Memory Loss | Psychology Today United Kingdom

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A normal degree of forgetting is a core element of memory, allowing people to dispense with information for which they no longer have much use." /> <link rel="canonical" href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/memory/memory-loss" /> <meta property="og:site_name" content="Psychology Today" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/memory/memory-loss" /> <meta property="og:title" content="Memory Loss" /> <meta property="og:description" content="For most people, it would be hard to imagine a life in which the mind did not routinely discard once-remembered details鈥攆rom temporarily memorized facts and figures to the characteristics of people and places one hasn鈥檛 thought of in years. 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<div class="td_fat_subheader__verified"> <p><img width="18" height="18" loading="lazy" alt="" src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/theme-assets/icons/icon-check-circle-gray.svg"/> Verified by <span class="font-weight-semi-bold">Psychology Today</span></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </header> <div class="outer-layout-container"> <main class="layout-content layout-container" > <div class="layout-content-full"> <div> <div data-drupal-messages-fallback class="hidden"></div> </div> </div> <div class="layout-container--grid layout-container--primary-left-rail"> <div class="layout-content-main"> <div> <div id="block-pt-content" class="block">       <article data-history-node-id="5000190" role="article" class="subpage--full center-page"> <div class="content-header d-flex reference-header"> <div class="content-header--text"> <h1 class="reference__title section-title">Memory Loss</h1> <p class="reference__review-info fine-print"> <a href="/gb/docs/editorial-process" class="reference__review-info-link"> <span class="reference__review-info-icon"></span> <span class="reference__review-info-text">Reviewed by Psychology Today Staff</span> </a> </p> </div> </div> <div> <div class="reference__body"> <div class="field-name-body"> <p>For most people, it would be hard to imagine a life in which the mind did not routinely discard once-remembered details—from temporarily memorized facts and figures to the characteristics of people and places one hasn’t thought of in years. A normal degree of forgetting is a core element of memory, allowing people to dispense with information for which they no longer have much use. </p> <p>Of course, forgetting causes problems, too. Minor failures to remember can be inconvenient at any age, and they may become more frequent and troublesome later in life. Scientists have shown that declines in certain types of memory ability are a typical part of aging and do not necessarily reflect the development of a medical condition such as Alzheimer’s disease. Experts have proposed a variety of tactics for staving off memory decline and managing typical levels of memory loss.</p> </div> </div> <div class="table-of-contents border-top"> <h4 class="table-of-contents--title">On This Page</h4> <ul> <li class="table-of-contents--item"> <a href="#why-we-forget"> Why We Forget </a> </li> <li class="table-of-contents--item"> <a href="#aging-and-memory-decline"> Aging and Memory Decline </a> </li> <li class="table-of-contents--item"> <a href="#preserving-memory-ability"> Preserving Memory Ability </a> </li> </ul> </div> <div class="reference__sections"> <div> <div> <div class="section section--separator"> <div id="why-we-forget" class="section-anchor skip-inline-link-filter"></div> <div class="h2 section-title"> Why We Forget </div> <div class="section__body"> <article> </article> <p>Forgetting can be frustrating when one notices it, but much of what people forget escapes memory quietly. Experts say <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/making-memories/202005/what-do-we-remember">it's a feature, not a bug</a>, of the way memory works.</p> </div> <div class="faqs"> <div class="faq faq--1"> <div itemscope itemprop="mainEntity" itemtype="https://schema.org/Question"> <div class="faq--title d-flex"> <div itemprop="name" class="h3 faq--question"> Does forgetting have benefits? </div> <div class="faq--control-container"> <button class="faq--control"> <div class="faq--control-icon"> <svg width="13px" height="8px" viewBox="0 0 13 8" version="1.1" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">  <desc>Created with Sketch.