Short-term memory loss may have a number of causes. The number of adults who report problems with remembering ordinary things is increasing. You may forget a meeting, an important list, the names of people you meet, or your glasses or keys. This article will discuss one potential cause and remedies for it.

Cortisol and short-term memory loss.

Cortisol has been called a stress hormone. The adrenal glands produce it as a stress response. Cortisol creates the flight or fight response in humans. It is obviously important because it makes us react quickly and and gives us energy when we are in danger.

Cortisol is very powerful. It is quite useful when someone tells you that you are about to be hit by a train. Nevertheless, cortisol produces negative effects, as well. It can seriously damage your cardiovascular system when present in high quantities. It has similar effects on the ability to produce and maintain strong bones. It has negative effects on mental sharpness, memory and even diabetes.

Healthcare providers are quite familiar with the phenomenon of short-term memory loss that has become associated with cortisol in recent years. Previously, most patients who complain about memory loss were elderly. It has now become common for people in their 40s and 50s to report losing things, forgetting appointments and holidays, or things they have said.

These memory problems are now so common that medical professionals have developed a special term for them: midlife memory impairment. This is not the common minor forgetfulness that occurs during midlife. This is an abnormally severe phenomenon. The cortisol phenomenon is responsible for affecting the elderly even more strongly.

Why and how has excessive cortisol become such a serious problem?

The answer to this question is both complex and simple. It is simply a function of daily stress. Even people who are not aware of stress are affected by our modern lifestyle. Although we are not generally aware of it, our brains and sensory systems are aware of everything that goes on around us. At some level we experience every flash of light, every sound in every color that we perceive.

The ability to be minutely aware of our surroundings is a simple evolutionary necessity. Even humans are programmed for an environment full of danger and predators. Perhaps this awareness is that it has been in the remote past, but it is still a part of our makeup. You may be able to remember or imagine walking through an unfamiliar neighborhood in a city at night, or patrolling for enemy activity during warfare. We are well aware of the facts that such activities have on us.

Our modern society produces millions of sensory inputs every day. All of them produce cortisol and can do so excessively. Even though we think we might experience some form of withdrawal if we could get away from them, most of the solutions for the damage they do involve exactly that.

Stimulus reduction is a critical means of reducing dangerous excess cortisol. It may involve minimizing noise, learning to focus or engaging in activities that redirect stress into more positive functions. Singing, laughing, hobbies and exercise are all excellent ways to reduce the damage from excess cortisol.

Sleep is critical. Lack of sleep increases the effects of stress and makes us more sensitive to sensory overload. It is important for everyone to understand his or her optimum sleep patterns and then take proactive measures to ensure them.

Cortisol is a normal byproduct of life. However, modern life creates circumstances in which cortisol production is excessive. This is a damaging situation and is associated with short-term memory loss. It is important for us to take action to deal with this inevitable circumstance.

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