Lack of Sleep
First, it’s harder to recall things when you haven’t slept.
Second, sleep strengthens the bonds between brain cells that help you remember for the long term.
Third, it’s harder to form memories in the first place when your mind is wandering because of a lack of sleep. Good “sleep hygiene” can help: Shoot for 8 hours a night, exercise daily, stick to a regular sleep schedule, and avoid alcohol and caffeine late in the day.
Medication
Drugs that sedate you, like sleep aids and tranquilizers, can weaken your memory, as you might imagine. But so can less obvious culprits, like blood pressure meds, antihistamines, and antidepressants.
Plus, you may react differently than someone else to the same pill or combination of pills. Tell your doctor about any memory issues when you start a new medication. They may be able to adjust the dose or prescribe an alternative.
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Diabetes
People with the disease are more likely to develop memory problems including dementia. It may be that high blood sugar damages tiny blood vessels called capillaries in the brain. Or it may be that high insulin damages brain cells.
Scientists continue to study the issue. You might be able to slow this memory decline if you try to prevent or at least control your diabetes with medicine, exercise, and a healthy diet.
Genes
Genes — traits you got from your parents — help determine when and if your memory starts to fade and whether you get dementia. But it’s not simple.
Genetics seem to matter more in some types of dementia than others, and a gene that affects memory in one person might have no effect in another. A genetic test from your doctor might have some useful information …
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