Normal memory loss
As we get older, many of us worry that maybe we have a serious memory condition or wonder what is normal.
According to the Alzheimer Society, age-associated memory impairment is usually normal if it’s not disrupting your daily life, it doesn’t affect you completing normal tasks, it doesn’t impair your learning or remembering new things, and there is no medical condition causing your memory loss. In fact, almost 40% of people older than 65 will experience some form of memory loss but only 5-8% will develop Alzheimer’s Disease.
Causes of Normal Memory Loss
As we age the following decreases, the hippocampus region of the brain which forms and retrieves memories, hormones and proteins that protect, repair and stimulate growth of the brain, and blood flow to the brain. However it’s important to address the following possible causes that can also affect memory: depression, vitamin B12 deficiency, thyroid problem, alcohol abuse, Dehydration, and side effects of medications or too many medications.
Brain Games
Brain exercises are also very important. Lumonsity offers free brain games to enhance memory.
When to Talk to a Doctor
Many memory problems are nothing to worry about. However, it you experience any of the following, it may be time to consult your doctor.
- Asking the same questions over and over again
- Getting lost in places a person knows well
- Having trouble following recipes or directions
- Becoming more confused about time, people, and places
- Not taking care of oneself —eating poorly, not bathing, or behaving unsafely