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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Lifestyle
Andrew Young

Brits forget almost 2,000 things a year - including birthdays and passwords

Brits forget an average of 1,095 things a year, such as their partner’s phone number, birthdays – and where they’ve parked the car.

A study of 2,000 adults found they forget something on average three times a day – including why they entered a room, what they were about to say, and other people’s names.

Others don’t remember to take food out of the freezer to defrost for dinner, or what they went to the supermarket to buy.

And a further 15% of absent-minded respondents will make a hot cup of tea – then totally forget to drink it.

More than one in ten (11%) blame the lockdowns for adding to their memory woes, due to lack of brain stimulation.

But 32% put it down to getting older, while the same amount believe they have too much on their plate to keep track of it all.

It also emerged adults believe their memory really starts to fail them at the age of 41 years and 10 months.

One in five struggle to remember their passwords - and think technology has made them less reliant on their own memory (Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/Getty Images)

Professor Hana Burianová, a cognitive neuroscientist working with supplement brand Healthspan, which commissioned the report, said: “Our brains overload when we have lots of different things going on, and with a limited processing capacity this impacts our attention and memory.

“Brain ageing actually begins as early as our twenties, but generally people don’t think about brain health until they hit their forties at the earliest.

“The brain is complex and intricately connected with the rest of the body, so incorporating brain-health habits as early as possible will impact on long-term brain health outcomes, and improve memory and other cognitive processes.”

The study also found one in four adults believe stress causes them to forget things.

And a third claim a lack of memory has impacted on their confidence and even the ability to do everyday tasks, and therefore impacted on their health.

Rob Hobson, head of nutrition at Healthspan, which commissioned the report to highlight its “Love Your Brain” supplement, said: “Diet is important for every organ in the body, and this includes the brain.

“Research has shown how sticking to the Mediterranean diet is associated with better cognition, lower rates of cognitive decline, and a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

“It’s also clear that food that is beneficial for your heart is also beneficial for your brain.

“Smart pills, such as nootropics which contain a combination or “stack” of ingredients known to enhance brain function, can support mental performance, cognitive and psychological function.”

Bleary-eyed Brits also feel they’re more likely to make a mental mistake first thing in the morning, shortly after waking up.

More than a fifth (21%) often find themselves struggling to remember their passwords for various accounts, while 16% suspect technology has caused them to be less reliant on their own memory.

Watering house plants also ranks highly on the list of things often forgotten (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc./Getty Images)

More than one in ten (12%) have even fallen out with someone because they forgot their birthday, according to the OnePoll figures.

To try and fight off embarrassment at forgetting something, over a third (34%) will laugh it off and make a joke of the situation.

But 14% are so concerned they will make a note of it, and continue to track any other potential symptoms of diminished brain activity.

Prof Burianová added: “The brain has the ability to change and evolve through the lifetime – this process is known as neuroplasticity.

“Mental muscle strengthening, such as learning something new – a fact, a dance, or a language – helps improve primary cognitive functions such as sensation or attention, as well as higher-level cognitive functions like memory, decision making, or problem-solving.

“Our brain loves new things, but it’s obviously not always possible to seek out novelty on a daily basis.

“A mundane task can, therefore, be revamped by simply “being present” when doing it.

“Take brushing your teeth – this simple act, next time you do it, concentrate on it and nothing else, the taste of the toothpaste, the feeling in your mouth, the motion of the toothbrush – as if this is a new experience.”

THE TOP 50 THINGS BRITS FORGET ON A DAILY BASIS:

  1. Why you went into a room
  2. What you were going to say
  3. Someone's name
  4. Your passwords
  5. To take food out of the freezer to defrost
  6. How to spell something
  7. To drink a cup of tea while it is warm
  8. What day of the week it is
  9. What you went into the supermarket to buy
  10. To phone someone
  11. To take carrier bags to the supermarket
  12. Your glasses
  13. To take the washing out of the washing machine
  14. To water the plants
  15. Your phone
  16. To charge your mobile phone
  17. To do something at work
  18. Where you put your car keys
  19. Phone number of family and friends
  20. A friend or family member's birthday
  21. Your own phone number
  22. How to pronounce something
  23. Where you parked the car
  24. Your purse/wallet
  25. How to get somewhere
  26. To post a letter
  27. Your umbrella
  28. Your partner's phone number
  29. To turn the lights off in the house
  30. What you planned to cook for dinner
  31. The quickest way to get somewhere
  32. To replace the toilet roll
  33. Important appointments such as doctor and dentist
  34. That you're meant to be on a diet
  35. To say thank you for something
  36. Your lunch
  37. Children's school events, such as “wear what you like” days
  38. Your coat
  39. To lock the house
  40. To tell the children to do their homework/take it into school
  41. To lock the car
  42. To turn off the iron
  43. To meet a friend
  44. To pick up the children from a club/sport/school
  45. To send Christmas cards
  46. Your anniversary
  47. To turn off the tap
  48. The recipe for a favourite dish
  49. When the children's inset days are
  50. To put the handbrake on in the car

HABITS FROM PROFESSOR HANA BURIANOVÁ THAT CAN BOOST YOUR BRAIN AND IMPROVE YOUR MEMORY:

  • BE SOCIAL – Social interactions improve brain health. How often you stimulate your mind, and even the quantity – and quality – of your rest, all play a role. Daily micro-interactions – for example, having a quick natter with a stranger at a bus stop, in a queue at a supermarket, or by the watercooler – are very important for social connectedness.
  • CALM THE MIND – Rest is key for our brains. When you sleep, your brain remains highly active. It is when memory consolidation takes place, which is essentially your brain filing all the things you have learned.
  • STAY ACTIVE – While sleep and rest might be important for a healthy brain, staying active and getting your heart pumping can be equally beneficial. Being active increases your heart rate, which pumps more oxygen to the brain.
  • NUTRITION MATTERS – Evidence is beginning to shape our understanding of how food is linked to brain health, and this includes thinking, memory, improved cognitive function, and reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Specific foods linked to brain health include omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins B, D and E, choline and flavonoids, creatine, and caffeine.
  • MICROBES MATTER – A diet rich in fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains and oily fish – a bit like a Mediterranean diet – helps promote the health of gut bacteria that produce butyrate/ butyric acid and other fatty acids.
  • INVEST IN LEARNING – When you learn something new, your brain forms new connections and associations. Without physical exercise, your muscles will weaken, and it’s the same for the brain. This mental muscle strengthening improves primary cognitive functions such as concentration and memory, and higher-order cognitive functions like decision making and problem-solving. Studies have indicated that continued learning over our lifespans lowers the chance of developing dementia.
  • CLEVER PAIRINGS – Caffeine is known to help improve mental alertness, and it is also used to overcome fatigue – used often among athletes. Studies have suggested that combining L-theanine with caffeine helps boost cognitive performance and alertness.
  • REDUCE BRAIN AGEING – The brain shrinks with increasing age. A lack of sufficient nutrients needed for its repair can often lead to changes in shape. Dietary antioxidants are often highlighted for their ability to preserve brain youth, as are vitamins such as B12, B6, and vitamin D3. Stress, alcohol, smoking, lack of exercise or too much exercise can also contribute to brain ageing.

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