Temporary memory problems can occur more frequently in the case of stress, lack of sleep or psychological problems and usually disappear when the life situation returns to normal. In older people, lack of fluids can also be the cause of increased temporary forgetfulness. Certain medications, alcohol abuse, meningitis, epilepsy, sleep apnea, kidney or liver failure, heart failure, thyroid disease, anemia, mental disorders can also be a cause of memory impairment. Anxiety disorders can also affect the brain and trigger forgetfulness. In general, however, those who forget things from time to time usually have nothing to worry about.
Some people seem to be blessed with an impressive memory or recall, while others have great difficulty remembering. One of the reasons for these differences is concentration or the ability to concentrate. There are people who do not really pay attention to their environment in everyday life, i.e. they do not devote their full concentration to something they are working on or to a person they are talking to. As a result, they cannot remember the conversation later. When you meet someone, for example, you should pay close attention, listen consciously, because this will make it easier later to remember that person’s name or profession, for example.
Over the years, the processes by which the brain stores and retrieves memory information also slow down, i.e., the neurons then transfer the information more slowly, and the ability to remember decreases.