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  3. 12 Unexpected Things that Mess With Your Memory

12 Unexpected Things that Mess With Your Memory

By Linda Melone
Updated August 28, 2014
Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.
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Feeling like you're in a fog? Your brain drain could be due to the meds you take, the foods you eat, or even the germs you've been exposed to.
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Surprising memory stealers

See what could be causing forgetfulness.

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A dysfunctional thyroid

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When your thyroid's out of whack, you may feel too hot, too cold, anxious, depressed—and your memory may also be lagging. "Although the thyroid doesn't have a specific role in the brain, memory loss is the one thing a person notices when it stops functioning normally," says Dr. Fotuhi. A butterfly-shaped gland that sits along the front of your windpipe, the thyroid reigns over almost all your body's metabolic processes. "People with high or low thyroid levels—which are very common in women—may have difficulty with memory and concentration," he says. Ask your doctor for a simple thyroid test to determine if it's the culprit behind your memory problems.

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Hot flashes

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Every time hot flashes make you you feel like sticking your head in the freezer, you may also feel a fog rolling into your brain. "The more hot flashes a woman experiences during menopause, the worse her ability to remember names and stories," says Dr. Fotuhi. "Fortunately, hot flashes don't damage the brain in any way. Memory improves once the hot flashes subside." Other menopause-related symptoms contribute to memory loss, including insomnia and sleep apnea, Dr. Fotuhi says.

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Lack of sleep

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Last night's late party makes it less likely you'll remember your new coworker's name the next day. "While some part of the brain takes a siesta when we sleep, deeper areas involved with memory and emotional response become relatively more active," says Allen Towfigh, MD, medical director of New York Neurology & Sleep Medicine. "Individuals with sleep deprivation and sleep disorders not only suffer from impaired memory but also daytime fatigue, impaired attention, and reduced reaction time." The standard recommendation of eight hours of sleep a night doesn't necessarily work for everyone. If you wake up fatigued and fall asleep unintentionally during the day, then you may need more sleep, says Dr. Towfigh.

Related: How to Fake a Good Night's Sleep

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Anxiety and depression

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Worrying about an upcoming presentation in front of the CEO may also hinder your memory, several studies show. "We don't understand the exact link, but strong evidence indicates depression, anxiety, and bipolar disease disrupts the neural circuitry involved in developing and retrieving memories," says Dr. Towfigh. "The severity of the memory loss often mirrors the severity of the mood disorder—severe depression brings about equally severe memory loss." Prolonged periods of everyday stress increase cortisol levels in the brain, which causes our brain cells to lose synapses (the bridges that connect our brain cells to one another), and make it more difficult to create and retrieve memories. The good news is when memory loss exists with a mood disorder (including anxiety and depression), the memory loss is usually at least partially reversible. "As the individual's mood improves, often so does the memory loss," says Dr. Towfigh.

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Prescription drugs

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Check your medicine cabinet: many common prescription drugs can make you feel forgetful. Anxiety disorder meds like Xanax, Valium, and Ativan (which are benzodiazepines) put a damper on the part of the brain that moves events from the short-term to the long-term memory. Tricyclic antidepressants have a similar effect. Heart medicines including statins and beta blockers have also been linked to memory issues, as have narcotic painkillers, incontinence drugs, sleep aids, and even antihistamines like Benadryl. Bottom line: Don't stop taking your (potentially life-saving) medications, but talk to your doc if you believe any drug you're on may be messing with your memory.

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Smoking

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If you're still smoking, that may help explain memory lapses. "Smoking damages the brain by impairing its blood supply," says Dr. Towfigh. Research published in the Archives of General Psychiatry gathered from data obtained from more than 7,000 men and women found a more rapid decline in brain function (which included memory along with vocabulary and other brain functions) with age than from those who never smoked. "Furthermore, cigarette smoking promotes the accumulation of abnormal proteins which impair the brain's ability to process and relay information," says Dr. Towfigh.

