Photo: @Shutterstock (Lightspring)
Last week I was dashing out of the house to go on a hike at a nearby park. I got in my car, realized I had forgotten my water bottle, and went inside to retrieve it. Then I decided I wanted a different hiking hat and ran upstairs. When I finally made it back to my car — voila! — no car keys. I searched for 20 minutes until I found them in the refrigerator next to the butter. When I was finally ready to leave, I saw our new neighbors standing in their driveway. They introduced themselves, but I promptly forgot their names before they said their socially distanced goodbyes.
Does this mean I am “getting old?” Losing my memory? Is it an early sign of dementia?
The answer is: none of the above. Rather, these examples illustrate what Harvard psychology professor Dr. Daniel Schracter calls “the seven deadly sins of memory.” One of the sins is not paying attention. As a result, I never formed a memory that could be retrieved. This was true in the case of the car keys as well as my neighbors’ names. It is one of many ways in which our memory can seem to fail us.
There is, however, a silver lining. Dr. Linda Sasser, a brain health expert and author of Brain Sense: A Guide and Workbook to Keep Your Mind and Memory Sharp, says:
“Because of the brain’s amazing neuroplasticity, it is never too late to improve your memory. With simple techniques and practice, people can overcome what appears to be memory limitations.”
On August 12th, from 11-11:45 am PT, Dr. Sasser will join us for a Wellness Wednesday webinar on the topic: PAVE Your Way to a Better Memory. In this interactive session, you will experience the limitations of attention and short-term memory. You will also walk away with four strategies to improve retention and recall of tasks, names and information.
The session is free, but you need to register. (This webinar won’t be recorded, so try to attend real time). All registered participants will receive a handout with Dr. Sasser’s key tips.