Causes of memory loss

Most people have a habit of doing many things at the same time. In the long run, this can lead to mental disorders, stress and memory impairment.

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Do you forget the car keys at home many times? You hardly remember the food you ate the night before? Do you often forget appointments with others? If these things seem to happen every day, but your age is below 40, you should not underestimate.

Contrary to what most people think is that poor memory is a problem of old age, in fact, you will be surprised to know that some children tend to forget if they have to live in a constant stressful environment. This is a problem that should not be taken lightly. Whether at the age of 16 or 60, you must fight to avoid memory loss. It is important to understand the cause of your memory decline, from which you will know how to prevent it before the situation gets worse.

Scientists draw seven leading causes of memory impairment, which can even lead to reduced cognitive function as follows:

1. Depression

When a person is depressed, it is very difficult to concentrate and remember many things because their current concern is those negative emotions. In fact, no one can be immune to depression. Depression can occur even with children if they are constantly exposed to stressful situations.

Some cases can make people depressed, such as the death of a loved one, lack of care from the family and some other reasons. Negative emotions including anger, fear and anxiety can also make you forget, lose your ability to concentrate.

2. Do many things at the same time

Most of us have a habit of doing many things at the same time hoping to accomplish as many things as quickly as possible. While many people think this is good, this habit in the long run can lead to mental disorders, stress and memory loss. Even when your mind is overwhelmed with things to do, it can lead to mental disorders.

If you have signs of mind disorder, poor memory, the only thing that can be done to overcome is to learn to focus on one thing at a time. Remember that your brain can only accomplish one problem at a time. This means that simultaneous contact with many ideas can lead to 'mental pollution', impairing memory.

3. Hide your true feelings

There are people who train themselves to hide their true feelings from fear, shame or pride. They tend to ignore the emotional aspect of life, so they no longer associate emotion with their own thoughts. This will help the person do a good job or research even if their life is in a mess. However, this condition can cause serious consequences for their own memory.

The brain is made up of two parts: the left hemisphere and the right hemisphere. The left part of the brain controls logical thinking while the right facilitates artistic and emotional activity. When a person uses both sides of the brain regularly, they will get a sense of balance in the way they think. This suggests that a good memory means increasing the activity of both brain hemispheres.

In order for life to be balanced, you should not only develop logical thinking, but also improve your creativity. That way, you can become a comprehensive person with great cognitive functions.

4. Substance abuse (especially drugs)

Some drugs are put on the forbidden list because of a clear reason that they do not bring any benefits but are harmful to health. There are people who have been addicted after several attempts at drug use. Once the body has become accustomed to these substances, they gradually lose their good habits.

Besides physical and psychological problems, substance abuse can lead to memory decline because these substances affect the hippocampus and part of the brain takes on cognitive function. As a result, memory will get worse.

Picture 1 of Causes of memory loss
Artwork: Lifespan

5. Drink too much alcohol

Many scientific studies show that alcohol abuse can lead to many health and mental problems, including memory impairment. Alcoholism can lead to poor memory or temporary memory loss because when alcohol is absorbed into the body, it prevents oxygen from circulating to the brain, especially in an area containing alcohol. Over time, this condition can cause negative effects on the entire central nervous system.

6. Thiamine deficiency (B1 vitamin)

Thiamine is an essential nutrient that helps convert food into energy. In addition, vitamin B1 is responsible for ensuring the normal functioning of the nervous system. According to experts, a large amount of this vitamin is in the brain, they maintain the production of neurotransmitters that affect the mood, memory, movement and thinking of people.

People who do not get enough of thiamin from their diet may have Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, a type of neurological disorder that leads to short-term and long-term memory loss. To prevent this, supplement the amount of thiamine in the day, up to 1.2 mg for adults (male is 1.4 mg, female is 1 mg).

7. Lack of sleep

Sleep helps your body and mind "refresh", the time for cells and tissues to recover. Besides, brain waves are created when you sleep, this is an important mechanism in storing memories in the brain. Brain waves can also transfer these memories to the prefrontal cortex, which is a storage place like the 'memory stores' for a long time.

When you don't get enough sleep (sleep deprivation), memories can't move toward the prefrontal cortex, which leads to short-term neglect and loss of memory. Therefore, adults should spend at least 7-8 hours a day to sleep to improve memory and prevent cognitive decline.