Have you ever walked into a room and forgotten why, or blanked on a neighbor’s name in the middle of a busy week? Before you worry, it helps to know that stress is one of the most common and most fixable reasons for these everyday slips.
Why Stress Can Make Memory Feel Unreliable
When your mind is crowded with worries, there is less room to take in new information in the first place. A name you never quite registered can’t be recalled later. The National Institute on Aging (NIA) lists stress, anxiety, depression and sleep problems among the things that can affect memory, and notes that memory problems from negative emotions “are usually temporary and will improve as the stress and emotions fade.”
Mayo Clinic makes a similar point: stress, anxiety or depression can cause forgetfulness, confusion and difficulty concentrating. The good news is that these conditions can usually be treated, and a health professional can screen for them.
Gentle Ways to Ease Stress
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) suggests several self-care strategies for coping with stress. Here are a few, with ideas for fitting them into an ordinary day:
- Keep a routine for sleep. The NIA suggests getting enough sleep, generally seven to eight hours each night. Going to bed and waking up at about the same time helps.
- Move your body. NIMH recommends exercise and regular, healthy meals. A walk around the block counts.
- Try a few slow breaths or a relaxation exercise. NIMH mentions deep breathing and visualization, which you can do in a chair with no equipment.
- Write it down. Keeping a journal gives worries somewhere to go besides your head at 2 a.m.
- Go easy on caffeine. NIMH advises avoiding too much coffee or soft drinks.
- Reach out. Spend time with friends or family members who help you cope in a positive way.
A quiet puzzle can also be a pleasant way to take a break. Enjoy it for the fun of it: the evidence that puzzles protect against dementia is limited, but a calm half hour with a crossword or Sudoku can be a nice pause in a busy day. You can find today’s puzzles at Word Puzzles.
When to Talk to Your Doctor
The NIA says that if memory problems last more than a few weeks, you should see a doctor, because it may be a sign of something more serious. It also says finding the cause is the key to treatment. Many other things can affect memory too, including medication side effects, thyroid problems and low vitamin B12, which is one more reason to get it checked rather than guess.
The same goes for stress itself. NIMH says to consider talking to a professional if you are struggling to cope or your symptoms won’t go away, or if stress interferes with everyday life or seems to be always present. If you are ever in immediate distress, you can call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, any time.
The Bottom Line
Occasional forgetfulness during a stressful stretch is common, and it often eases as life calms down. Looking after your sleep, movement and connections is good for you either way. And if something doesn’t feel right for more than a few weeks, a visit to the doctor is a sensible next step.
This article is general information, not medical advice. If you notice changes in memory or thinking, talk to your doctor.