Forgetting can be a normal part of memory function

In a study of 50,000 people published in Psychological Science, researchers found that short-term memory typically peaks around the age of 25. Over time, especially once you hit your 50s, the area of your brain in charge of retrieving memories becomes less efficient.

However, Mario Mendez, the director of behavioral neurology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, said "being less efficient is different from impairment." Many times, a memory is still there, but it will just take longer to surface.

Separately, Ronald Davis, professor of neuroscience at the Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, noted that "[f]orgetting is a normal part of one's brain function," especially since people have to deal with so much information every day.

Other factors that can impact your ability to remember something include how much attention you're giving certain information and how often you rehearse information.

According to Alexander Easton, a professor of psychology at Durham University, people tend to only encode information about things they're paying attention to. So, if you are not giving your full attention to something, you'll likely forget it. For example, if someone introduces themselves to you at a party, but you're focusing on something else, you won't encode their name in your memory.

Rehearsal is also an important part of building memories. "If we don't use it, we lose it," Easton said. "Memories that last the longest are the ones we've rehearsed and retold many times[.]"

In general, memory changes are a normal part of aging, but there are still certain circumstances where it may be beneficial to speak to a doctor. Asking the same question over and over or forgetting the names of your loved ones may be a sign of something more serious. You should also consider going to a doctor if memory problems interfere with your ability to function normally.

According to Scott Small, a professor of neurology at Columbia University, a good clinician will be able to explore potential causes of your memory problems, whether it ends up being a disease like dementia or other factors, like certain medications.

How to keep your memory sharp as you age

To help keep your memory sharp as you age, health experts have offered several tips:

1. Avoid multitasking when possible

According to Arman Fesharaki-Zadeh, an assistant professor of neurology and psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine, multitasking is not good for brain health in general, and the capacity to multitask typically declines as people grow older.

"I tell my patients, 'try to do one thing at a time.'," Fesharaki-Zadeh said.

2. Reduce stress in your life

Stress can have a significant negative impact on your memory. According to Charan Ranganath, director of the Dynamic Memory Lab at the University of California, Davis, stress "makes it harder to pull out the information you need when you need it" because it "shuts down the prefrontal cortex."

Chronic stress can also be "neurotoxic for areas of the brain that are important for memory, like the prefrontal cortex and another area called the hippocampus," Ranganath said.

If you can find ways to better manage your stress, your "cognitive function will improve," said Richard Restak, a clinical professor at George Washington University.

3. Get enough sleep

Several studies have linked sleep loss to memory issues, Fesharaki-Zadeh said, so it's important to get an adequate amount of sleep every day.

"When we're sleep deprived it's just terrible for memory," Ranganath said. "All the circuitry that's important for memory does not function as well, and memory performance really declines."

Sleep problems may also increase with age, so older adults may want to consider taking a nap during the day to get more rest. "A daytime nap can prove helpful in regulating your night-time sleep," Restak said.

4. Exercise regularly

According to Fesharaki-Zadeh, 30 minutes of daily cardiovascular exercise can help generate new neurons in the hippocampal area of the brain. This area is critical for memory consolidation.

5. Build up your 'cognitive reserve'

Much like exercising a muscle, Restak recommends people exercise their brain by building up their "cognitive reserves."

Some activities that can help exercise your brain include reading books, learning new languages, practicing musical skills, or learning about new technology. "The brain remains highly malleable throughout the lifespan, and cognitive reserve can be built up from childhood and at any time during the next 70 years," Restak said.

"Making changes to benefit your health, at any stage, has an impact," said Linda Clare, professor of clinical psychology of ageing and dementia at the University of Exeter. "Even if you start exercising when you retire, it will still have a benefit. Do whatever you can do at that time – we're never a lost cause." (Gross, NPR, 2/26; Easton, The Conversation, 2/14; Fleming, The Guardian, 1/26; Dunn, New York Times, 10/5/23)

Memory care costs the healthcare industry billions of dollars each year, and costs will only rise as the population of older adults grows. But it will take large-scale changes to our healthcare system and reimbursement modes to manage those patients and lower costs. In lieu of those changes, we offer three opportunities in the memory care patient journey that  improve care.