Poor memory is a result of slower brain functioning or processing which makes it difficult for a person to retrieve and store information. This occasional forgetfulness may occur in the later years of life. However, cases of memory loss are also observed in young adults these days due to the changing lifestyle and eating habits. Poor memory could occur due to continuous use of prescription drugs, thyroid disorders, psychological disorders, mental strain, unrestrained use of alcohol, or underlying conditions. It is certainly not confined just to the elderly nor is it an unavoidable part of aging.
What do you mean by dementia?
Dementia is a rigorous form of memory loss where the patient experiences change in personality, intellectual decline, confusion, etc. Nonetheless, poor memory could well be treated at any age via certain techniques and therapies which sharpen and protect the memory skills.
What to do to recover from poor memory?
Although these cures may not instantly improve your memory, a thorough follow-up of these lifestyle changes and techniques can certainly help you to recover from forgetfulness.
- Lack of confidence and worrying too much can worsen the case for you. Make an effort to stay calm and not occupy yourself concerning about your memory failures
- Organize yourself properly and try to work out the reason that makes you to forget something
- Your food intake is the key. Eat lots of fruits (citrus), cereals, green and leafy vegetables, granary breads, olives, and nuts
- If your memory is poor due to any nutritional deficiency, nutritional supplements could be used
- Exercise your body regularly
- Sleep well at night
- Don’t sit idle. Keep your mind working. Read a newspaper or educational article rather than passively staring at the television set
- Play word games or crosswords with friends to exercise your brain daily
- In special cases such as following a stroke, certain therapies could be administered to help recover from memory loss
- Try some practical techniques, meditation, etc., to cope up with your memory loss
- Recreational drugs like ecstasy and cannabis are no good for your memory. However, a glass of red wine or 1-2 units of alcohol could help to avoid the risk of dementia
- Sometimes, there could be brain damage due to dementia caused by high blood pressure. In such cases, you could take certain medications to lower your blood pressure
- Emotional illnesses like depression, stress, anxiety, phobias, etc., could also contribute to poor memory. Use antidepressants and other medications specific to the illness
- Maintain orderliness in your daily life: keep your belongings in their own places and keep a note of all events and chores in your personal diary
- Keep fixed times and days for crucial tasks
- Regularly check your hearing and vision
Are there any practical memory aids?
Repetition and visualization are chief elements used by these following techniques that help to store information in your memory.
- If your memory is bad at remembering people’s names even a few moments after introduction, create a mental picture of that person according to his name or simply repeat back his name. Eg., visualize Mary Green as Mother Mary praying besides a tree
- Invest special attention in situations where you commonly experience stress or get over excited. Eg., repeat information in your own words that doesn’t get registered in your memory immediately. When driving through an unknown place or neighborhood, note landmarks along your itinerary
- Keep exercising your memory. Eg., try to recall the important sections of a recent conversation with your colleague or friend. Maintain a record of your finances by recollecting how, when, or where you spent them since the last date you visited your bank
- You might find it challenging to remember a list. In this case, you can place each item from the list in different, unique locations in your home. Then, mental images of each item could be made exaggerated and incongruous. Eg., before going for shopping in a supermarket, you could imagine a bread loaf kept near a fireplace for baking, green tea bag rested on a kettle, or a toothpaste lying on the bathroom floor. In this way, you could recall the shopping list by visualizing each item placed in its specific location