</desc> <defs></defs> <g id="-small" stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"> <g id="Tests---Listing-Page---SM" transform="translate(-490.000000, -597.000000)" fill="#2C2D30"> <g id="Left-col" transform="translate(74.000000, 162.000000)"> <g id="Table" transform="translate(0.000000, 426.000000)"> <polygon id="navigatedown" points="422.310547 16.3125 428.621094 10.0019531 427.62793 9 422.310547 14.3173828 416.993164 9 416 10.0019531"></polygon> </g> </g> </g> </g> </svg> </div> </button> </div> </div> <div itemscope="" itemprop="acceptedAnswer" itemtype="https://schema.org/Answer" class="faq--answer"> <div itemprop="text"> <p>Many details and experiences are more relevant to our future than others, and remembering everything would be likely inefficient. <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/defining-memories/201706/why-we-forget">Forgetting may actually be helpful for remembering</a> in the sense that less-useful details that are forgotten (such as an old password or outdated set of directions) won’t interfere with the retrieval of useful ones. And <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/insight-therapy/202001/our-memories-ourselves">forgetting unpleasant or painful memories</a>, when one is able to do so, can make one feel better about past experiences and reduce the burden of negative ones. </p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="faq faq--2"> <div itemscope itemprop="mainEntity" itemtype="https://schema.org/Question"> <div class="faq--title d-flex"> <div itemprop="name" class="h3 faq--question"> What are some common causes of forgetting? </div> <div class="faq--control-container"> <button class="faq--control"> <div class="faq--control-icon"> <svg width="13px" height="8px" viewBox="0 0 13 8" version="1.1" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">  <desc>Created with Sketch.</desc> <defs></defs> <g id="-small" stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"> <g id="Tests---Listing-Page---SM" transform="translate(-490.000000, -597.000000)" fill="#2C2D30"> <g id="Left-col" transform="translate(74.000000, 162.000000)"> <g id="Table" transform="translate(0.000000, 426.000000)"> <polygon id="navigatedown" points="422.310547 16.3125 428.621094 10.0019531 427.62793 9 422.310547 14.3173828 416.993164 9 416 10.0019531"></polygon> </g> </g> </g> </g> </svg> </div> </button> </div> </div> <div itemscope="" itemprop="acceptedAnswer" itemtype="https://schema.org/Answer" class="faq--answer"> <div itemprop="text"> <p>Information <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/insight-therapy/202001/our-memories-ourselves">may be forgotten</a> because one wasn’t paying close enough attention initially or has not reinforced the memory of the information by retrieving it. A more recently acquired memory may interfere with the retrieval of an earlier one, such as when one learns the names of more than one person in succession. Stress, lack of sleep, and certain behaviors, such as excessive alcohol consumption, can also temporarily impair memory <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/happiness-is-state-mind/201907/what-happens-my-brain-during-blackout">(causing a “blackout,” in the case of drinking.)</a> </p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="faq faq--3 collapsed"> <div itemscope itemprop="mainEntity" itemtype="https://schema.org/Question"> <div class="faq--title d-flex"> <div itemprop="name" class="h3 faq--question"> Is it normal to forget a name you just learned, or where you left your keys? </div> <div class="faq--control-container"> <button class="faq--control"> <div class="faq--control-icon"> <svg width="13px" height="8px" viewBox="0 0 13 8" version="1.1" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">  <desc>Created with Sketch.