Dealing with Short Term Memory Problems

Short term memory problems can be difficult to deal with. They can cause you trouble in your family life, they can cause you trouble with other relationships, they can even, in some cases, cost you your job. It is important then that you should deal with short term memory problems effectively.

Here are some of the things that you can do in order to deal with short term memory problems.

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2. If your memory problems are especially severe or if they interfere with your everyday life, you should consider speaking with a physician. Your physician can help identify the potential causes of your short term memory problems and may even be able to eliminate some serious conditions.
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4. Recognize that your short term memories are only stored only for few minutes in your brain with only very little processing. You can bring longer term memories to the surface and put them into your short term memory for a while which is what you do when you recall a phone number for example.
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6. Understand that your short term memory is limited. For example, your short term memory is able to hold somewhere between 7 and 15 items at any one given time. In fact, this ability of the short term memory to retain 7 items is one of the reasons that phone numbers have been designed with seven digits outside of the area code.
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8. If there is something that you want to keep in your long term memory that is currently in your short term member, repeat it. Repetition will help to hold something into your short term memory long enough long for it to seep into your long term memory.
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10. Avoid using illicit drugs and abusing alcohol. Some drugs and alcohol can drastically affect your short term memory and cause all sorts of short term memory problems. Also, be aware that some prescription medications can also cause short term memory problems. Here again, if this is the case with you, you should talk to your health care provider.
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12. Sleep is an important part of your short term memory's health. Make sure that you go to sleep every night. For adults, you should get between 7 and 8 hours of sleep every night if at all possible.
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14. If you want to retain something from your short term memory, in addition to repeating it, you can repeat it out loud. When you say something out loud, it adds to the chances that you will be able to retain it much longer.
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16. Consider writing it down. Bring with you a small notebook and keep it in your pocket at all times along with a pen. That way, when there is something that you want to remember beyond just a few minutes, you can always refer back to it. The key here is to make sure and check your notebook regularly so that those things that you want to remember, you can.