As we grow older, our brains change, and we tend to become more forgetful.

However, how can you tell if your memory lapses are a symptom of normal forgetfulness or a sign of something more severe?

Memory loss and distortion can occur at any age, even in healthy people.

The following are seven types of memory issues that are completely normal. These brain blips usually do not indicate memory-impairing disorders unless they are extreme or persistent.

1. Absentmindedness

Inattention causes this type of forgetting. You forget where you put your reading glasses because you didn’t take note that they are on your head. Your brain did not encode the information securely because you thought of something else (or perhaps nothing). With absentmindedness, you may forget to do something at a prescribed time, such as taking your medicine or keeping your appointment.

2. Bias

Your beliefs, prior knowledge, and mood affect how you perceive experiences as they become memories encoded in your brain. Additionally, your attitude and other biases influence the information you recall when you retrieve a memory. An example of memory bias is remembering something you chose is better than something you rejected, like the blue car you purchased was much better than the red car you didn’t buy.

3. Blocking

Does this sound familiar? You’ve been asked a question, and the answer is on the tip of your tongue. However, you can’t get the words out. Blocking is an example of the temporary inability to retrieve a memory. Several scientists believe that memory blocks become more common as we age. Fortunately, researchers have found that your brain can recover most blocked memories within just a few minutes.

4. Misattribution

Misattribution refers to partly remembering something, but certain details are unclear, such as where, when, and who was involved. Misattribution can also occur when you believe an idea you had came from something you read or heard previously, but you have forgotten about it. 

The frequency of misattribution increases with age, just as with many other kinds of memory lapses. Because you are less able to concentrate and process information rapidly as you age, you absorb fewer details when acquiring data. It is also true that as you grow older, so do your memories. The misattribution of old memories is especially easy.

5. Persistence

Sometimes people are tortured by memories they wish to forget but can’t. Traumatic memories, ongoing fears, and negative feelings are also forms of memory problems.

Some memories accurately reflect horrific events, while others distort the truth.

People suffering from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are particularly prone to having persistent, disturbing memories. 

6. Suggestibility

If your memory is suggestible, the information you become aware of becomes embedded in your memory, even if you did not experience it personally. Suggestibility is not yet fully understood, but the suggestion fools the mind into believing it is an actual memory.

7. Transience

It’s common for people to forget information shortly after learning it. Conversely, memories that are called up often are the least likely to be forgotten. While transience might appear to be a sign of memory loss, neuro-scientists believe it is useful because it allows your brain to clear unused memories, making room for more useful ones.

8. How To Support Your Brain Health

We all experience memory lapses from time to time. (Where did I put my reading glasses or keys?) Often, lapses originate from normal, fleeting issues, such as inattention.

Memory problems are more concerning when they interfere with living your life fully. For this reason, you should do everything possible to minimize your chances of developing them.

And perhaps the easiest way is to consume the right brain nutrients.

Research shows that key nutrients can help support an optimized brain – and all the benefits that go with it – like clarity of mind, concentration, mental energy, smart decision-making, and memory.

Stonehenge Health_^® Dynamic Brain™ contains 40 researched and proven ingredients, including Bacopa Extract, Huperzine A, DHA, and Choline, along with essential vitamins and minerals to support your brain health.

Take Dynamic Brain™ daily to promote optimal cognitive function leading to better memory, sharper processing, focus, alertness, learning, and mood, plus a boost of mental energy.

Sources:
Forgetfulness — 7 Types Of Normal Memory Problems – Harvard Health Publishing – Harvard Health. 2012. | health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/forgetfulness-7-types-of-normal-memory-problems.