</desc> <defs></defs> <g id="-small" stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"> <g id="Tests---Listing-Page---SM" transform="translate(-490.000000, -597.000000)" fill="#2C2D30"> <g id="Left-col" transform="translate(74.000000, 162.000000)"> <g id="Table" transform="translate(0.000000, 426.000000)"> <polygon id="navigatedown" points="422.310547 16.3125 428.621094 10.0019531 427.62793 9 422.310547 14.3173828 416.993164 9 416 10.0019531"></polygon> </g> </g> </g> </g> </svg> </div> </button> </div> </div> <div itemscope="" itemprop="acceptedAnswer" itemtype="https://schema.org/Answer" class="faq--answer"> <div itemprop="text"> <p>Yes. While chronic forgetfulness can be a sign of a medical condition, <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/managing-your-memory/201803/is-it-normal-forget-name">simply forgetting the name of someone you’ve just met</a> or <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/mental-mishaps/201411/why-we-have-small-memory-failures-every-day">small memory failures</a> related to tasks you probably weren’t paying much attention to (“Did I lock the car?”) are not necessarily cause for concern. They may be still inconvenient—and precautions such as paying deliberate attention in the moment to what you tend to forget and <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/managing-your-memory/201807/how-remember-names">repeating aloud the thing to be remembered</a> could be helpful.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="faq faq--4 collapsed"> <div itemscope itemprop="mainEntity" itemtype="https://schema.org/Question"> <div class="faq--title d-flex"> <div itemprop="name" class="h3 faq--question"> When should I be concerned about forgetting things? </div> <div class="faq--control-container"> <button class="faq--control"> <div class="faq--control-icon"> <svg width="13px" height="8px" viewBox="0 0 13 8" version="1.1" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">  <desc>Created with Sketch.</desc> <defs></defs> <g id="-small" stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"> <g id="Tests---Listing-Page---SM" transform="translate(-490.000000, -597.000000)" fill="#2C2D30"> <g id="Left-col" transform="translate(74.000000, 162.000000)"> <g id="Table" transform="translate(0.000000, 426.000000)"> <polygon id="navigatedown" points="422.310547 16.3125 428.621094 10.0019531 427.62793 9 422.310547 14.3173828 416.993164 9 416 10.0019531"></polygon> </g> </g> </g> </g> </svg> </div> </button> </div> </div> <div itemscope="" itemprop="acceptedAnswer" itemtype="https://schema.org/Answer" class="faq--answer"> <div itemprop="text"> <p><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/high-octane-brain/201807/3-warning-signs-potential-memory-problem">Warning signs of a potential memory problem</a> include problems remembering well-known and often-used information (such as the way to and from a regular destination), difficulty handling important tasks due to memory, or increased forgetfulness that is noticeable to others. In such cases it is worth talking about memory-related concerns with a health-care provider (and it may ultimately be helpful to <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/managing-your-memory/201903/when-do-you-need-see-memory-expert">see a memory expert.)</a></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="faq faq--5 collapsed faq--last"> <div itemscope itemprop="mainEntity" itemtype="https://schema.org/Question"> <div class="faq--title d-flex"> <div itemprop="name" class="h3 faq--question"> What is a tip-of-the-tongue state? </div> <div class="faq--control-container"> <button class="faq--control"> <div class="faq--control-icon"> <svg width="13px" height="8px" viewBox="0 0 13 8" version="1.1" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">  <desc>Created with Sketch.</desc> <defs></defs> <g id="-small" stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"> <g id="Tests---Listing-Page---SM" transform="translate(-490.000000, -597.000000)" fill="#2C2D30"> <g id="Left-col" transform="translate(74.000000, 162.000000)"> <g id="Table" transform="translate(0.000000, 426.000000)"> <polygon id="navigatedown" points="422.310547 16.3125 428.621094 10.0019531 427.62793 9 422.310547 14.3173828 416.993164 9 416 10.0019531"></polygon> </g> </g> </g> </g> </svg> </div> </button> </div> </div> <div itemscope="" itemprop="acceptedAnswer" itemtype="https://schema.org/Answer" class="faq--answer"> <div itemprop="text"> <p>It’s that experience when someone cannot immediately recall a word or phrase (such as someone’s name) but feels as if they are very close to recalling it (“It’s on the tip of my tongue!”). <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/quirks-memory/201502/how-word-the-tip-your-tongue-can-cloud-your-judgment">When in a tip-of-the-tongue state</a>, a person might sense—correctly or not—that they remember certain characteristics of a word, such as its first letter, without being able to bring the information into full awareness. This experience may become more frequent with age. The feeling of the tip-of-the-tongue state <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/quirks-memory/201812/how-does-it-feel-when-word-is-the-tip-the-tongue">may serve to motivate someone to keep searching their memory.