July 6, 2024

10 Myths About Memory

Are you forgetful?

When talking with people about past events, do you say to yourself, “I don’t remember it that way…”?

Do you have trouble remembering those events at all?

Memory is fluid, and often not all that reliable. And there’s also a lot of misinformation out there about brain function and how memory works.

Here are 10 of the most common myths about memory.

1. Forgetfulness equals dementia.

Nobody is ever going to tell you that your memory will get better as you age. However, how much you remember, and how well you remember, are two very different things. Do you do any of the following things?

• Call your sister by your brother’s name? Or forget that you have a sister and a brother?
• Forget where you parked your car? Or forget that you have a car?
• Forget to turn off the lights? Or forget how to turn off the lights?

You might find the first reaction a bit troubling, but it’s just a normal brain glitch. The second reaction, though, is very troubling, and a strong indication of dementia.

1. A man doesn’t remember things that a woman does.

No, it’s just that some memories are more important to women than they are to men. Does he forget your anniversary? Okay, that probably just means that he’s happy being with you and doesn’t care about when you met or got married. He remembers; he just doesn’t see it as relevant – it’s nothing to do with memory.

1. A healthy brain does not change with age.

All of our organs change as we age, and usually not for the better. Our arteries harden, our liver processes toxins less efficiently, our stomachs get a bit more sensitive, and yes, our brains don’t work as well as they once did.

1. Your mind and your body function separately.

If this myth were true, the adage “healthy mind, healthy body” would have no veracity. Your mind and body work together, and a vital body can deliver increased blood flow to the brain. How do you make that happen?

• Run or walk.
• Swim.
• If you’ve never learned how to roller skate, do it now! Learning new movements can increase brain power, which also enhances memory.
• Do anything physical that connects body and mind.

1. There is no cure for memory loss.

This is actually true to a certain extent. If you have dementia, that can’t be cured. However, there are medications available that can temporarily relieve the symptoms and forestall the inevitable decline.

1. Our brains are reliable memory banks.

No. Often, our memories are composed of:

• What we think we remember
• What we want to remember
• And what other people tell us we remember

Memory is notoriously unreliable.

1. Your brain can only hold so much.

I’ve often heard people say, laughingly, “Oh, I forgot all about that. Every time I learn something new, my brain has to flush out something else.”

Nope. Sometimes it’s hard to retrieve something from memory, but learning something new can lead to retrieving a long-term memory.

1. If you eat fish, you’ll grow new brain cells.

Current research suggests that you’re probably born with most of the brain cells you’ll ever grow in your life. However, there are foods that can help to improve brain health. They include:

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Beans
• Nuts
• Olive oil

And yes, fish.

1. Our brain can hold all our memories.

Can you remember being born? Labor Day of your fourth-grade year?

I didn’t think so. Despite the brain’s enormous amount of storage (as much as 2.5 million gigabytes) it’s quite rare to remember every single life detail. “We store important parts of events, things we might need or things that stand out. Everything that's not important goes away, it's not stored.”

1. You really only need 4 hours of sleep.

Wrong! While you’re sleeping, your brain is consolidating old memories, and processing new ones. For this to happen effectively, you need about 7 hours of untroubled sleep.

Conclusion

There are a lot of myths surrounding memory. Some have a basis in truth, others not so much. Either way, I hope you found this article… um…. memorable!

Sources:

Memory: Myth Versus Truth | Johns Hopkins Medicine

https://researchschool.org.uk/durrington/news/15-myths-about-memory-and-learning

https://www.cedars-sinai.org/blog/dementia-alzheimers-and-memory-loss.html

https://www.regencyspecialist.com/learning-hub/wellness-articles/memory-myth-vs-facts

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If you like this content, you might enjoy my Substack Newsletter about boosting your brains power by letting it wander at: https://theunreliablemind.substack.com/p/the-brain-resting-state