Remembering 'stuff'

We all know that as we get older we forget things and find it more difficult to retrieve information from our brain's filing system.

As an example, we see a well really known actor on TV but can't remember his name so we go all through the rigmarole of going through the alphabet in our mind and saying things like 'I'm sure his name starts with G and there's an 'O' in in his surname.
Unless we Google it, an hour later and we are none the wiser so we forget all about it.

Then something strange happens.

The next time we think of the actor, his name comes to us instantly.

So what happened? Were we trying so hard to remember that our brain blocked it or did our brain continue to sift through it's filing system until it came up with the answer?

Re: Remembering 'stuff'

Oh, so not just me then...

Re: Remembering 'stuff'

No Barry, I'm sure we all do it.

Re: Remembering 'stuff'

Oh I'm the same it drives me mad , I have to stop thinking about it then the answer pops I from nowhere .

Re: Remembering 'stuff'

Odd isn't it. It happens a lot.

Any Neuropsychologists on here?

Re: Remembering 'stuff'

Menopause has made my mind so forgetful it's a chronic condition now, only bright side is as my husband helpfully pointed out if I got dementia he'd hardly notice

Re: Remembering 'stuff'

I find my memory is worse when I am with people and trying to remember things, when I can't my brain goes into panic mode and shuts down .

Yesterday I was talking on the telephone about house insurance and forgot my new email address though could remember the old one.

Re: Remembering 'stuff'

I wonder if it's all the passwords and things we have to remember causing some of this ? Previously people didn't have so much they had to remember. Cheque book you needed a signature card you need numbers, have more than one card and you are remembering several numbers. Real addresses you had to remember road and number rest you could work out, email addresses aren't even written in a way a brain thinks IMO

Re: Remembering 'stuff'

I find if I ponder on it then I simply won't get the answer, but if I put it to the back of my mind the answer will suddenly pop into my mind.

Re: Remembering 'stuff'

I know what you mean Meg. Not that it happens to me in a group of people but sometimes you feel as though your brain is purposely stopping you from remembering something.