• (0)
• 
• 

Everybody forgets things from time to time. In particular, the things that we tend to forget most are the things that we feel do not matter to us. The things that we tend to remember most easily are the things that are important to us - like a special birthday. However, some people just seem to have better memories than others, and some people are more forgetful than others.

There are certain situations that can affect your memory and make you become more forgetful than you normally are. These
ect concentration and memory. Certain illnesses can directly affect the way the brain works. For example, an underactive thyroid can slow down the body's functions, including the brain, and can make you more forgetful.

Age. As we get older it often becomes harder to remember things. This is called 'Age Associated Memory Impairment'. Many people over the age of 50-60 have this common problem, and it is not dementia. For example, it tends to be harder to learn new skills the older we become. Another common example is that you may forget the names of people you have recently met. It is thought that the more we use are brains when we are older, the more it may counter the development of this age-related decline in memory function. So, doing things such as reading regularly, quizzes, crosswords, memorising plays or poetry, learning new skills, etc, may help to keep your memory in good shape.

Dementia. Dementia is the most serious form of memory problem. The rest of this leaflet is just about dementia.

• Back
• Next: What is dementia?

• Comment (0)
• Send to a friend
• Print: Article |  Page