Neuroscientists explain the reason why most of us experience forgetfulness since the pandemic — “Blame COVID-normal brain!”
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It's been a long time since the pandemic began, and for many of us, it's taken a toll on our memory.
Whether it's forgetting simple things like what day it is or more complex things like where we put our keys, many of us are struggling to keep track of things like we used to.
But did you know that all of this "mental emptiness" is what most experts call "COVID-normal brain".
You read that right, folks! Apparently, the COVID-19 virus has not only affected our immune system, but also our overall well-being brought about by the series of lockdowns and lifestyle changes.
We've all had to adapt to a new normal, which has been stressful for many people.
Working from home, homeschooling, job loss, caring for sick family members, and the fear of getting COVID-19 have all taken a toll on our mental health.
Over the past year, we've had little to no relief from the stress and anxiety of the pandemic, leading many to experience the "COVID-normal brain".
Scientists cited the “COVID-normal brain” for the forgetfulness that we experience since the pandemic started. Credit: Getty Images/Peter Dazeley.
University of Tasmania neuroscientist Dr Lila Landowski offered an explanation to this phenomenon, citing stress as the number one factor that caused our brains to function differently.
She explained: "That chronic stress response accumulates and takes a toll on brain function."
"Stress is a hard-wired physical response that affects our entire body."
"While brief moments of stress can help us reach our peak performance, when that stress persists over months to years, it can have damaging effects on the body — including altering brain structure and function."
Stress can actually shrink our brains, according to the neuroscientist.
She noted that exposure of the brain to stress hormones can cause the hippocampus — the part of the brain responsible for short-term memory — to shrink.
"The connections between neurons in the hippocampus become weaker, making it difficult to retain information," she quipped.
"Therefore, a chronically stressed person might have trouble keeping track of what they are doing or have a hard time remembering things."
Unfortunately for us, in our current COVID-normal lives, we're dealing with new and extra stressors that can make us even more forgetful.
From remembering to bring a face mask with us when we leave home, to keeping track of the changing restrictions, our brains are under extra pressure.
We also have to assess and be extra careful of new risks for everyday activities, such as going to the local shops or visiting loved ones.
All of these things can cause stress, which impacts our memory and causes us to forget things.
Stress can shrink our brains, leading to us forgetting things. Credit: Getty Images/Oksana Shufrych/EyeEm.
University of Western Sydney vice-chancellor's senior research fellow in cognitive neuroscience Dr Celia Harris said: "Everything has become a bit harder in the pandemic."
"This means that we are doing extra cognitive work all the time, and this acts like an extra load on our cognitive functioning that makes routine tasks more difficult and more likely to fail."
Many of us have even struggled to return to some pre-COVID routines.
Dr Landowski quipped: "Returning to work means returning to the stress of bumper-to-bumper traffic for the long commute home."
"It might mean risking the health of the family by potentially bringing COVID home from work [to] them."
There's no need to worry, however, as we can retrieve "lost" memories, according to Dr Adam Osth, senior lecturer in psychology at The University of Melbourne.
Dr Osth claimed that as we get used to new routines and return to old ones, our memories will most likely improve in time.
He explained: "Current theories of memory argue that memory is a function of the similarity between the conditions of remembering and the conditions in which memory was formed."
"In other words, when you're sad, it's easier to remember memories of when you're sad, but harder to remember memories [of] when you're happy."
This is the reason why it is harder for you to remember the more joyful moments of your life after you experienced continued stress.
"If someone is, instead, experiencing 'ups and downs' right now, their memories will fluctuate right along with that emotional rollercoaster," Dr Osth added.
"This may lead to some feelings like their memory is acting up. We expect that things that are forgotten should stay forgotten," Dr Osth says.
"But this is exactly consistent with how our memories work."
"The important thing is that being unable to remember something doesn't necessarily mean the memory is lost."
Meanwhile, Dr Landowski suggested some activities to improve your memory.
Certain activities can be done to boost brain performance. Credit: Getty Images/Thomas Winz.
The activities that were said to increase brain performance include exercising, sleeping, and socialising.
She explained: "By increasing blood flow to the body, exercise delivers more oxygen and nutrients to the brain, it releases feel-good endorphins and growth factors that support the growth of new neurons."
She emphasised that 150 minutes of "heart-pumping, sweat-inducing" exercise per week can do wonders to your brain.
"Socialising with people you like — especially when you engage in physical contact — releases a cocktail of neurotransmitters in your brain, which has an array of effects, including reducing the levels of the stress hormone cortisol," the neuroscientist added.
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