At what age does memory start to fade?

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Anglewannabe

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I use to be the type of person to never forget a name. People have always been amazed at my ability to remember a story they told me years ago.

In my mid 30s, I noticed that I was starting to forget people’s names.

Now in my new job, I have a lot of exceptions to the rules. In previous positions, most of my tasks were routine with common issue occurring. In my current position, every scenario has a different twist to it which means always having to really think before doing anything. I don’t mind, it is the career path I chose. However, there are evenings I come home mentally exhausted. I am noticing myself being forgetful or not having energy to think which is very unlike me, since most people tell me I remind them of Sheldon Copper from the Big Bang theory 😛

I have been in my new position a little over 2 months. I look at the notes I took back then and things that were so complicated back then, I now can do in my sleep. But there is still the constant thinking. So, if memory/brain power like a muscle? If I keep using it will I build back my thinking abilities? Or do I need to accept signs of middle age are setting in?:o
 
Anglewannabe said:
I use to be the type of person to never forget a name. People have always been amazed at my ability to remember a story they told me years ago.

In my mid 30s, I noticed that I was starting to forget people’s names.

Now in my new job, I have a lot of exceptions to the rules. In previous positions, most of my tasks were routine with common issue occurring. In my current position, every scenario has a different twist to it which means always having to really think before doing anything. I don’t mind, it is the career path I chose. However, there are evenings I come home mentally exhausted. I am noticing myself being forgetful or not having energy to think which is very unlike me, since most people tell me I remind them of Sheldon Copper from the Big Bang theory 😛

I have been in my new position a little over 2 months. I look at the notes I took back then and things that were so complicated back then, I now can do in my sleep. But there is still the constant thinking. So, if memory/brain power like a muscle? If I keep using it will I build back my thinking abilities? Or do I need to accept signs of middle age are setting in?:o
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It sounds to me like the different types of mental skill are very different. A lot of your good memory was just rote memory, rather than reasoning.

You may be better at the new work you are doing than you would have been at any time previously.
 
You’re going to find that when you’re overwhelmed it is harder to focus. It is most likely that it will get better as more of your job becomes automatic. Give yourself lots of rest now and use notes to prop yourself up as needed…until they’re not needed.

Besides, if you make note of these things while everything is new to you, you will have good notes for explaining things in a sequential and logical way when it is your turn to show someone else the ropes and it is all second nature to you and everyone else there.

If you keep note of the things that have confused someone at work at some time or other and arrange those in a logical way, you will quickly become The Best New Hire Trainer Ever.
 
Memories fade throughout life, however, this does not become a source of distress until approximately midlife.

When we have more to remember, and place more value upon our memory, then the inevitable slippages therefrom become a point of grief. Whereas a child doesn’t mind forgetting some acquaintance from three grades ago, the adult clings to every remembrance of a perceived fast-slipping life.

IMNAAHO.

ICXC NIKA
 
Anglewannabe said:
So, if memory/brain power like a muscle? If I keep using it will I build back my thinking abilities? Or do I need to accept signs of middle age are setting in?:o
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:newidea:

Yes, the brain is like a muscle and we need to challenge it in order to keep it working optimally. I’m reading Change Your Brain, Change Your Life by Dr. Daniel Amen. It sounds like you’d find him and his book quite interesting. Check him out! Here’s a blog post of his from 2014 titled The 10 Biggest Mistakes People Make for their Brains. In it, mistake #7 is:
No new learning: Your brain is like a muscle—the more you use it, the stronger it gets! Your brain needs a constant stream of new challenges, adventures, sights and skills to remain active over time.
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Dr. Amen would say that there is no reason to expect that brain function and memory should decline with age. He insists that we can keep our brains functioning through the years through healthy lifestyle choices. His book talks about this and there are many videos on YouTube of his inspiring talks. Happy learning! 👍
 
Anglewannabe said:
I use to be the type of person to never forget a name. People have always been amazed at my ability to remember a story they told me years ago.

In my mid 30s, I noticed that I was starting to forget people’s names.

Now in my new job, I have a lot of exceptions to the rules. In previous positions, most of my tasks were routine with common issue occurring. In my current position, every scenario has a different twist to it which means always having to really think before doing anything. I don’t mind, it is the career path I chose. However, there are evenings I come home mentally exhausted. I am noticing myself being forgetful or not having energy to think which is very unlike me, since most people tell me I remind them of Sheldon Copper from the Big Bang theory 😛

I have been in my new position a little over 2 months. I look at the notes I took back then and things that were so complicated back then, I now can do in my sleep. But there is still the constant thinking. So, if memory/brain power like a muscle? If I keep using it will I build back my thinking abilities? Or do I need to accept signs of middle age are setting in?:o
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Many people have undiagnosed Lyme disease and coinfections that can cause memory issues. I thought I was forgetting names because I was multi-tasking and pushing 50. Once I started Lyme treatment my memory started improving.

