If you have been forgetting quite more frequently lately, you may immediately think you have Alzheimer’s disease – but it’s not the only health issue that can lead to memory loss.
Memory loss can happen to anyone at any stage of their lives for various reasons.
Here are some of the shocking causes of forgetfulness that may have been eating away at your memory without you knowing it:
1. Stress, Anxiety and Depression
Chronic or severe stress can affect your memory and attention span. This is especially common among people who are trying to keep up with home and work responsibilities and are also not getting enough sleep. Naturally, resolving the stressors may improve memory.
Chronic or severe stress can affect your memory and attention span. This is especially common among people who are trying to keep up with home and work responsibilities and are also not getting enough sleep. Naturally, resolving the stressors may improve memory.
Stress unmanaged, however, can further lead to anxiety disorders and even depression, which can significantly affect brain function.
2. Sleep Apnea
This common sleep disorder causes breathing to stop and start repeatedly in short intervals throughout the night. It is frequently linked to memory loss and dementia as the several breathing interruptions disrupt the oxygen supply to the brain. One tell-tale sign that you have sleep apnea is that you wake up fatigued as if you haven’t slept at all.
Left untreated, sleep apnea can affect your spatial navigational memory, the type involved in helping you remember directions and where you put things, like keys for example. Researches also suggest that deep sleep plays an important role in memory retention.
3. Nutritional Deficiency
Vitamin B12 is important for optimal nerve function. A deficiency of this vitamin can lead to confusion or even dementia. Your daily recommended dose is 2.4 mcg and you can get Vitamin B12 from foods like fish, meat, or dairy, and from foods fortified with B12.
4. Medications
Forgetfulness can be a side effect of the medications you are taking. Here are some of the drugs that may cause alterations in memory:
- Diabetes medication
- Cholesterol-lowering medication
- Certain painkillers
- Antidepressants
- Anti-anxiety medications
- Anti-histamines
- Sleeping pills
It is best to consult the doctor who prescribed you your medications if you’re finding the effects are disrupting your quality of life.
5. Silent Stroke
Silent strokes damage smaller blood vessels in the brain that may alter some brain function ranging from mild to severe. People with memory loss are at higher risk for stroke. Forgetfulness may also be considered an early warning sign for stroke according to the journal Stroke.
Read the full article by Everyday Health here to see more surprising causes of memory loss that you need to watch out for.
Are you suffering from some type of memory loss? Is there anything on this list that is present in your daily life? Let us know in the comments below!
inhiscare753 says
Thanks for sharing great post