Many people even in their 20s and 30s have forgotten a name or an appointment date or some fact that was on the "tip of their tongue." Memory is tricky, and time is its worst enemy, says Zola. In fact, shortly after taking in information, memory traces begin to deteriorate, he explains.
While the causes of forgetfulness are difficult to define, forgetfulness at a young age is mostly about time management and overwork. "When it is an issue of forgetfulness in a 20- or a 30-year-old, we are not talking about amnesia. We look for biological issues if a person crosses 45-50 years," says Parikh.
No matter what your age, several underlying causes can bring about memory problems. Forgetfulness can arise from stress, depression, lack of sleep or thyroid problems. Other causes include side effects from certain medicines, an unhealthy diet or not having enough fluids in your body (dehydration).
If a person is struggling to remember a name, follow a conversation or recall what they did yesterday, many of us may put it down to the fact that the person is getting older. But it may well be a warning that they are in the early stages of dementia.
Q: What memory changes are considered normal as I age? Dr. Lyden: Often people over the age of 50 begin to forget names and specific information. They may misplace their keys more often or need to pause and remember directions.
Difficulty remembering names? This is also a sign of inattention, a common symptom in ADHD. Many social issues follow adults with ADHD.
Collective sigh of relief: It's probably nothing to worry about. “Not being able to recall a word or name is certainly annoying. But usually, that's all it is,” says Hartford HealthCare geriatrician Taimur Habib, MD. “For most people, it's not a sign of something worse.”
Normal age-related memory loss doesn't cause a significant disruption in your daily life. For example, you might occasionally forget a person's name, but recall it later in the day. You might misplace your glasses sometimes. Or maybe you need to make lists more often than in the past to remember appointments or tasks.
The simplest explanation: you're just not that interested, Ranganath says. “People are better at remembering things that they're motivated to learn. Sometimes you are motivated to learn people's names, and other times it's more of a passing thing, and you don't at the time think it's important.”
But here's the thing—dementia doesn't just happen to older people. While age is still the biggest risk factor for dementia, people in their 50s and 40s (and even 30s and 20s) can also develop dementia. We call this young onset dementia.
Not to worry, you're not alone. Experts say that mild memory loss is perfectly normal -- especially as we age. That's right, if you sometimes forget simple things, you're not necessarily developing Alzheimer's disease.
In general, the more you learn about yourself, the easier the decision-making process will be. Recognize your 20s will likely be filled with challenges. It is perfectly all right (and normal) to feel overwhelmed from time to time, or confused about your path and sense of direction.
But Alzheimer's is not the only health problem that can lead to forgetfulness, says the National Institute on Aging. Memory lapses can happen at any age and for a number of reasons.
Signs that it might be time to talk to a doctor include: Asking the same questions over and over again. Getting lost in places a person knows well. Having trouble following recipes or directions.
What is brain fog syndrome? Brain fog is characterized by confusion, forgetfulness, and a lack of focus and mental clarity. This can be caused by overworking, lack of sleep, stress, and spending too much time on the computer.
For most people with Alzheimer's — those who have the late-onset variety — symptoms first appear in their mid-60s or later. When the disease develops before age 65, it's considered early-onset Alzheimer's, which can begin as early as a person's 30s, although this is rare.
Signs of dementia
You're unable to recall details of recent events or conversations. You're unable to recognize or know the names of family members. You forget things or events more frequently. You have frequent pauses and substitutions when finding words.
The main sign of mild cognitive impairment is a slight decline in mental abilities. Examples include: Memory loss: You may forget recent events or repeat the same questions and stories. You may occasionally forget the names of friends and family members or forget appointments or planned events.
Because names don't have any other cues attached to them, they often get stored in the brain's short-term memory (that mostly registers things we hear), to be easily replaced by the next piece of information we encounter, according to neuroscientist Dean Burnett.
One survey found millennials (ages 18 to 34) more likely to forget what day it is or where they put their keys than seniors. Memory loss in young adults is almost always a direct result of an unhealthy lifestyle that includes a lack of sleep, excess stress, a poor diet, and recreational substance use.
Untreated ADHD in adults can lead to mental health disorders like anxiety and depression. This is because ADHD symptoms can lead to focus, concentration, and impulsivity problems. When these problems are not managed effectively, they can lead to feelings of frustration, irritability, and low self-esteem.