There are, conservatively, 300,000 new cases of Lyme each year. Just a thought.
 
you’re worrying too much. But if you really want to sharpen your memory, then I suggest learning to play an instrument ( if you don’t already). There have been numerous studies that have revealed a link between playing an instrument and memory.

particularly instruments that require you to learn to read music.
 
Leo714 said:
you’re worrying too much. But if you really want to sharpen your memory, then I suggest learning to play an instrument ( if you don’t already). There have been numerous studies that have revealed a link between playing an instrument and memory.

particularly instruments that require you to learn to read music.
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Or study a foreign language, particularly on audio.
 
I’m in my late 50s, and I can confirm that my short-term memory isn’t what it used to be! The other day, I was with another lady who’s a few years older than me and we were having a conversation. Something interrupted us for a minute, and we were subsequently both unable to remember what we’d been talking about before. 😃 We just laughed about it, which is all you can do.

If you are very busy in your life, with lots of tasks and lists to juggle you will find that more difficult as you get older.
 
I vaguely remember reading somewhere that it’s in your sixt…wait, what was the question?
 
GEddie said:
Memories fade throughout life, however, this does not become a source of distress until approximately midlife.
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Just curious but if I am 45… have I not already reached mid life? After all, I doubt I will live much pas 90 so half of my life is gone :eek:
 
I started having to write things down in my thirties - I just couldn’t remember absolutely everything like i used to.

It’s perfectly normal, as you have more experiences and more things to remember, that some drop off.
 
Anglewannabe said:
Just curious but if I am 45… have I not already reached mid life? After all, I doubt I will live much pas 90 so half of my life is gone :eek:
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Well yeah, I said “approximately”.

Midlife is where we can no longer kid ourself that we are young, but are not yet afflicted by old age.

It is around that time that the normal slippage from memory (as well as more purely body failings) become a source of grief.

ICXC NIKA
 
Anglewannabe said:
I am probably going to regret asking but … what is menopause brain ???
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I take it then that you are male???

:)🙂

As females go into menopause, the fluctuating hormonal levels in their bodies cause all kinds of effects in the minds as well as the bodies.

ICXC NIKA
 
GEddie said:
I take it then that you are male???

:)🙂

As females go into menopause, the fluctuating hormonal levels in their bodies cause all kinds of effects in the minds as well as the bodies.

ICXC NIKA
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No I am a woman (trust me on that one :p). It’s just that all the mood swings I have are the same for the past 20 years. I can’t say they are any different
 
It depends. as an earlier poster said. on how and how much you use your brain. I’ll be 72 shortly and just started having some physical ailments. But I started learning Spanish in my 50s, and it’s helpful in my job since the company I work for has Spanish-speaking clients.
The stresses of the constantly changing computer-related demands, plus speaking Spanish to clients half the time, keep me moderately alert.
I’ve learned, however, not to sweat the stupid demands the admin puts on us, like filling out self evaluation forms.

With age comes a modicum of wisdom.At least you learn what’s not important.
And I forget names all the time, including my own. (I use 2 names, my pen name and my married name). I put that down to stress or lack of sleep.

.
 
I’ve always heard that memory was the second thing to go. I don’t remember what the first thing was, but I’ve heard that it was fun 😛

In the real world, I’m pushing 70 pretty hard, and I haven’t noticed any memory problems – yet. I’ve been a musician and a foreign language geek all my life 😃
 
Anglewannabe said:
I use to be the type of person to never forget a name. People have always been amazed at my ability to remember a story they told me years ago.

In my mid 30s, I noticed that I was starting to forget people’s names.

Now in my new job, I have a lot of exceptions to the rules. In previous positions, most of my tasks were routine with common issue occurring. In my current position, every scenario has a different twist to it which means always having to really think before doing anything. I don’t mind, it is the career path I chose. However, there are evenings I come home mentally exhausted. I am noticing myself being forgetful or not having energy to think which is very unlike me, since most people tell me I remind them of Sheldon Copper from the Big Bang theory 😛

I have been in my new position a little over 2 months. I look at the notes I took back then and things that were so complicated back then, I now can do in my sleep. But there is still the constant thinking. So, if memory/brain power like a muscle? If I keep using it will I build back my thinking abilities? Or do I need to accept signs of middle age are setting in?:o
Click to expand...
It definitely started in my twenties. I have poor short-term memory and for example wouldn’t be able to work as an oral messenger or interpreter or some other passer-on-of-unwritten-stuff. I’ve always forgotten my keys, ID card and stuff like that, though, no age limit there.

Your exhaustion is probably the cause of your memory problems, not your age.
 
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