Related: 15 Ways Smoking Ruins Your Looks

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A high-fat diet

Watch this video for 9 foods that researchers think will keep your whole body—including your brain—healthy.

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Stress

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A sudden emergency can make it tough to recall something as simple as your home address. A rat study published in Neuron shows that stress hormones influence an area of the brain area that controls working memory. Researchers found that repeated stress reduced receptors in the part of the brain that's connected to thought processes Although this study involved animals, the human brain works similarly, explains Dr. Towfigh. "Repeated or chronic stress can be harmful. Regular exposure to elevated glucocorticoids (a hormone released by the adrenal gland) also causes our brain cells to reduce receptors, making brain cells less capable of responding to neurochemical (brain chemicals) cues." Finding ways to relieve stress may help: Practicing meditation does double duty by easing stress and helping improve memory, according to a study from the University of California, Santa Barbara. College students who completed eight 45-minute meditation sessions over two weeks increased their average GRE exam scores from 460 to 520 and showed improvement on tests of working memory.

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Germs

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A nasty cold sore does more than make you feel self-conscious—it may be messing with your memory, according to a 2013 study in Neurology. Researchers found that people who exposed to many germs, such as herpes simplex type 1 (the cold sore virus), over their lifetimes were more likely to have memory problems than those exposed to fewer germs. Among more than 1,600 study participants, those with a higher "infectious burden" had a 25% increase in the risk of a low score on a cognitive test. Although there is no vaccine for the cold sore virus, childhood vaccinations against other viruses could help prevent problems later in life, the researchers suggest. In addition, regular exercise may help too—doctors think repeated infections may damage blood vessels, since a high infectious burden is also linked to a greater risk of stroke and heart attack.

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Green tea

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Now for some good news: chemicals found in green tea may help improve your memory, according to a University of Basel study. "Several compounds, EGCG and L-theanine, in green tea increase neurogenesis (growth of new brain cells) in the hippocampus, the part of the brain used for short-term memory and learning new things," says Dr. Fotuhi. How much green tea has not yet been determined, says Dr. Fotuhi, who recommends combining green tea with other healthy habits such as exercise for greatest memory improvement benefits.

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Exercise

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Regular sweat sessions also help keep memories sharp. "Physical exercise improves mood and sleep and by doing so, it invariably improves cognition and memory," says Dr. Towfigh. An animal study published in Brain, Behavior and Immunity, for example, showed daily exercise increased brain cell growth after 12 weeks of conditioned running. Dr. Fotuhi recommends 45 minutes of aerobic exercise four days a week for the best memory boost.

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A vitamin B12 deficiency

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Vegetarians and vegans are at a higher risk of being deficient in vitamin B12, which keeps the body's nerve and blood cells healthy and helps make DNA. That's because B12 occurs naturally only in animal foods: shellfish, meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy. In addition to fatigue, loss of appetite, constipation, and weight loss, a B12 deficiency can also lead to memory problems. If you feel your meatless diet may be affecting your memory, your doctor can give you a blood test that determines whether you should be taking a vitamin B12 supplement.

Note: it's not just veggies who are

at risk for a B12 deficiency. Pregnant women, older adults, and anyone with pernicious anemia (a potentially life-threatening lack of vitamin B12 due to an inability to absorb it from food) or gastrointestinal disorders like celiac disease and Crohn's disease may need supplementation.

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    1 of 13 Surprising memory stealers
    2 of 13 A dysfunctional thyroid
    3 of 13 Hot flashes
    4 of 13 Lack of sleep
    5 of 13 Anxiety and depression
    6 of 13 Prescription drugs
    7 of 13 Smoking
    8 of 13 A high-fat diet
    9 of 13 Stress
    10 of 13 Germs
    11 of 13 Green tea
    12 of 13 Exercise
    13 of 13 A vitamin B12 deficiency

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