Why do we forget things we learn?  

It’s not strange to forget the things. We all have forgotten sometimes in a point of life. It’s a normal part of ageing as we tend to forget the things more as we get older. But some forms of forgetfulness are a part of disease if it’s really making us difficult in our daily life.

What’s normal form of forgetfulness?

Sometimes during our daily life we may misplace the key of door or forget where we have kept our wallet. But we remember it after a time or same thing doesn’t repeat all the time. That’s normal form of forgetfulness we all have been and it’s not a part of disease. We should not worry much about forgetfulness until it is recurrent or troubling our daily activities and living.

Image source: Times of India

Medical causes of forgetfulness

• Lack of sleep: Less sleep and inadequate rest may be an important cause of forgetfulness as it may lead to tiredness and anxiety
• Ageing and Alzhimer’s disease: Loss of memory is gradual and more pronounced in older ages. If its really troubling then it may be due to disease condition commonly seen in old ones called  Alzhimer’s disease.
• Alcohol and smoking: Excessive intake of alcohol and smokers are found to be prone to forgetfulness than those not taking so.
• Stress and anxiety: More the stress and anxiety, more you will forget the things
• Low thyroid and Vitamin B12 level: Several researches have shown that low level of thyroid hormone and Vitamin B12 level has found to be linked with forgetfulness.
• Head injury: People may have forgetfulness and memory loss after sustaining significant head injury.
• Medicines: Different medicines realted to cholesterol lowering, sleep pills and anti anxiety medicines may cause forgetfulness and memory loss.

When to see the doctor?

There are several conditions when forgetfulness is a sign of disease and we need further workup to identify the cause. You should seek a help or visit your doctor if you are having following events related to forgetfulness:

• Break in speech or difficulty in finding words while speaking
• Misplacing the common things and unable to find them recurrently
• Taking more time than expected to do familiar things like purchasing the grocery
• Asking same things while having conversation recurrently
• Difficult in finding the place or getting lost in familiar places
• Change in behavior, mood, and apprehension as noticed by close ones

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How to get rid of forgetfulness?

Sleep adequate, reduce the alcohol and smoking. Be calm and avoid taking much stress. If it’s really troublesome please visit the doctor as thorough investigations and work up may be required to know the cause.

"Forgetting things make us smarter" A study says.

According to a scientific paper published in the journal Neuron, authors Paul Frankland and Blake Richards of the University of Toronto had concluded that forgetting the things is not just normal, it makes us smarter. You can read the full paper here.