that Tom has begun to take over-the-counter sleeping pills to treat his insomnia, along with the blood pressure medication that she had prescribed at the last visit. Dr. Brown recognizes that the combination of the two drugs could be causing Tom’s fatigue and memory problems. She prescribes a short-acting sleeping pill, so that this medication will be out of Tom’s system during the daytime. Tom finds that, over time, his memory improves with this adjustment of medications.
----
Vision and Hearing Problems
A person with vision or hearing problems may blame his memory if he can’t recall information or experiences. In fact, the problem may not be in the memory at all. When you can’t see or hear clearly, the information will not be encoded correctly. It is important to admit when you can’t hear adequately and ask others to speak up. If you are unable to read printed material, ask for a large-print copy or ask someone to read it to you. Get regularly scheduled vision and auditory tests to make sure that you are getting the eyeglasses and hearing aids you need. Vision and hearing abilities can change dramatically, and new technology may compensate for losses.
EXAMPLES
----
Your neighbor suggests that you call a Realtor whose name is Abbott. When you call the realty company, you ask for Mr. Babcock. The problem here may not be your memory; your neighbor may have mumbled, or you may have trouble hearing. If you want to remember something correctly, ask the person to repeat it, spell it, and write it down.
----
At the doctor’s office, the receptionist gives you an insurance form to complete at home. “Sign in these three places, and mail it off,” she says, pointing to three blanks. When you get home, you are confused by all the blank spaces and say, “I’ve already forgotten what she told me.” The problem may not be in your memory. You may not have seen the spaces she pointed to. Next time, ask her to mark the spaces with a red X.
----
Fatigue
Fatigue affects concentration and slows down the recall process. We are more likely to have trouble learning new information, because focus and attention are impaired when we’re tired. If we can figure out which times of the day we are most alert, we can do tasks that involve new learning at those times.
If insomnia is a problem for you, consider talking to your doctor about it. (A good website on sleep habits is http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/ .)
EXAMPLES
----
You usually read at bedtime because it puts you to sleep. However, you can’t keep the characters straight in the book you’re reading, and this frustrates you. You might try reading the book when you are more alert. If you want to read before dozing off, read something you don’t care about remembering.
----
You have just finished attending the third lecture of a six-week series on health problems at your local library. You were especially looking forward to last week’s lecture on diabetes, because your husband has diabetes in his family. You realize, however, that you remember little of the material because you were especially tired that day. For the next lecture, you resolve to be rested and ready to take notes.
----
Alcohol
Alcohol can affect your memory in two different ways. First, many people find that they are less able to tolerate alcohol as they grow older; two drinks may have been tolerated well in the past but are now too much. As far as memory is concerned, there is a greater effect on the brain if you have four drinks in one night than if you have one drink on each of four nights. Second, long-term abuse of alcohol can cause irreversible memory loss.
In addition to the direct effects of alcohol on memory, alcohol consumption can cause or make worse other factors that affect your memory:
• Depression : Alcohol acts as a depressant on the central nervous system.
• Decreased nutritional status : Some people who drink excessively do not eat an adequate or nutritious diet.
Poor
----
Vision and Hearing Problems
A person with vision or hearing problems may blame his memory if he can’t recall information or experiences. In fact, the problem may not be in the memory at all. When you can’t see or hear clearly, the information will not be encoded correctly. It is important to admit when you can’t hear adequately and ask others to speak up. If you are unable to read printed material, ask for a large-print copy or ask someone to read it to you. Get regularly scheduled vision and auditory tests to make sure that you are getting the eyeglasses and hearing aids you need. Vision and hearing abilities can change dramatically, and new technology may compensate for losses.
EXAMPLES
----
Your neighbor suggests that you call a Realtor whose name is Abbott. When you call the realty company, you ask for Mr. Babcock. The problem here may not be your memory; your neighbor may have mumbled, or you may have trouble hearing. If you want to remember something correctly, ask the person to repeat it, spell it, and write it down.
----
At the doctor’s office, the receptionist gives you an insurance form to complete at home. “Sign in these three places, and mail it off,” she says, pointing to three blanks. When you get home, you are confused by all the blank spaces and say, “I’ve already forgotten what she told me.” The problem may not be in your memory. You may not have seen the spaces she pointed to. Next time, ask her to mark the spaces with a red X.
----
Fatigue
Fatigue affects concentration and slows down the recall process. We are more likely to have trouble learning new information, because focus and attention are impaired when we’re tired. If we can figure out which times of the day we are most alert, we can do tasks that involve new learning at those times.
If insomnia is a problem for you, consider talking to your doctor about it. (A good website on sleep habits is http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/ .)
EXAMPLES
----
You usually read at bedtime because it puts you to sleep. However, you can’t keep the characters straight in the book you’re reading, and this frustrates you. You might try reading the book when you are more alert. If you want to read before dozing off, read something you don’t care about remembering.
----
You have just finished attending the third lecture of a six-week series on health problems at your local library. You were especially looking forward to last week’s lecture on diabetes, because your husband has diabetes in his family. You realize, however, that you remember little of the material because you were especially tired that day. For the next lecture, you resolve to be rested and ready to take notes.
----
Alcohol
Alcohol can affect your memory in two different ways. First, many people find that they are less able to tolerate alcohol as they grow older; two drinks may have been tolerated well in the past but are now too much. As far as memory is concerned, there is a greater effect on the brain if you have four drinks in one night than if you have one drink on each of four nights. Second, long-term abuse of alcohol can cause irreversible memory loss.
In addition to the direct effects of alcohol on memory, alcohol consumption can cause or make worse other factors that affect your memory:
• Depression : Alcohol acts as a depressant on the central nervous system.
• Decreased nutritional status : Some people who drink excessively do not eat an adequate or nutritious diet.
Poor
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