What to Do When Memory Lapses Raise Concern
Author: Rany Aburashed, DO
Published On: September 23, 2025
If you’re noticing more slip-ups than usual, such as forgetting why you walked into a room or losing track of a recent conversation, you may be wondering: Why is this happening?
Occasional memory lapses, such as misplacing your phone or missing an appointment, usually aren’t cause for alarm. However, consistent issues — such as repeating questions or forgetting how to complete familiar tasks — often warrant closer attention.
The key difference lies in frequency and whether daily life is being disrupted.
Read on to learn how to distinguish between normal lapses and concerning changes, simple ways to support your memory health, and when you should act early.
What Is a Memory Lapse?
A memory lapse is a temporary failure to remember information or complete a task. These lapses can involve different types of memory.
- Working or short-term memory refers to holding information just long enough to use it, such as remembering a phone number until you dial it.
- Long‑term memory involves recalling stored information, such as a childhood event.
- Prospective memory is how you remember to carry out future tasks, like taking medication at the right time.
Lapses may occur because information wasn’t fully encoded in the first place, or because the brain has trouble retrieving it later.
What Can Cause Memory Lapses?
Not all memory lapses come from the same place. Some are tied to daily habits, others to health issues, and some to changes that happen naturally with age.
The key is knowing which ones can be improved with small adjustments and which require a closer look.
Everyday Causes
Stress, poor sleep, and constant multitasking often make it harder to focus and recall details. Even simple factors like dehydration, alcohol use, or too much late-night screen time can affect memory.
What helps: Protect your sleep, stay hydrated, and give your brain a break by focusing on one task at a time. These simple shifts can noticeably sharpen recall.
Health-Related Causes
Certain conditions can interrupt memory more directly. Common medical issues that can affect your memory include:
- Sleep apnea
- Head injuries
- Hormone changes during menopause
- Chronic pain
- High blood pressure or diabetes
- Low vitamin B12
- Thyroid problems
What helps: Ask your doctor about a medication review and basic lab work. Identifying and treating sleep disorders, nutrient deficiencies, or underlying health issues can restore clarity.
Age and Cognitive Changes
As we get older, it’s normal to forget names or take longer to recall words occasionally. While this type of forgetfulness is expected, more severe changes could be cause for concern.
This stage is where Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) comes in, which is often considered the gray zone between normal aging and dementia.
People with MCI experience more frequent memory problems than peers, but not severe enough to significantly interfere with daily living.
Key Differences:
- Normal aging: occasional lapses, no significant impact on independence, stable over time
- MCI: noticeable lapses, some effects on complex tasks, may progress slowly
- Dementia: persistent and worsening lapses, clear disruption of daily life, progressive decline
When to Seek Help
If memory lapses are frequent, worsening, or interfering with daily responsibilities, it may be time to talk with a healthcare provider.
Here are steps you can take to learn if your forgetfulness is a sign of something more:
- Keep a memory log. Write down what happened, when, and under what circumstances. This helps identify patterns with memory issues
- Schedule a check‑in with your doctor. Share your log and ask about reversible causes such as sleep problems, medications, or vitamin deficiencies.
- Ask about cognitive screening. Tools like MoCA or MMSE can provide a baseline of your memory health.
- Review lifestyle factors. Prioritize consistent sleep, balanced nutrition, physical activity, and stress management.
- Explore proactive testing. Neurogen offers biomarker insights and at‑home digital tracking to catch changes early and guide prevention.
Taking these steps provides clarity and peace of mind, and ensures that if memory lapses are a sign of something more, you’ll be prepared to act quickly and effectively.
FAQs About Memory Lapses
What is a memory lapse?
A memory lapse is a brief moment of forgetfulness, such as forgetting an appointment or misplacing an item. Lapses are common and usually not cause for concern.
What can cause lapses in memory?
Stress, fatigue, poor sleep, or distraction often trigger breaks in recall. Health issues such as vitamin deficiencies, thyroid problems, or certain medications can also play a role.
What’s the difference between dementia and memory lapses?
Memory lapses are occasional and minor, while dementia is persistent, disrupts daily life, and worsens over time.
Are memory lapses normal with age?
Occasional forgetfulness is expected as we age, but frequent or disruptive lapses are not and should be checked.
Can anxiety or depression cause memory lapses?
Yes. Mood disorders can interfere with focus and recall, but addressing the underlying condition often helps.
How Neurogen Helps You Preserve Your Memory Health
While occasional lapses are common, specific patterns may be early indicators of Alzheimer’s disease. Struggling with familiar tasks, frequently getting lost in well-known places, or showing sudden changes in judgment and behavior are more than everyday slip-ups.
At Neurogen, we believe knowledge is power when it comes to brain health.
By offering biomarker insights, at-home testing, and live neurologist guidance, we empower you to take action before minor lapses develop into more significant concerns.
Protect your or a loved one’s memory health by joining the Neurogen ecosystem today!