</a></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div> <div class="section section--separator"> <div id="aging-and-memory-decline" class="section-anchor skip-inline-link-filter"></div> <div class="h2 section-title"> Aging and Memory Decline </div> <div class="section__body"> <article> </article> <p>It is well known that some forms of memory ability tend to become less sharp as the decades of one’s life pass by. Just like other parts of the body, the brain changes with age, with accompanying differences in the ability to recall information. But not everyone experiences such declines to the same degree as they get older, and some forms of memory—such as the memory for familiar physical tasks—seem largely unhindered by age.</p> </div> <div class="faqs"> <div class="faq faq--1"> <div itemscope itemprop="mainEntity" itemtype="https://schema.org/Question"> <div class="faq--title d-flex"> <div itemprop="name" class="h3 faq--question"> Is it typical to forget things as you age? </div> <div class="faq--control-container"> <button class="faq--control"> <div class="faq--control-icon"> <svg width="13px" height="8px" viewBox="0 0 13 8" version="1.1" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">  <desc>Created with Sketch.</desc> <defs></defs> <g id="-small" stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"> <g id="Tests---Listing-Page---SM" transform="translate(-490.000000, -597.000000)" fill="#2C2D30"> <g id="Left-col" transform="translate(74.000000, 162.000000)"> <g id="Table" transform="translate(0.000000, 426.000000)"> <polygon id="navigatedown" points="422.310547 16.3125 428.621094 10.0019531 427.62793 9 422.310547 14.3173828 416.993164 9 416 10.0019531"></polygon> </g> </g> </g> </g> </svg> </div> </button> </div> </div> <div itemscope="" itemprop="acceptedAnswer" itemtype="https://schema.org/Answer" class="faq--answer"> <div itemprop="text"> <p>To an extent, yes. Changes in the ability to remember are normal, even in the absence of <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/dementia">dementia</a> or another condition, and <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/high-octane-brain/201807/3-warning-signs-potential-memory-problem">memory loss is a common concern</a> among older adults. Declines in certain types of memory (such as <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/memory/working-memory">working memory</a> and <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/memory/episodic-memory">episodic memory</a>) mean that a person might occasionally forget the word they had intended to say or where they left a frequently used object. Other forms of memory, including <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/memory/semantic-memory">semantic memory</a> (knowledge about the world) and <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/memory/procedural-memory">procedural memory</a>, seem to be less affected by normal aging. </p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="faq faq--2"> <div itemscope itemprop="mainEntity" itemtype="https://schema.org/Question"> <div class="faq--title d-flex"> <div itemprop="name" class="h3 faq--question"> At what age does memory decline? </div> <div class="faq--control-container"> <button class="faq--control"> <div class="faq--control-icon"> <svg width="13px" height="8px" viewBox="0 0 13 8" version="1.1" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">  <desc>Created with Sketch.