnea causes can show up as a variety of memory loss symptoms, he adds.
2. Silent Stroke
Obvious changes in the ability to think and move normally can come from strokes that block major brain blood vessels, Gale says. Mild memory problems can also develop gradually after silent strokes that affect smaller blood vessels. These changes in brain function, which can range from mild to severe, are called vascular cognitive impairment.
The brain is especially vulnerable to blocked or reduced blood flow depriving it of oxygen and essential nutrients. People with memory loss are at greater risk for stroke. And forgetfulness may be an early warning sign of stroke, found a study published in the journal Stroke.
3. Medications
Memory loss could be a sign that your medication needs to be adjusted. Several types of drugs can affect memory, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), including:
· sleeping pills
· antihistamines
· anti-anxiety medications
· antidepressants
· certain painkillers
· cholesterol-lowering medication
· diabetes medication
The FDA also cautions that cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins could slightly increase the risk for reversible cognitive side effects. These include memory loss and confusion.
A commonly prescribed type 2 diabetes drug, metformin, has also been associated with memory problems. A study published in Diabetes Care found that people with diabetes who took the drug had worse cognitive performance than those who did not take it.
4. Nutritional Deficiency
A lack of sufficient B12, one of the B vitamins essential for normal nerve function, can lead to confusion and even dementia. Each day, you should get about 2.4 micrograms of B12 in your diet from natural sources like dairy products, meat, and fish, or from foods fortified with vitamin B12 — like fortified cereals.
5. Stress, Anxiety, and Depression
Significant stress or anxiety can lead to problems with attention and memory, cautions Lyketsos. This is particularly common among people who may be juggling home and work responsibilities and are not sleeping well. Usually, easing stress can improve memory, Lyketsos says.
Untreated chronic stress can lead to depression, which could also affect brain function, according to research published in the Journal of Pharmacy & BioAllied Sciences. A mood disorder may improve with medication and counseling, notes the National Institute on Aging.
Other conditions that can lead to problems with memory include:
Infection: Memory loss may be attributed to severe infection around the brain, including neurosyphilis, Gale says.
Head injury: Symptoms of a mild brain injury may include confusion and trouble with memory and concentration, according to the U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
Tumors: Memory and the ability to process information may be affected by brain tumors, the American Brain Tumor Association says. In addition, treatments for a tumor can affect your memory, including brain surgery, chemo, or radiation therapy.
Alcoholism, Substance Abuse: Both alcoholism and drug abuse can affect memory, says Lyketsos. A study published in Neurology found that men who drank heavily showed signs of mental decline one to six years earlier than light drinkers.
In further researching memory loss, I found an article from the Mayo Clinic entitled “Memory loss: When to seek help”. It clearly states that If you're having memory problems, you should talk to your doctor to get a diagnosis and appropriate care… something I keep forgetting to do!
Here are some of the more-recognizable signs of dementia:
· Asking the same questions repeatedly
· Forgetting common words when speaking
· Mixing words up — saying "bed" instead of "table," for example
· Taking longer to complete familiar tasks, such as following a recipe
· Misplacing items in inappropriate places, such as putting a wallet in a kitchen drawer
· Getting lost while walking or driving in a familiar area
· Having changes in mood or behavior for no apparent reason
Yeah… frightening. Some or all of those have applied at one time or another. I decided to see if there was anything to help stop my memory loss and found many articles. I located one in wikiHow – entitled “How to Overcome Short Term Memory Loss’. Here are some of their suggestions-
- Keep your brain sharp. Do crosswords or play an instrument.
- Socialize more often. Depression and stress can both contribute to short-term memory loss. Get focused. Eliminate distractions when necessary.
- Chew gum while you learn. Chewing gum while learning can increase activity in the area of the brain responsible for memory.
- Doodle while you listen. If you’re worried about your ability to retain what someone says to you, try doodling while they talk! Doodling can actually help you focus on just two things – what you’re drawing and what someone else is saying.
- Get enough sleep. Our brains create new connections – some of them related to memory – while we sleep.
- Stay active. Being physically active contributes your body’s overall health.
- Eat a healthy diet. Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are as good for your brain as they are for your body. Add some low-fat protein, like chicken, and plenty of water to your diet, too. You might find that the cleaner you eat, the clearer your memory is.
Suffice it to say- none of this information makes me sleep better at night. And truth be known, I think a lot of my forgetfulness could be avoided if I was better at “being present”- Live a more intentional life and stop moving from one task to another.
Maybe today would be a good day to start!