How to Overcome Forgetfulness

Forgetfulness can be frustrating

Modern life is full of things to remember. Just think of the numbers we are expected to remember: Social Security numbers, birthdays, holidays, multiple telephone numbers, addresses, and pin numbers. There are passwords for all kinds of things, if we want to get into our various accounts. We are also expected to remember all of our appointments and obligations and responsibilities. On top of it all, we are all getting older.

It is natural to experience some problems with forgetfulness as we age. In midlife we find ourselves at a loss sometimes while we search for someone's name or try to remember a word in a business meeting.

It can be embarrassing and even worrisome; but, your forgetfulness is probably due to normal aging combined with the overwhelming amount of information that our brains are required to process and remember each day. Try these tips to increase your recall.

Things You'll Need

• short term memory loss
• calendar
• small notebook or journal
• pen or pencil

Instructions

1. 

   Get more sleep. Forgetfulness is often caused by not getting enough sleep. Most people need to sleep at least seven or eight hours a night. Try getting more sleep at night or taking a nap sometime during the day.

2. 

   Get more oxygen to your brain. Aerobic exercise increases the flow of blood and oxygen to your brain. Smoking, on the other hand, deprives your brain of the oxygen it needs to function. Healthy habits, such as regular exercise and quitting smoking will boost your recall.

3. Simplify your life. Often forgetfulness can be the result of having too much to remember. Our brain can only hold so much information and then it starts dumping things. This is a sign that we have too much going on. Start cutting some things out. Eliminate some of your activities. Say no more when asked to do things for other people.

4. Prioritize your tasks. This is related to step two. One effective way to simplify is to make a list of all the things you have to do in a day, prioritize them, then cross out the bottom third of the list. You will not have as much to remember and the most important things will still get done.

5. 

   Write things down. This is common sense, but how often we try to take short cuts and eliminate this step. Trying to keep lists in our heads is one cause for forgetfulness. We overload our circuits and then wonder why we cannot remember anything! Keep a notebook with you at all times and write everything down in it. It will become your "paper brain." Write down your list of things to buy at the grocery. Write down your list of errands. Jot down the date you had the oil changed. Scribble down the name of your child's teacher and her email address. Once you write it down, you can forget it. When you need the information, it is all there in your paper brain.

6. Develop routines. Do the same things, in the same order, at the same time, everyday. For example, when you get ready for work in the morning, get up at the same time everyday, use the toilet, make coffee, get dressed, eat breakfast, brush your teeth, fix your hair and then put on your make up. When you do tasks in the same order everyday, you develop habits and do not have to think about them anymore. Your brain can go into automatic pilot and you save memory that you can use to remember something else. Look for areas of your life where you can develop routines and take some of the stress off your brain.

7. 

   Learn to compensate for your memory weaknesses. If you forget what to buy at the store, make a list. If you are visual, write the list down; if you are auditory, carry a small tape recorder and record your list to listen to at the store. If you frequently misplace your keys, put a hook near the door where you can hang them up when you come into the house. Make up songs about things you have to do; singing the song will make you remember your list.

8. Jog your memory with reminders. My grandmother used to switch her rings from one hand to the other when she had something to remember. She would notice her rings were on the wrong hand and she would remember why she switched them. You can do the same by moving your watch to the "wrong" wrist.

Tips & Warnings

• See your doctor if you find yourself disoriented to the point you do not know where you are or you cannot remember the current month or year. These kinds of memory problems can signal a more serious cause for forgetfulness.

• See your doctor if you experience memory loss accompanied by headaches, dizziness, loss of coordination, or balance problems. This can be a sign of more serious brain problems.