</desc> <defs></defs> <g id="-small" stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"> <g id="Tests---Listing-Page---SM" transform="translate(-490.000000, -597.000000)" fill="#2C2D30"> <g id="Left-col" transform="translate(74.000000, 162.000000)"> <g id="Table" transform="translate(0.000000, 426.000000)"> <polygon id="navigatedown" points="422.310547 16.3125 428.621094 10.0019531 427.62793 9 422.310547 14.3173828 416.993164 9 416 10.0019531"></polygon> </g> </g> </g> </g> </svg> </div> </button> </div> </div> <div itemscope="" itemprop="acceptedAnswer" itemtype="https://schema.org/Answer" class="faq--answer"> <div itemprop="text"> <p>Memory ability, at least for some kinds of memory (such as <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/memory/working-memory">working memory</a>), can begin to gradually decline as early as one’s twenties or thirties, with <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/high-octane-brain/202002/when-does-brain-aging-start-the-answer-might-surprise-you">downward trends extending into later life.</a> Research indicates that <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/memory/episodic-memory">episodic memory</a> ability (memory for experiences) tends to decrease after age 60. Yet these are averages; for some individuals, memory is preserved to a greater extent and for longer.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="faq faq--3 collapsed faq--last"> <div itemscope itemprop="mainEntity" itemtype="https://schema.org/Question"> <div class="faq--title d-flex"> <div itemprop="name" class="h3 faq--question"> What causes memory decline? </div> <div class="faq--control-container"> <button class="faq--control"> <div class="faq--control-icon"> <svg width="13px" height="8px" viewBox="0 0 13 8" version="1.1" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">  <desc>Created with Sketch.</desc> <defs></defs> <g id="-small" stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"> <g id="Tests---Listing-Page---SM" transform="translate(-490.000000, -597.000000)" fill="#2C2D30"> <g id="Left-col" transform="translate(74.000000, 162.000000)"> <g id="Table" transform="translate(0.000000, 426.000000)"> <polygon id="navigatedown" points="422.310547 16.3125 428.621094 10.0019531 427.62793 9 422.310547 14.3173828 416.993164 9 416 10.0019531"></polygon> </g> </g> </g> </g> </svg> </div> </button> </div> </div> <div itemscope="" itemprop="acceptedAnswer" itemtype="https://schema.org/Answer" class="faq--answer"> <div itemprop="text"> <p>Over time, degradation in the brain regions that support memory contributes to memory difficulties. Among the changes that occur in memory-related areas such as parts of the medial temporal lobe and prefrontal cortex are decreases in grey matter volume and in the quality of white matter, which is essential for communication between neurons. Scientists have also observed relevant differences in physiology (such as in the dopamine system) and in regional activation during memory tasks.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div> <div class="section section--separator"> <div id="preserving-memory-ability" class="section-anchor skip-inline-link-filter"></div> <div class="h2 section-title"> Preserving Memory Ability </div> <div class="section__body"> <article> </article> <p>Can memory be protected as people grow older? While a person may not be able to prevent decreases in memory ability entirely, experts have studied various steps one can take to increase one’s odds of maintaining a sharp memory into older age. There are also techniques for working around common memory issues if they arise.</p> </div> <div class="faqs"> <div class="faq faq--1"> <div itemscope itemprop="mainEntity" itemtype="https://schema.org/Question"> <div class="faq--title d-flex"> <div itemprop="name" class="h3 faq--question"> What are some strategies for preserving memory ability? </div> <div class="faq--control-container"> <button class="faq--control"> <div class="faq--control-icon"> <svg width="13px" height="8px" viewBox="0 0 13 8" version="1.1" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">  <desc>Created with Sketch.</desc> <defs></defs> <g id="-small" stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"> <g id="Tests---Listing-Page---SM" transform="translate(-490.000000, -597.000000)" fill="#2C2D30"> <g id="Left-col" transform="translate(74.000000, 162.000000)"> <g id="Table" transform="translate(0.000000, 426.000000)"> <polygon id="navigatedown" points="422.310547 16.3125 428.621094 10.0019531 427.62793 9 422.310547 14.3173828 416.993164 9 416 10.0019531"></polygon> </g> </g> </g> </g> </svg> </div> </button> </div> </div> <div itemscope="" itemprop="acceptedAnswer" itemtype="https://schema.org/Answer" class="faq--answer"> <div itemprop="text"> <p>Adopting aspects of a generally health-promoting lifestyle—such as a healthy diet, routine physical activity, and plenty of sleep—may <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/how-healing-works/202001/how-maintain-memory-you-age">help maintain memory as you age.