Short-term memory......?‍♀️

I think lockdown hasn't helped with issues like this. We aren't going anywhere and all the days merge into one....

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

This happens to me all of the time. I have done a mindfulness course in the past and now I try to be 'in the moment' ie. when I go to do something, just concentrate on that one thing for a moment. I think we do so much on auto pilot, while running several thoughts through our minds at the same time. I also do as Peasblossom and verbalise what I am doing, like "Iron off" and "door locked". I might still go back and check, but it works most of the time.

Welcome to my world! I am trying to keep my mind agile by doing Cryptic Crosswords...it isn't really working.

I have been like it all my life....its a great comfort as I know its not dementia

I forgot to let the cat in this morning. He normally goes out for an early run and comes in at 7 when I'm having a cup of tea.We then go back to bed and watch tv. It could be the time change or the fact that I had my jab and feel very tired.

Only last night I tested myself to recall what I'd had for dinner the previous evening. Took me ages but I did get there eventually. Worrying at times!

I'm another one who walks into a room to do something and then can't remember why I'm there! My husband is away at the moment and asked me what I had had for lunch - he thinks I won't bother to eat. I couldn't remember. It was only 4 hours earlier. I'm 70 but it doesn't really worry me. I've always found I remember things better (eg people's names) if I say them out loud or associate them with something else.

It's heart warming to hear that I'm not alone in forgetting things. I have a fried who is a little older than I am, and she says it's because our 'hard drive' is full.
I stick post it notes around the place to remind me. EG If i've left the freezer's on fast freeze in the garage, or when I last blew the tyres up, to remind me when to check them again.
I label all jars with the date I opened them, after accidentally finding mould at the bottom of a carton of cranberry juice .... after having just had several glasses .... Yuck! Feeling sick at the thought and how I grabbed my neck, as if this would have made any difference!!!!!
Time seems to have changed. A week feels like just a couple of days ...... I wish it would slow down so I can keep up!!!! Laughing!

Me too! I find verbalising helpful too, not sure why but it seems to work.

I'm so glad I'm not alone. I start to walk towards something, like the fridge, and suddenly can't remember what I'm doing. I pick up the kettle, and start pouring into the wrong receptacle. Last July, my DD came to visit after not seeing each other since Christmas, and I was really worried that she'd notice. It was fine, ( I think! ), possibly because I was more focused. I'm beginning to think that it's an attention deficit thing, for whatever reason - though I have been under great stress for the last few years.

I’m 72 and find this is happening to me too. I had a phone consultation booked with one of our GP’s who I have seen many times. I wrote the date and his name on my calendar. Over the course of the next few days although I knew when the date was I couldn’t recall his name. I woke in the night a few times and lay there trying to remember who would be phoning me. It was almost as though this one small piece of information was going round and round in my mind. Yet I know my mind is basically ok but just lets me down on silly little things. I was a little stressed by the consultation which actually was fine in the end.

I am nearly the oldest person here, and only this last year, have I aged! and short term memory loss!!! ARGH! speaking with some ladies in my age group,

not uncommon, I blame the lockups for most my failing memory and health!

Ladies lm as bad as all of you. I even forgot my own grandchildren’s names so l call them numbers 1-4.
And the same, l have to write everything in my phone diary otherwise l would forget.
I do go through bed late but I don’t lack sleep because l get up when I naturally wake up. Except that I am trying to go to bed earlier these days.
It’s not so much the brain training it’s the circulation to the brain that is important so physical exercise is best.

I took my dad to the doctors when he was having memory lapses. The doctor asked him a few questions - Who is the Prime Minister? Dad replied, Its that bloke off the telly! (It was John Major.)
And during the war? Churchill of course!! He thought the doctor was stupid, not knowing that!

Apparently learning a new skill exercises your brain very well as you are opening new neural pathways.
To be honest, doing your family history works your brain like a demon as you have to keep puzzling over things, how to trace people and their lives. The answer is nearly always to be found no matter how difficult some people are to identify. You just have to have a problem solving mind. It really stretches the old grey matter!

Line of duty I cannot follow it’s too complicated. Other serials I forget the plot, so I stick to dramas that are complete.
I’m forever misplacing things - hunting for my phone, my specs, I go out without a mask etc. cooking a meal takes longer because I feel muddled but I get there in the end. A diary helps me keep track. Childhood memories are crystal clear thank heavens. I do crosswords and scrabble. I don’t read as much as I used to and prefer short stories.
I take a good walk every day for exercise and fresh air and feel quite fit. Just keep going, eh!

Peasblossom, that makes a lot of sense, and explains why writing things down helps me get organised - even if I never look at the note, it must have the same effect as saying it.

welbeck, I have exactly the same problem. It's not a memory problem at all, though, in fact it's an attention thing.

We lose focus on what we're doing, intend to do (or just did) for a few minutes - then are surprised to realise that we're about to repeat it. It's really quite alarming.

I've always had a slightly poor short term memory but I do find it worse now that I'm in my late 60s.
Poor sleep and stress make it worse. I notice that fish oil or eating oily fish seems to make it better.
It is alarming noticing changes like this but I try not to panic!

We always joke that if I ever got interviewed by the police they would never believe that I can't remember what I did this morning, let alone two weeks ago ?

I don't even know what day of the week it most of the time, let alone the date or month. "And what were you doing on the morning of the 13th June" "Well Officer, what day is it today? And when was the 13th June?"

Well, it’s quite reassuring to know that I’m not the only one...?‍♀️
Well done EV! ?

My brain seems to have perked up as I've got older I can remember it being quite sluggish when I was in my 60's for some unknown reason ?
However since then when I was put onto statins for a raised cholesterol I've been fine in that department. I also take blood-thinners for a problem which could be helping too. I'm turned 80 and the brain is the sharpest thing about me now .

Nanna58 I do exercise it, I do a lot of word games and crossword puzzles and general knowledge quizzes so I think I’m doing my bit for that hopefully...
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Excercise it, it’s use it or lose it like any other muscle. Highly recommend a book titled ‘ How to build a better brain ‘ by Dr Sabrina Brennan. Now .... where did I put my copy? ?