Baby Boomers want everything instantly—including their
memory.
When their memory isn’t instant, they give up and lament,
“I’m having
a senior moment.” Few beliefs age Boomers faster than not
trusting
their memory and copping out by claiming a senior moment.
Too many Boomers attribute “insufficient memory at this
time” to
inevitable neural deterioration that “goes with aging.”
Rarely is the problem
due to aging. When stressed, tired, sleep deprived, ill, or
taking certain
medications, memory suffers. As you age, your “processing
speed” slows
a little and you can’t concentrate on quite as many things
at once.
There also is a lot more information to search. The
solution is to trust
your memory and tell yourself, “It will come to me.” It’s
amazing how
a few minutes later, it pops into you mind.
Sensing a gullible market, a supplement company marketed
“Senior Moment,”
which the FTC ruled (8-12-04) provided unsubstantiated
claims that it could
prevent memory loss or restore memory function. Certainly
some Boomers
impair their memory with alcohol abuse, extreme dieting or
poor nutrition.
In these cases the problem will likely clear up with
drinking less, eating better, and taking a daily multiple vitamin in case the diet isn’t meeting
vitamin and mineral needs.Also exploiting the concept is a board game titled Senior
Moments.
Boomers may fear memory lapses are Alzheimer’s disease.
Alzheimer’s is rare before age 65. Even at 65, only 7 in 1000 Americans have it.
Symptoms that that tend to differentiate Alzheimer’s and other dementias from stress
can include: becoming lost or disoriented on familiar trips, forgetting names of
relatives and close friends,
forgetting how to perform familiar tasks, losing
initiative, and friends commenting on personality changes. Alzheimer’s and other dementias are
diseases caused by damage to the brain and are not the normal course of aging.
God gave us memory that we might have roses in December.
~Sir James Barrie, author of Peter Pan
Wife: How could you forget my birthday?
Quick thinking husband: How do you expect me to remember your birthday
when you never look any older?
I sometimes worry about my short attention span, but not for very long.
~Herb Caen
This article was from:
Anti-Aging
PsychologyThe following newsletter articles may be reprinted in E-zines, newsletters, newspapers, and magazines provided they the content is not edited and the attribution below is given. Formatting may be changed and you may use one of the web site pictures of the author to accompany the article.
"Dr. Michael Brickey, The Anti-Aging Psychologist, teaches people to think, feel, look and be more youthful. He is an inspiring keynote speaker and Oprah-featured author. His works include: Defy Aging, 52 Baby Steps to grow young, and Reverse Aging (anti-aging hypnosis CDs). Visit www.NotAging.com for a free report on anti-aging secrets and a free newsletter with practical anti-aging tips."