The causes and treatments of memory loss

Short-term memory or the onset of forgetfulness, even if simply occasional, can be significantly disruptive to daily lives. There are a variety of causes for loss of memory, and we’ve outlined them below:

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One common cause is both prescription drugs and over-the-counter medication. It could very possibly be that your sleeping pills, antihistamines, anti-depressants, pain medication after undergoing a surgery, or muscle relaxants are interfering with your memory. Secondly, there’s lack of sleep. If you’ve been overworked and simply getting too little sleep, the resulting fatigue could also affect the processing and retrieval of information in the brain.


Other major contributors to memory loss are bad nutrition or deficiency in nutrients and vitamins, stress and depression, heavy consumption of alcohol, smoking, drug use, and incurrence of a head injury. The good news is that there are plenty of ways to mitigate the condition. Eating healthier food and sleeping right are practical ways to keep memory loss at bay.

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For most people getting on in age, it’s advisable to socialize more regularly, as doing so pushes back depression and stress which are also known causes of memory loss. Staying mentally active, from doing crossword puzzles and volunteering for civic projects to learning to play a musical instrument or reading more books, is also an effective deterrent of memory loss.

Engaging in more physical activities is also a good way to retain a sharp memory. A sedentary life decreases blood flow throughout our body and brain. Jogging, brisk walking, and doing aerobics and meditation activities like yoga help greatly; a simple 10- to 15-minute walk in a day is a great regular habit to develop.

Dr. Curtis Cripe is the head of research and development at the NTL Group, which specializes in developing brain-based technology for healing and repairing neurological dysfunctions. For more info on Dr. Curtis and the NTL Group, go to this website.