</a> So might playing cognitively challenging games, such as chess, cards, and crossword puzzles, or <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/memory-medic/201209/ten-ways-slow-mental-decline-age-0">exercising your mind in other ways.</a></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="faq faq--2 faq--last"> <div itemscope itemprop="mainEntity" itemtype="https://schema.org/Question"> <div class="faq--title d-flex"> <div itemprop="name" class="h3 faq--question"> How can I manage normal, age-related memory loss? </div> <div class="faq--control-container"> <button class="faq--control"> <div class="faq--control-icon"> <svg width="13px" height="8px" viewBox="0 0 13 8" version="1.1" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">  <desc>Created with Sketch.</desc> <defs></defs> <g id="-small" stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"> <g id="Tests---Listing-Page---SM" transform="translate(-490.000000, -597.000000)" fill="#2C2D30"> <g id="Left-col" transform="translate(74.000000, 162.000000)"> <g id="Table" transform="translate(0.000000, 426.000000)"> <polygon id="navigatedown" points="422.310547 16.3125 428.621094 10.0019531 427.62793 9 422.310547 14.3173828 416.993164 9 416 10.0019531"></polygon> </g> </g> </g> </g> </svg> </div> </button> </div> </div> <div itemscope="" itemprop="acceptedAnswer" itemtype="https://schema.org/Answer" class="faq--answer"> <div itemprop="text"> <p>Reducing stress and getting enough sleep could be helpful. Other <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/memory-medic/201209/ten-ways-slow-mental-decline-age-0">ways to compensate for forgetfulness</a> include organizing objects (such as car keys) so that their locations are always the same, making an extra effort to concentrate when taking in information to be remembered, minimizing distractions, and using simple memory aids such as planners, calendars, written lists, and reminder notes. In some cases, it may be worth considering <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/managing-your-memory/201903/medications-enhance-memory">medications to enhance memory.</a></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="center--next_page_link d-flex"> <a href="/gb/basics/memory/disorders-of-memory" title="Disorders of Memory">Next: Disorders of Memory</a> <div class="center--next_page_arrow"></div> </div> <div class="views-element-container"><div class="js-view-dom-id-6bcc648f8c8487e86648c7e842a77c977e001d811355fea5421fc3fbd83be83f"> <section class="basics--essential-reads"> <div class="h2 page-section-header">Essential Reads</div> <div class="teaser--card-inset-details--row"> <article class="teaser--card-inset-details blog_entry--teaser--card-inset-details" data-nid="5026979"> <div class="card-inset-details__image"> <a href="/gb/blog/homeless-mind/202411/countering-cognitive-immobility"><img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/manual_crop_3_2_600x400/public/teaser_image/blog_entry/2024-11/anita-jankovic-m5oFzzrcKwc-unsplash.jpg?itok=hynmiHzM" width="600" height="400" alt="" title="Anita Jankovic / Unsplash" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-inset-details__body"> <div class="card-inset-details__title"> <a href="/gb/blog/homeless-mind/202411/countering-cognitive-immobility" title="Countering Cognitive Immobility"> Countering Cognitive Immobility </a> </div> <div class="card-inset-details__teaser-text"> Feeling stuck in the past can weigh on our minds, holding us back from the present. 