Why Did I Forget Things? 7 Reasons Behind Memory Problems

We can all have stages in our lives where we forget things more or where we feel that we have certain memory problems. Although this may be common, especially in moments where we feel stressed or sad, the reality is that our memory has a limited capacity to store and remember.

Why did I forget things?

Forgetting involves a loss or change in information that was previously stored in our short- or long-term memory. This change can occur suddenly or gradually as old memories are lost. Forgetting things can be normal, but when memory loss is very common, this can be a sign of a more serious problem. Some of the main reasons why people can forget things are the following:

1. Repress memories: In some cases, people may unconsciously repress memories due to pain caused during a traumatic or disturbing event or experience.
2. Alcohol or drugs: The repeated use of alcoholic beverages or drugs can have a very negative effect on our memory, which makes it very common for you to forget things, despite being young.
3. Depression: Some of the most common symptoms of depression usually involve a loss of interest in things, as well as experiencing certain difficulties concentrating on certain tasks, so it is normal to feel like you forget things due to depressive disorders.
4. Lack of sleep: Our rest plays a very important role in the consolidation of memory, so lack of sleep, due to insomnia problems or poor rest, can cause you to forget things.
5. Medicines: Different drugs can affect our memory, including antidepressants, sedatives, and medications used for colds or allergies.
6. Stress: When we experience excessive stress, we can end up having problems with our memory. In addition, this can cause us to forget things that are important to us, making our stress even worse.
7. Lack of meaning: Information that does not seem relevant to our lives, that is, that does not interest us or that does not impact us emotionally, can be more difficult to remember. Therefore, perhaps it is not a memory problem, but rather a lack of sense or meaning in what we want to memorize.

If your lack of memory is starting to worry you, we recommend that you see a doctor or a psychologist immediately.

What is the forgetting curve?

According to psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus, a memory researcher, there is an effect that can explain why do people forget things His results in his studies indicate the following:

• Memories fade over time: If we learn something new, but then don’t try to reinforce this information again, we end up remembering less and less as the hours, days, and weeks go by.
• The biggest drop in retention occurs shortly after learning: If we don’t review or reinforce our learning, our ability to retain information ends up collapsing.
• It’s easier to remember things that have meaning: When information has no meaning for us, it is more likely to be forgotten. That is to say, if we are not interested in it, it is very likely that we will forget it more quickly.
• The way something is presented affects learning: The same set of information can be made more or less memorable depending on how well it is communicated. Therefore, if information has been organized logically and presented clearly, we are more likely to remember it.
• How you feel affects how well you remember: Certain psychological and physiological factors, such as stress or sleep, play a very important role in the way we retain information.

How to minimize forgetfulness?

While forgetting is inevitable in many cases, there are some things we can do to help people consolidate important information in memory. Some practices can help reduce memory loss or lack of concentration:

1. Exercise regularly: Research suggests that exercise can lead to improved memory. In fact, studies suggest that brief, light exercise can lead to improved memory.
2. Sleep enough: Adequate sleep is crucial for good physical and mental health. Although each person has different sleep needs, the recommendation is that we rest seven to nine hours during the night.
3. Give it a meaning: As we have mentioned, when we feel that the information has meaning for us, this makes us memorize it faster and better. So if you want to improve your memory, an important point will be to give greater meaning to what you hear or read.
4. Write it down: Writing things down will help you remember it much better. The reason is that we pay more attention when we write than when listening to information without doing anything else.

Although in many cases we perceive forgetting in a negative way, this actually helps us improve our memory. The reason is that letting go of the most irrelevant memories and holding on to the most important information helps us keep the information most meaningful to us.

As we see, there are many factors that can influence our memory loss Understanding them will help you improve your memory, which will in turn influence greater mental well-being.