Memory Lapses Can Happen to Anyone

By Stephen R. Farris

Have you sat and thought about getting up to do something in another room, only to forget what it was when you passed through the doorway?

What happened? Did we enter another dimension or something? Was our mind erased by unforeseen forces, or did we just plain forget?

The answer would probably fall under the latter. We simply forgot what it was. 

The question is, should this alarm us? Is it an early sign of dementia? Or is this just a normal memory process? The truth is, it's normal to forget things. As we get older, this may gradually increase. For some people, it's normal to forget a lot. However, if it becomes more persistent, then it might be time to evaluate memory loss differently.

But most of the time, memory loss or forgetfulness is just a normal part of life.

Transience

Remember when you were in school and you learned about certain subjects to the point that you remembered facts and quotes from whatever it was. But as you've grown older, you may still remember certain parts but have forgotten key points. You now know just enough about the subject to get you by during conversation. This is called transience. Basically, if you no longer keep certain things or activities at the forefront of your thinking, then you'll eventually forget certain pieces of it. 

Absentmindedness

It happens to the best of us. Absentmindedness can happen at any time, to anyone, or a person can actually be that forgetful all the time. When you lose focus (forgetting where you left your car keys for example), or not paying attention (not noticing something in front of you, or thinking of something else entirely), are both forms of absentmindedness.

Blocking

Blocking, simply put, is the short-term inability to recall the answer to something, even though you know you know what it is. It can happen sometimes, especially when you run into someone you haven't seen in a long time. You know the person, but their name has completely slipped your mind. You kind of feel silly later on when you finally remember, or when someone tells you who it is. It's like, "Wow, I knew that!" The older we get, the more likely this can happen.

In conclusion, remember (no pun intended) that some form of memory loss can happen to anyone, even healthy people. It just happens sometimes.

To learn more about your health, wellness and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in West Melbourne, Fla.

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