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Here's what science says about why you should do it, when, and for how long. </div> </div> </article> </div> <div class="teaser--card-inset-details--row"> <article class="teaser--card-inset-details blog_entry--teaser--card-inset-details" data-nid="5026865"> <div class="card-inset-details__image"> <a href="/gb/blog/small-things-big-questions/202411/why-cramming-doesnt-work"><img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/manual_crop_3_2_600x400/public/teaser_image/blog_entry/2024-11/pexels-ron-lach-8086357.jpg?h=d3c6d4cb&itok=gtk3YgeW" width="600" height="400" alt="" title="Ron Lach / Pexels" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-inset-details__body"> <div class="card-inset-details__title"> <a href="/gb/blog/small-things-big-questions/202411/why-cramming-doesnt-work" title="Why Cramming Doesn't Work"> Why Cramming Doesn't Work </a> </div> <div class="card-inset-details__teaser-text"> If you ever tried cramming all your learning in one night before the exam, you know it doesn't usually work. Surprisingly, this has little to do with the brain. </div> </div> </article> <article class="teaser--card-inset-details blog_entry--teaser--card-inset-details" data-nid="5026809"> <div class="card-inset-details__image"> <a href="/gb/blog/homeless-mind/202411/trapped-in-war-zones"><img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/manual_crop_3_2_600x400/public/teaser_image/blog_entry/2024-11/alexander-grey-DjrtjX-obcE-unsplash.jpg?itok=n8snM5v7" width="600" height="400" alt="" title="Alexander Grey / Unsplash" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-inset-details__body"> <div class="card-inset-details__title"> <a href="/gb/blog/homeless-mind/202411/trapped-in-war-zones" title="Trapped in War Zones"> Trapped in War Zones </a> </div> <div class="card-inset-details__teaser-text"> Soldiers who have served in distant wars may remain mentally stuck in those places long after they have returned home. Here's what we can learn from this phenomenon. </div> </div> </article> </div> </section> </div> </div> </div> <div class="h2 page-section-header page-section-header--with-divider">Recent Posts</div> <div class="views-element-container"><div class="js-view-dom-id-780e0f73390c4288c16d1b5e12ba88d8b944e71c1e60cb68171fd358506101e5 layout-container--grid--content-main-additional basics--recent-posts"> <div class="layout-content-main"> <div class="teaser-listing-item"> <article class="teaser teaser-lg blog-entry--teaser" data-nid="5027535"> <div class="teaser-lg--main"> <div class="teaser-lg__image"> <a href="/gb/blog/how-my-brain-works/202411/the-relationship-between-music-and-alzheimers-disease"><img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/manual_crop_1_1_288x288/public/teaser_image/blog_entry/2024-11/keyboard-7312016_1280.jpg?itok=Iz3KXlhL" width="288" height="288" alt="" title="diyennanmandee/Pixabay" /> </a> </div> <div class="teaser-lg__details"> <div class="h2 teaser-lg__title"> <a href="/gb/blog/how-my-brain-works/202411/the-relationship-between-music-and-alzheimers-disease" rel="bookmark">The Relationship Between Music and Alzheimer鈥檚 Disease</a> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--desktop"> Brain structures linked to musical memory remain mostly undamaged by the disease. </p> </div> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--mobile"> Brain structures linked to musical memory remain mostly undamaged by the disease. </p> </article> </div> <div class="teaser-listing-item"> <article class="teaser teaser-lg blog-entry--teaser" data-nid="5027367"> <div class="teaser-lg--main"> <div class="teaser-lg__image"> <a href="/gb/blog/rethinking-thought/202411/learning-by-touching"><img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/manual_crop_1_1_288x288/public/field_blog_entry_images/2024-11/ChimpanzeeGilesLaurentKibaleForest12-14-22.jpg?itok=Yu5Jya_M" width="288" height="288" alt="Giles Laurent, Chimpanzee at Kibale Forest National Park, 14 December, 2022" title="Giles Laurent. 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The brain is apt at remembering stories. </p> </div> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--mobile"> Storytelling is a universal human activity. We tell stories in order to communicate knowledge and fantasies, but also to resolve conflicts. The brain is apt at remembering stories. </p> </article> </div> <div class="teaser-listing-item"> <article class="teaser teaser-lg blog-entry--teaser" data-nid="5026621"> <div class="teaser-lg--main"> <div class="teaser-lg__image"> <a href="/gb/blog/the-elusive-brain/202411/twenty-first-century-grief"><img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/manual_crop_1_1_288x288/public/teaser_image/blog_entry/2024-11/Asher%20image.jpg?itok=FSHeK1Hu" width="288" height="288" alt="" title="Courtesy