Short-term memory......?‍♀️

I’ve also been concerned about my memory. welbecks example of turning off the heating happened to me this morning again. I went to do it and stood gazing at the switch wondering how it was already in the off position. I live alone so it can only have been me(I hope!)

I have an online order to collect in local M&S today. If I hadn’t put a reminder in my phone to prompt me it would never have entered my head today. It does concern me how much I rely on my phone for reminders I’ve set.

I felt a little reassured yesterday on a long walk with a friend who is my age. She seemed to be feeling the same. We were chatting about tv programmes we’d watched and we both struggled to come up with characters names. I’m not talking complicated plots as in Line of Duty but the likes of Coronation St we’ve watched for years!

I did also watched a program that said that taking antidepressants and also sleeping tablets can affect your memory and I have taken both in the past and I’m a recovering alcoholic so I don’t suppose my brain being battered by alcohol has helped much either?‍♀️

One of my problems is having a conversation with someone and then later on trying to remember what we talked about and more importantly who I had the conversation with. It is really worrying.

It can be related to underlying stress. And, haven't we all got a bit of that at the mo?

I went to an interesting lecture on short term memory.

Apparently you can only hold five things in your immediate memory. If another thought comes in, one drops out. So you have to find ways to shift the thought into medium term.

One of the most effective ways was to verbalise. So when you turn the boiler off you say out loud, “I am turning the boiler off” and this shifts it. “Or I am going to the bedroom to get my glasses”. or “This morning I am cleaning the bathroom”.

But you do have to say it out loud. Thinking it isn’t enough.

Of course, you sound a bit odd talking to yourself all the time?

We have a joke that it keeps us fit. We have 3 flights of stairs in our house. We’re forever going back up/down for things we forgot!

CrazyH yes I do go to bed very late,usually not in bed till about 12 then I read for awhile rarely asleep before 1 am....

My husband can't remember things he's said, most recently with regard to plans for Easter. He's adamant that the outing he suggested, which is not a sensible option at all, was my idea ?
It makes it very hard to finalise arrangements for anything.

i cannot remember what i have done less than a minute ago.
this happens frequently, several times a day.
i decide to turn off/on the boiler.
i stand in front of it, puzzled, as it is already turned on/off.
no one else could have done it, and i know it was on/off a minute ago.
i have no memory of doing it. but i retain the intention to do it. so i go to do it and discover i have already done it.
i wonder if this explains some repeated checking behaviours.

Shinamae, I have the same problem......can’t remember what I had for lunch today, seriously. I’m a couple of years older than you, so I’ll be interested to see what others have to say. Most will be in bed by now. Another thing, do you also stay up late? Just trying to check similarities.