The forgetfulness of youth(2)

Zhang said that her memory has become worse since starting her job as a civil servant two years ago.

"I am not very interested in socializing with people during work; at the same time, I frequently have to work overtime, which means I'm often exhausted," said Zhang. "Working in a department which involves a lot of paperwork and communication, it's difficult to retain all the information."

Reasons for forgetfulness

Psychology experts suggest that the causes of forgetfulness among younger people are related to modern lifestyle habits and people's increasing dependence on technology to do the thinking for them.

"Putting aside pathological reasons for memory loss, there are several reasons for forgetfulness among younger people," said Lü Jihui, director of the psychology department at Beijing Geriatric Hospital. "These days, people's brains are bombarded with too many forms of stimulation each day, beyond the brain's capacity to handle it. In addition, the ever-increasing pace of life and constant pressure that people experience mean they have less time to rest, which also adversely affects memory."

Sue Halpern, author of Can't Remember What I Forgot: The Good News From the Front Lines Of Memory Research, said that it was normal for people's memories to begin declining from their early 20s onwards. But she also suggested physiological and cultural factors could affect memory.

"Depression and smoking impair memory, and so does diet - a diet high in fats and carbohydrates is bad for the brain," said Halpern. "Another aspect of memory is attention - if you don't or can't pay attention, you can't form memories - so people who are highly distracted by electronic devices, for instance, can also be influenced in their ability to remember."

Both Halpern and Lü suggested that if people were concerned, they should seek professional help.

"If memory loss is affecting your work and your everyday life, you should consult a doctor to determine whether it is pathological or benign, short-term or irreversible," said Lü.

Warding off memory loss

Both Chang and Zhang have begun to adopt various strategies to try to mitigate the deterioration of their memories.

"I eat more bananas and am playing more puzzle games than before, both of which are said to increase memory," said Chang. "I'm also planning to use some scientific memory methods."

"I've started making a conscious effort to remember people's faces and names," said Zhang. "I read up on some techniques from famous memory trainers to retain names and faces, and I'm going to give them a try."

Halpern said that aerobic exercise has been shown to improve memory.

"All the studies show that people who get at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise do better on memory tests. Studies also seem to show that a "heart healthy" diet is good for the brain too," she said.

Finally, Zhou suggested a couple of simple lifestyle changes for people who were worried about their memories deteriorating.

"Always challenge your brain. Try to reduce dependence on the Internet and to remember work-related tasks without technological aids," said Zhang. "Reduce the time you spend on Weibo and WeChat so you're not overloaded with information."

"Try to focus on one thing to avoid distraction of attention. Finally, learn to adjust your feelings to reduce the influence of pressure," said Zhou.