of Asher Young" /> </a> </div> <div class="teaser-lg__details"> <div class="h2 teaser-lg__title"> <a href="/gb/blog/the-elusive-brain/202411/twenty-first-century-grief" rel="bookmark">Twenty-First-Century Grief</a> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--desktop"> Asher stages an ephemeral reunion with those we've lost, whose three-dimensional image is surrounded and sometimes subsumed by darting light and color. </p> </div> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--mobile"> Asher stages an ephemeral reunion with those we've lost, whose three-dimensional image is surrounded and sometimes subsumed by darting light and color. </p> </article> </div> <div class="teaser-listing-item"> <article class="teaser teaser-lg blog-entry--teaser" data-nid="5026847"> <div class="teaser-lg--main"> <div class="teaser-lg__image"> <a href="/gb/blog/how-writing-works/202411/does-the-generation-effect-in-advertising-still-work"><img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/manual_crop_1_1_288x288/public/teaser_image/blog_entry/2024-11/pexels-satoshi-2070033.jpg?itok=8Rk6AGvy" width="288" height="288" alt="" title="Satoshi Hiroyama/Pexels" /> </a> </div> <div class="teaser-lg__details"> <div class="h2 teaser-lg__title"> <a href="/gb/blog/how-writing-works/202411/does-the-generation-effect-in-advertising-still-work" rel="bookmark">Does the 'Generation Effect' in Advertising Still Work? </a> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--desktop"> Marketeers use generation effects to bolster the memorability of ads. But what if its effects are laboratory illusions? And do generation effects work in multicultural societies? </p> </div> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--mobile"> Marketeers use generation effects to bolster the memorability of ads. But what if its effects are laboratory illusions? And do generation effects work in multicultural societies? </p> </article> </div> <div class="teaser-listing-item"> <article class="teaser teaser-lg blog-entry--teaser" data-nid="5026833"> <div class="teaser-lg--main"> <div class="teaser-lg__image"> <a href="/gb/blog/life-gets-better/202411/avoiding-trauma-keeps-it-alive"><img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/manual_crop_1_1_288x288/public/teaser_image/blog_entry/2024-11/many%20colors.jpg?itok=t8EXNtCy" width="288" height="288" alt="" title="Wendy Lustbader" /> </a> </div> <div class="teaser-lg__details"> <div class="h2 teaser-lg__title"> <a href="/gb/blog/life-gets-better/202411/avoiding-trauma-keeps-it-alive" rel="bookmark">Avoiding Trauma Keeps It Alive</a> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--desktop"> Breaking out of isolation and talking about what happened with a trusted friend or therapist greatly reduces the burden of what is remembered. </p> </div> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--mobile"> Breaking out of isolation and talking about what happened with a trusted friend or therapist greatly reduces the burden of what is remembered. </p> </article> </div> <div class="teaser-listing-item"> <article class="teaser teaser-lg blog-entry--teaser" data-nid="5026667"> <div class="teaser-lg--main"> <div class="teaser-lg__image"> <a href="/gb/blog/what-mentally-strong-people-dont-do/202411/why-decorating-early-for-christmas-may-make-you"><img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/styles/manual_crop_1_1_288x288/public/teaser_image/blog_entry/2024-11/shutterstock_2382272081.jpg?itok=-_aMq3yQ" width="288" height="288" alt="" title="Bbernard / Shutterstock" /> </a> </div> <div class="teaser-lg__details"> <div class="h2 teaser-lg__title"> <a href="/gb/blog/what-mentally-strong-people-dont-do/202411/why-decorating-early-for-christmas-may-make-you" rel="bookmark">Why Decorating Early for Christmas May Make You Happier</a> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--desktop"> You might feel social pressure to wait until Thanksgiving before you start decorating for Christmas. But decorating early can have some surprising benefits for your mental health. </p> </div> </div> <p class="teaser-lg__summary teaser-lg__teaser--mobile"> You might feel social pressure to wait until Thanksgiving before you start decorating for Christmas. 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