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Making memories

Information overload can breed forgetfulness, but there's help.

My wife and I keep a log book at our ranch, and after guests visit, we jot down memorable events. Rereading the log a few years later clearly shows that writing jogs the memory. Events I otherwise would have forgotten are brought back in detail.

Unfortunately, remembering details isn't so easy for everyone. Those who suffer from cognitive impairment need an extensive review of their mental state, complete with detailed neuropsychological testing. Sometimes this is followed by implementing a program to improve mental function and memory. But virtually all of us, especially those over age 35, complain of some memory loss. Luckily, there's a simple thing we can do to improve it: Write down everything you want to remember.

This might sound simple, but memory is a complicated thing. As information enters the brain, it's directed through an area called the hippocampus, which sorts and guides it. Information needed for the long term, like your cellphone number, is directed toward the cortex of the cerebrum -- the part of the brain responsible for higher function. Data needed for immediate action rather than long-term use, like the phone number to make a restaurant reservation, is temporarily stored and then discarded, never making it to the cerebral cortex.

Things can go wrong with this system. Certain illnesses, such as Alzheimer's, affect portions of the brain necessary for storing information. Even in folks with completely normal brains, becoming overloaded with information makes processing it more difficult. We live in an age where information abounds, and forgetfulness is on the upswing. Because so many of us complain about some memory loss, we could use a little help.

A simple tool can help: a notebook. This may sound silly, but it works. Maybe you have tried to jot things down from time to time, but you haven't stuck with it. Those who do find they are better organized and less forgetful. The easy exercise of writing things down helps to reinforce the information in our brains. It also serves as a stimulant to jog our memory later.

Call it what you like -- a planner, calendar or notebook -- each helps to organize your thinking. My wife is a proponent of this method. For as long as I've known her, she has kept a detailed calendar. Long-term planning (doctors' visits, kids' events, etc.) is one part of her entries. Others include daily activities, like haircuts or visits to the cleaners.

Repetition improves memory. Make writing things down a routine. Review your notebook each day, and plan what needs to be done the next day. Over time, your life will become more organized and less anxious, and you'll remember more.

Contributing Editor Tedd Mitchell, M.D., is medical director of the Wellness Program at the renowned Cooper Clinic in Dallas.