Everyone forgets things and when this happens, most of us laugh at ourselves and comment that it is just a sign of aging, especially when this happens to us in middle-age. But while we may also joke about our forgetfulness as older adults, we might also privately worry that it is a sign of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease or a loss of brain power.

Understandably many older adults wonder how much and what kind of memory loss is a normal part of the aging process. They also are concerned about how much and what kind of memory loss is associated with dementia. Why Does Memory Loss Occur? 

Normal physiological changes can affect memory loss as you become older. Once you reach your 20s, you slowly start to lose brain cells, and the number of brain cells lost increases with age. Your body also begins to make fewer of the chemicals needed by your brain cells to work. These changes affect how the brain stores recent memory, resulting, for example, in your forgetting the address of a place from which you just came. This kind of memory loss is standard in a person getting older. The familiar saying “use it or lose it” indeed has foundation in preventing or slowing aging-related memory loss. Help keep your mind sharp by engaging in stimulating mind activities, such as reading, doing crossword puzzles and the like.

There are treatable medical conditions that can cause symptoms like forgetfulness and short-term memory loss. Brain tumors, head injuries, thyroid problems, high fever, alcohol consumption, dehydration, vitamin B12 deficiency or poor nutrition can all cause memory loss. 

How quickly the underlying cause is treated will determine the degree of reversibility of memory loss that’s experienced. Stressful or traumatic life events, along with certain emotions (anxiety & depression) can effect concentration and result in short-term or reversible memory loss. Even major life changes like a relocation or job change status can all contribute to stress and anxiety. When grieving a loved one’s sudden death or when feeling alone, your ability to remember and recall people, events, and other situations in your life may decrease. Insomnia wreaks havoc with communication between the hippocampus, which is critical for memory, and the brain’s “default mode network;” the changes may weaken event recollection (Hengyi Rao, PhD, abstract 626.08). Also, memory losses connected with your overall mental health may be alleviated as you begin to adapt to your new circumstances and/or receive treatment for the difficult emotions undermining your sense of well-being. Craniosacral Therapy directly resolves all these conditions with consistency and time appropriate duration of care. 

In our bodies we have a type of river of flowing fluid known as our cerebrospinal fluid. It flows from and around the brain and spinal cord providing protection, shock absorption, nourishment and essential nutrients to our body especially to our brain and central nervous system. Much like a log or boulder in the river, when we experience physical, emotional and spiritual stress such as injury, illness or a loss of a loved one our river gets blocked and the cerebrospinal fluid cannot flow freely. This can cause our body to experience trauma and can lessen our ability to remember many daily events, conversations, details, and our own patterns of the day. 

In a CranioSacral Therapy session the client remains fully dressed lying on a massage table. By using a soft gentle touch, a practitioner tunes into the flow of the body’s “river” or cerebrospinal fluid and help release blockages or restrictions in the craniosacral system and surrounding connective tissue. It is common that people experience a sense of deep relaxation and may drift off to sleep. Clients may feel an unwinding or softening as their bodies relax and release. When our river flows freely our bodily systems can function better and stimulate the body’s natural ability to heal including our ability to recall. 

When blood and cerebrospinal fluid throughout the brain are properly flowing; vital and essential nutrients can be transported to the brain cells. Also, harmful waste products can be flushed out. The Glymphatic System is a newly found system that helps in cleansing the brain. This brain cleansing system also may prevent diseases such as Alzheimer’s and maintain a healthy brain. As we age, our cerebrospinal fluid production decreases and harmful substances may build up in the brain. This build up in the brain may influence diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. CranioSacral Therapy promotes brain health by supporting and enhancing this cleansing process. If you’re experiencing any symptoms of memory loss and would like to have a deeper conversation please contact me.