I recall a television commercial that summed up my understanding of memory loss. Ironically, I remember the ad but not the product it was trying to sell. The ad was a parody of how we remember things. It was set within a person’s brain. In a dimly lit room, a hapless worker struggled with an overly complicated machine filled with levers, screens, and flashing lights. Each new memory was painstakingly filed away based on the need for recall. The ad’s premise was this filing system resides within us all. But this particular machine had reached its limit; the owner’s mind was full. Each new memory entered into the machine meant an old one had to be discarded — one in, one out. Our unfortunate technician was in quite the pickle; was the new memory worth keeping, and which old one should be thrown out?

I feel an affinity with this hapless worker – which I guess I should, as the hapless worker is me.

It’s normal to forget things from time to time, and it’s normal to become somewhat more forgetful as you age. But when is forgetting something more than forgetfulness? How much memory loss is normal memory loss? I don’t know, I still don’t know, and I don’t suggest that you search the internet for the answer. I did and was faced with pages and pages of self-diagnosis. Alzheimer’s, dementia, and early-onset forgetfulness. Ten ways to tell if you’re suffering, how to recognise it in your loved ones, and complete tests for your family pet. There were sites dedicated to strengthening your brain muscle. I found this odd, as the brain’s an organ, not a muscle… There were apps, online courses, and B-list celebrities endorsing organic potions, acupressure, and no end of quick-fix gadgets. Could pink-noise be the answer? I found it slightly overwhelming. But now I’m almost sure that our cat doesn’t suffer from forgetfulness.

I did, however, come across a piece from Harvard University. They used the term ‘transience’ to describe the natural fading of memories over time. According to the article, we are more likely to forget information shortly after learning it if we don’t use that memory. That frequently recalled memories resist fading. While transience might seem like a weakness, neuroscientists see it as a beneficial process, clearing space for newer, more relevant information. So maybe the ad was right, maybe we are supposed to throw out unused memories.

My other findings were good and bad – and without much surprise. The good is that while exercising the mind seems to improve your working memory and ability to recall information, the long-term benefits aren’t [yet] backed by science. The bad is that there is quite a lot of science to suggest that getting plenty of physical exercise, particularly cardio, benefits cognitive function and helps reduce the risk of dementia.

So, let’s embrace the occasional memory lapse, accept it as normal and go out and get some exercise.