It is sometimes difficult to identify whether a memory issue is a minor
problem or something that needs to be taken more seriously.
Following are some of the signs that may suggest a problem with your memory:
1. Memory is notably weaker. This is when you are forgetting information that you usually use regularly, such as forgetting a good friend’s name, names of objects, how to get to places you go to all the time. This type of memory issue is more than just the occasional ‘lost the keys’ minor issue. It’s easy to forget something occasionally, but if you forget things that you do regularly or previously knew well, there could be a problem.
2. Increasing forgetfulness that is new. This could be forgetting recent discussions, appointments, or whether you have done a daily task or not, such as medication taking. If this is happening more and more often, and there is no specific cause, there could be a memory problem. There are several medical reasons, situational causes, and issues with sleep that can cause a temporary problem, but if it is ongoing, go and have a chat with your health practitioner.
3. Other people have noticed worsening memory. If you have memory problems, you probably won’t remember that you have memory problems. The people you spend most of your time with may notice that you are becoming more forgetful.
Important Points:
Forgetfulness is declining noticeably from what it was before
● Forgetfulness doesn’t improve
● Forgetting well-known information
● Others are noticing
Digital Interference With Memory With so much reliance on digital devices, especially smartphones, these days, the ability to memorize information has been dramatically distorted. Instead of recalling things like phone numbers, we automatically pick up the cell phone and look it up. How many times have you forgotten your phone number? Or someone else’s? Part of this is because we rely too much on technology instead of using our brains.
There has been much debate since the development of smartphones about their effect on the human body and, in particular, the brain. A problem related to young adults, in particular, is that they often sleep with their cell phones beside them. It’s believed that this leads to exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) on the mind. The EMFs can disrupt the chemical levels in the mind quite significantly, which harms learning, memory, stress levels, and emotions.
Smartphones are highly addictive, particularly in the current generation of young people. Just about everyone has one, and it is common to see people walking along staring at their screens, or even checking for updates while they are driving. This addictive behavior is believed to be due to the dopamine effect that occurs when checking social media, email, news, etc. It produces a ‘reward’ feeling that makes you want to look at it more.
Smartphones and Multitasking
How many times have you picked up your smartphone to look something up and found that an hour later, you’re still looking at other things on the phone? There is just so much information contained in
these magic machines that we can’t keep away from them. But, they also make us multitask, which leads to slower brain function. Some reports suggest that it leads to a reduction in intelligence because the mind isn’t being used the way it’s meant to be.
Distractions
When scrolling through the pages on the smartphone, you may find interesting information or news, but you are not likely to store it in your long-term memory. This is because it takes less focus to read the report, thus preventing efficient storage of the mind. You will most likely forget all or part of what you have read within a short period.
Social Effects on Memory
People are just not as friendly as they used to be. You can be in a room full of people and be the only one not looking at their smartphone. On the bus, trains, elevators, everywhere you look, someone is engrossed in their phone. This prevents regular social interaction from taking place. People don’t even say hello anymore most of the time.
Before smartphones hit the market, if you needed to know something, you would often call someone and ask them. It could be a problem you have, a recipe you need, or problems with your homework. You would call a family member or a friend. Nowadays, most people just Google it on their smartphone. You will most likely find that you will have to look up the information more than once because it won’t be adequately stored in your brain.
Those who keep their smartphones beside them at night when they go to bed generally will suffer from poor sleep. Not just because of the
EMFs mentioned earlier, but because when you do wake during the night, the first thing you do is look at the phone. It may be just to check the time, but even this is bad if you are having trouble sleeping.
You might start watching a short video or check your social media in the middle of the night when you can’t sleep, and before you know it, you’ve been on the phone much longer than you planned. And so you lose even more sleep. If you’re not getting between seven to nine hours of sleep each night, your brain has difficulty with two main functions that are vital to the health of memory.
Every night while you are sleeping, your glymphatic system in the head undertakes a cleaning process of the mind. It takes away dead cells and old information. This cleansing routine can only take place if you are in a naturally deep sleep. In other words, if you are sleeping well, your mind will be detoxed and fresh the next morning.
Also, while you sleep, synaptic pruning occurs in the encephalon, which takes away old information. This makes more space for new information to be absorbed and stored. This synaptic pruning can also only take place during deep sleep, and if it doesn’t occur, your ability to create new memories and retain memories will be impaired.
How to Solve the Digital Issue?
The main answer is to use our brains more instead of smartphones, but that isn’t always an easy option. For those who use their phone for work, it can be challenging to reduce usage. However, you could get rid of all the apps you tend to browse and just use your phone for calls and texts.
Some people undertake a digital break, staying away from smartphones and other digital devices for a period to try and wean themselves off from relying on the screens. For some, many days can work; for others, they may need weeks. A more natural way to get started on removing your attention from your smartphone is to follow these tips:
1. No devices or smartphones in the bedroom are allowed. If you need an alarm, go back to the old fashioned way of using an alarm clock.
2. If you aren’t sleeping well, stop using all electronic devices for two to three hours before you go to bed. This allows the body to become less stimulated.
3. Turn off the sound notifications. Each time your smartphone makes a noise, it causes stress hormones to be released, which will interrupt your ability to sleep.
4. Remove all messaging apps unless they are essential. Take away email, social media, and other apps that can distract you.
5. Try printing out maps from Google maps instead of using a GPS. The printed map will make you use your gray matter a lot more.
6. Have one day a week where you stay clear of all devices. Use your smartphone only for calls. You might find you develop some hobbies with the extra time you will have.
Fighting with a bad memory and often finding yourself reading the same sentence over and over again, without being able to remember it, is a problem that affects everyone. After all, I’m here to give you all the
techniques (from the simplest to the most advanced) that I learned after decades of study and practice. And you will realize by yourself that it is not possible, unfortunately, or fortunately, to summarize them in 1 or 2 chapters. That’s why you can’t miss my latest book:
“Limitless Memory” where I have explored all the best techniques to transform any sleepy mind into a steel brain, bombproof.
Check my website www.robert-reed.org to read my last releases about self-development.
