MHME 016: 9 Causes of Temporary Memory Loss And What To Do About It with David Norris

Memory loss is not a one-way street. 

Cause of temporary memory loss can be reversible. But just because it’s temporary doesn’t mean you should not take it seriously.  Far from it… 

Temporary memory loss is much like a garden, there are always threats to your plants.

Infections, bugs, frost, soil conditions, lack of nutrients- wrong planting time- over watering. 

These all can impact your  plant’s health in the short term. 

Wilting leaves, lack of flowering and fruit, 

It really struggles to get through daily “garden life” 

You could say there’s a lack of energy.

Anyone will tell you … 

Leave your plant too long in these conditions and they really struggle to bounce back

In fact they may turn up their roots,  kick into plant failure and die

Gosh I’ve seen a few plants go this way.. ( Who hasn’t? )

 

Causes of temporary memory loss can also act much the same way

Yes, memory loss is a potentially life threatening issue. 

By now if you’ve listened to other episodes you’d be aware of how your daily lifestyle choices can create the conditions which can lead to mild cognitive impairment and potentially dementia.  

It’s the small steps leading ultimately to big life (memory loss) consequences. 

This makes it vital to pay attention to how you live your life, today.  

Your memory has its ups and downs - that’s normal right. 

BUT, act with urgency to cut down the causes of temporary memory loss NOW. 

The symptoms and their causes are like beacons directing you to where things need to change.

The more you wait the greater the impact on your memory.

Neglecting the root causes of temporary memory loss can lead to bigger problems that are harder to treat and improve later. 

So, the time to start is right- NOW. 

Sure there is a lot going on - but isn’t that always the case. 

How can you make time for yourself for small positive steps?  

In today’s show, you will learn the causes of memory loss and the actions needed to reduce your risks and live a brain fit life.

Episode Highlights

• Memory Loss Isn’t A One-Way Street
• Skill Acquisition And Performance Over Time
• 8 Signs Your Memory Health Changed
• 9 Factors Associated With Memory Loss
• Treating Temporary Memory Loss
• The Biggest Takeaway about Causes of Temporary Memory Loss

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About Our Host

David Norris is an occupational therapist who has been in this practice for 20 years.

He has dealt with a lot of clients who seek help with their memory loss problems. David began asking himself about how these people can get ahead of these problems. It is then that he started teaching his clients how to improve their brain health to prevent memory loss.

David Norris is also the director and founder of Occupational Therapy Brisbane.

 

Temporary Memory Loss

Why Memory Loss Isn’t A One-Way Street 

• Experiences of memory loss and mild cognitive impairment mean that we are 6x more likely to progress to dementia.
• Memory decline is a life threatening issue and is the biggest threat to healthy and happy aging.
• Your memory sways between having normal operations to adverse conditions.
• Poor conditions increase the likelihood of memory loss happening again.

How  We Learn: Skill Acquisition And Performance Over Time

• As you get older, your ability to learn new skills and recall information takes more time.
• Your historical information and ability to know more become more robust as you age.

The 8 Signs Your Memory Health Changed

• Forgetting names or faces. 
• Forgetting conversations.
• Irritability reflects changes in memory performance.
• Getting stuck while doing a task.
• Forgetting why you went to a room or place.
• Your attention or ability to recall events clearly is impacted.
• Forgetting the content of what you just read.
• Having trouble recalling dictation or number sequences.

The 9 Factors Associated With Temporary Memory Loss

• Medications that lower your acetylcholine levels will increase your forgetfulness, reduce your concentration, and result in a foggy brain.
• What you eat affects the functions of your brain. 
• Alcohol and smoking are both associated with cognitive impairment.
• Having more than one risk factor has an amplifying effect by increasing your risk for dementia.
• Depression can affect our ability to focus and experience pleasure with doing tasks. The stress hormone, cortisol, is released during times of anxiety and it can lead to a type of loss of brain function.
• Memory performance is also impacted by infections.
• Hypothyroidism contributes to a reduction in mental arousal.
• Strokes and concussions have a temporary impact on memory health or can even lead to post traumatic amnesia.
• People that underwent surgery or chemotherapy reported experiencing lack of clarity or brain fog.

How To Treat The Causes of Temporary Memory Loss

• Treatment involves treating the root causes that lead to it.
• For example, if the root cause is alcohol, a reduction in alcohol consumption will be key.
• The changes should be treated as life threatening issues. It’s easier to treat something at the start and not when it has deteriorated further.
• The best approach is to live a life aligned to a brain healthy lifestyle.
• Before taking action with regards to your medications, have an open conversation first with your own doctor about the influences of those medications and whether there are alternatives available.

 

Previously Recommended Resources

Articles

• A longitudinal study assessed lifestyle activities, potential confounding factors of cognitive decline, and reversion of mild cognitive impairment and found specific lifestyle activities may play important roles in MCI reversion in older adults. 
• Reversible predictors of reversion from mild cognitive impairment to normal cognition: a 4-year longitudinal study. https://alzres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13195-019-0480-5 

 

Books

• Psychobiotics Revolution by Scott C Anderson
• Memory Wise by Dr Anne Unkenstein
• Practical guidance to people who worry they are losing their memory. The book explains how memory works and the changes that can occur as we age. It explains the sort of health, attitude and lifestyle factors that can lead to fluctuation in memory and provides practical tips to minimise their effects.

 

Podcast Episodes

• Podcast Ep 005: Food, Mood, Microbiome and Your Memory with Dr Amy Loughman
• Podcast Ep 012: The Surprising Impact Of Lifestyle Changes That A Doctor Wished All His Colleagues Knew About with Dr Dexter Shurney
• Podcast Ep 001: How To Prevent Memory Loss

The Biggest Takeaway about Causes of Temporary Memory Loss

Memory Health and treating and reversing causes of temporary memory loss is much like a garden

Quotable “Leave your plant too long in these conditions and they really struggle to bounce back” - David Norris

 

What was your BIGGEST takeaway from this episode? 

 

All the best 

David 

P.S. Did you get the free guide?  If not, here’s the link. 

 

Disclaimer: Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.