Feeling Forgetful? How to Tell if Its NORMAL or NOT

By Dr. Scott Olson, ND Posted April 20, 2023

“Doc, am I losing my mind?!”

If I had a dollar for every time I’ve been asked a version of that question, I could retire to a tropical island TODAY.

But I’m NEVER surprised by the inquiry. After all, worrying about losing your mental abilities as you age is perfectly normal.

So, today let’s look at four common examples of forgetfulness to identify what’s normal… and not.

We ALL experience brain burps or little memory slips from time to time. When should you worry? Let’s take a closer look…

• Forgetting a movie title or a person’s name: “Tip of your tongue” forgetfulness is one of the most common memory retrieval problems. Like when you KNOW you’ve seen a movie, but can’t remember the title.

It IS often a sign of aging. But probably not in the way you’re worried about. You see, as we get older, we’ve seen so many movies that we have trouble going through all of our “files” to find the one we’re thinking of. Same goes for the names of people we’ve met.

This kind of forgetting becomes a problem when it happens dozens of times a day for everyday items like a spoon, pen, or bicycle.

• Forgetting where you parked: My wife has been blanking on where she parked the car since she was a teenager. So it’s definitely NOT just older folks who do this.

This kind of forgetfulness becomes a problem when you can’t remember things like whether you drove to the mall or not, or standing in front of your car and you don’t recognize it.

• Forgetting your keys: Misplacing everyday objects like your keys or wallet is normal. This is especially true if you don’t put them in the same place every time you come home.

Now, if you often find your keys in strange places like the microwave or toothpaste drawer, then this could signal a reason to be concerned.

• Forgetting how to make coffee: This kind of memory glitch is often a sign of a problem. It can be a sign of significant changes in your brain when you forget how to do something you repeatedly do, such as making coffee, washing clothes, or playing an instrument.

If you notice any of the more dramatic examples of forgetfulness I shared today occurring, DON’T panic. But DO make an appointment to see your doctor to discuss your memory loss.

The sooner these issues are addressed, the easier it is to slow them down and preserve your precious memories.

And another thing…

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Feeling Forgetful? How to Tell if Its NORMAL or NOT

Worried about memory loss? Memory glitches are often harmless… find out how to tell if yours warrants concern with these four common examples of forgetfulness.

P.S. Just wanting your brain to be healthy isn’t enough. You have to work at protecting it. But you DON’T have to run marathons, avoid meat, and meditate all day long. You can make BIG improvements to your brain health by making small changes to your lifestyle.

Written By Dr. Scott Olson, ND

Nearly 25 years ago, failed mainstream medical treatments left Dr. Olson in constant pain – and his health in ruins. And that’s when he did something REVOLUTIONARY. He began his career in medicine – and dedicated his life to uncovering the true, underlying causes of disease.
Through his innovative medical practices in Tennessee and Colorado, Dr. Olson has helped cure countless seniors from across America of arthritis… heart disease… diabetes… and even cancer. All without risky prescription drugs or painful surgeries.

View More By Dr. Scott Olson, ND