Memory & Mood

Making the Most of Memory

One of the most aggravating things about aging is…ah…

Oh, yeah: Losing your memory.

But, you must remember this…while even the most healthy people, as they grow older, experience some decline of the gray matter's ability to hold information, we often have a tendency to exaggerate the problem. Even better, there are specific and simple skills that can work wonders in making the most of whatever memory capability we do retain as we age.

First, the exaggeration part: When you were in your 20s, did you ever lose your sunglasses? Misplace your car keys? Or get distracted by a good book or a phone conversation and let your supper burn in the oven? Of course you did. And it never occurred to anyone to make fun of you for getting old, because you weren't. Thirty years later, though, it's only natural to ascribe those same kinds of slip-ups to the number of birthdays you've amassed.

That said, memory is a function of cells called neurotransmitters—and those inevitably decline, to varying degrees, in both number and efficiency as we grow older. But the varying functions of those transmitters, added to the complexity of our brains in general, can cloud the issue. For a clearer view, let's look at the three basic types of memory: working, short-term, and long-term.

• Working memory is the most temporary of all: it's the few seconds, or minutes, that you have to keep repeating a phone number you're about to dial, or remember a house number you’re searching for in an unfamiliar neighborhood. Some people are naturally better at this task than others, and many of us experience little or no decline in this working memory as we age.
• Short-term memory, by contrast, consists of facts that we retain for hours or even days. What did you have for breakfast? Wasn’t there some bill you're supposed to pay today, before you incur a penalty? Where did you put your favorite magazine you brought in from the mailbox yesterday? Most people report that their short-term memory is what takes the biggest hit from the natural aging process.
• Long-term memory is everything else: your children's birthdays, anecdotes from your youth, that Longfellow poem your teacher made you memorize in seventh grade.

Some memory tips

• Repetition: If you have trouble remembering important information, try converting it into a poem or the words to a song. For some reason, those exterior patterns are more likely to stay lodged in memory than random facts and figures.
• Break it down: Rather than trying to remember one large block of information, separate it into smaller pieces and master them one at a time.
• Hear it, see it: If you're introduced to somebody whose name you need to remember, say the name aloud as you shake their hand. Then, create some type of visual clue (such as a white scarf for someone named White, or an automobile for Mr. Karr).
• A place for everything: Establish a regular place for items you use routinely…car keys, eyeglasses, hand tools, sewing implements…so that you only have to look in one area.
• Jot it down: There's no shame at all in writing down important information that will save you time later, such as the aisle and space of your car in a parking deck. Keep a pocket notebook and pen handy, and don't hesitate to use them.

And of course, if your memory lapses become a source of concern for yourself or others, see your doctor to make sure they're not a symptom of a more serious health problem.