And try not to worry. It’s likely not related to some underlying brain disease like Alzheimer’s or dementia.
Just like you’re not as physically strong as you once were, your brain power also slows down with age. Your ability to learn, focus, and solve problems isn’t gone, just changing.
That’s why it might take a little longer to remember something, divide your attention between multiple activities, and so on. It can affect your ability to focus, which can cause you to feel distracted more easily.
It’s also possible that age has brought on a little more difficulty with hearing, particularly in noisy or busy environments. That can also lead to trouble with concentration.
Most people may notice it creeping in during their 50s or 60s, which can be frustrating and even scary. But these memory and thinking problems do not mean there is serious trouble.
In fact, much of what seems to be memory loss may be the result of your brain working at a slower speed.
None of that will impact your executive function, ability to reason, or form coherent judgments or arguments.
In fact, you may get around some of these problems by making notes, speaking to people in controlled environments where you can clearly hear and focus on them, and repeating pertinent facts during a conversation. Getting better sleep may also be a huge help.
So, if you’ve noticed your memory isn’t what it used to be, it is likely just a part of normal aging with some likely fixes. Don’t worry too much about it!