Possible Reasons Why You Can’t Remember What You Did Yesterday

Forgetting things is a normal part of life. The brain is capable of incredible feats, but it doesn't retain all the information it processes.

It might be normal to forget one or two things; however, in some cases forgetting things all of a sudden might be a symptom of an underlying memory disorder.

6 Types of Memory Lapses

There are six types of normal memory lapses, and they include:

1. Absentmindedness This type of memory lapse is often a result of a lack of attention or focus. An example would be forgetting where you dropped your car keys or a pen.
2. Blocking Have you ever wanted to say something, but forgot the words before you could? This type of memory lapse happens when similar memories mix.
3. Scrambling When you remember the main point on a topic but forget critical details like the time you heard or the person who told you.
4. Fading away The brain is wired to discard older memories and make new ones. This type of memory lapse is the most common because everyone remembers events that occurred a few minutes ago more clearly than events that happened months ago.
5. Muddled multitasking As we get older, our brains find it difficult to multitask. At this time, the brain exerts more energy to focus on multiple tasks. This type of memory lapse comes with aging.
6. Struggling for retrieval This type of memory lapse is often due to aging, similar to muddled tasking. Since aging changes the strength of the connections between neurons in the brain, new information might push previous memories out of short-term memory unless it is repeated.

When Should You Consult a Doctor?

Things like aging and anxiety cause memory loss, but they don't occur often, and they don't affect your everyday life. When you observe that your memory lapses occur frequently and interfere with your daily life and activities, it is advisable to seek professional treatment.