At What Age Can You Lose Your Memory and Why?

Much sooner than you think and for several reasons.

We generally believe that normal memory decline begins after age 60, but memory decline begins much earlier.

In fact, memory loss can begin as early as 40 years of age. If you have certain health problems, you may even begin to experience memory loss well before age 40. This is a situation that can vary widely based on individual circumstances and even family history.

However, memory loss does not always mean a sign of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Normal forgetfulness occurs from time to time and does not significantly affect daily life. Normal memory loss due to aging can cause you to forget something at the moment but remember it soon after.

Memory lapses can be frustrating, but most of the time they are nothing to worry about. Age-related memory changes are not the same thing as dementia.

As you age, you experience physiological changes that can cause brain functions that you have always considered normal to fail. It takes you longer to learn and recall information and you are not as fast as you used to be. You may mistake this slowing down of your mental processes for true memory loss.

Nevertheless, in most cases, if you have time, the information will come to your mind. Therefore, while it is true that certain brain changes are inevitable when it comes to aging, major memory problems are not one of them.

Other Causes of Memory Loss

Memory loss doesn’t automatically mean you have dementia. There are many other reasons why you may be experiencing cognitive problems, including stress, depression, thyroid problems, vitamin deficiencies, or medication side effects.

That’s why it’s important to go to the doctor to get an official diagnosis if you are having problems.

When You Should Worry About Memory Loss

The main difference between age-related memory loss and dementia is that the former is not disabling. Memory lapses have little impact on your daily performance and ability to do what you want.

Dementia, on the other hand, is marked by a persistent and disabling decline in two or more intellectual abilities, such as memory, language, judgment, and abstract thinking.

When memory loss becomes so widespread and severe that it disrupts your work, hobbies, social activities, and family relationships, you may be experiencing warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease, another disorder that causes dementia, or a condition that mimics dementia as mild cognitive impairment (MCI) which is an intermediate stage between normal age-related cognitive changes and the more severe symptoms that indicate dementia.

For example, it’s normal that as you get older you have difficulty remembering people’s names. However, it is not normal for you to forget the names of family members and close friends and still be unable to remember them after a period of time.

If you have mild cognitive impairment, you and your family or close friends will likely be aware of the decline in your memory or mental function. But unlike people with full-blown dementia, you are still able to live your daily life without relying on other people.

You may end up being affected by Alzheimer’s disease or another type of dementia, but that doesn’t mean it’s inevitable. The course is difficult to predict, but in general, the greater the degree of memory impairment, the greater the risk of developing dementia at some point in the future.

If you have difficulty following instructions, such as a recipe, or you get lost in familiar places, then you should be concerned.

When memory problems become so severe that they affect your daily life, it’s time to get more help with what you are experiencing.

It’s never too early to think about brain health and do everything you can to ensure your brain and memory are as strong as possible. Taking action early can prevent problems in the future.

Brain Exercises to Combat Memory Loss

Try to find brain exercises that you find enjoyable. The more pleasurable an activity is for you, the more powerful its effect on your brain.

For example:

• Play games you’re not already familiar with that involve strategy, like chess or bridge, and word games like Scrabble. Try crosswords and other word puzzles or number puzzles like Sudoku.
• Read newspapers, magazines, and books that challenge you.
• Get into the habit of learning new things: games, recipes, scripts, a musical instrument, a foreign language. Take a course on an unfamiliar subject that interests you.
• Improve how well you perform existing activities. If you already speak a foreign language, commit to improving your fluency.
• Take on a project that involves design and planning, like a new garden.

Do everything you can to use your memory to avoid losing it, especially when you are still young.

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