03/09/2024
Why our memory decays over time:
Why do we forget things? First, the formation of new memories causes old ones to fade and disappear. Over time, memories that are not retrieved or rehearsed are eventually lost.
The second reason is interference. When you have two memories that are similar to each other, they begin to collide and interfere with each other until you lose track of one of them. The one you remember more will cause the other one to fade away. The third reason is lack of sleep. If you don’t sleep well enough, you will not give your brain enough time to process and store memories. Getting a quality night's sleep is important for memory storage because the resting phase is a perfect time for your brain to process memories. Forgetting also happens when your memory doesn’t make it to the long-term memory center, forcing it to fade away within a short time. Sometimes we forget things because we want to, such as painful memories of traumatic experiences and upsetting events. This is called motivated forgetting because you’re inducing your brain to forget these events by attempting to replace them with more pleasant memories. Additional reasons for forgetting include, alcohol consumption, stress, and the use of some medications such as antidepressants and sedatives. All in all, even though your brain can store a huge amount of information, forgetting remains an innate mechanism that’s embedded deep within our biology.
