Hello, everyone.
This is Enta.
I had the chance to go back to Kagoshima for a bit the other day.
I just got together with some of my classmates and younger classmates for the first time in a while.
There were even some guys I hadn't seen in decades, so it was a lot of fun, lol.
That's when something really intriguing happened.
One of my classmates told the same story three times, lol.
The first time, I just listened and thought, “Oh, really?”
The second time, I thought, "Huh? Didn't you just say that?"
By the third time it happened, I couldn't help but think, "Isn't this a little crazy?!" lol
He is completely unaware of that fact.
Plus, the story is exactly the same, and the characters look exactly the same, lol.
It's kind of funny, but not really—you know what I mean? lol
The moment I realized, “Wait, me too?”
I was laughing, actually, at first.
But on the flight home, it suddenly occurred to me.
“…Lately, I’ve been having trouble remembering people’s names, too… I forget them the moment I call them… I mean, what do I even remember??”
I feel like I'm saying "Um... what was that again?" more and more on the job, lol.
Things like the names of tools and part numbers for materials.
It always happens that the moment I pick up the phone, I think, “Wait, what was I going to ask again?”
This isn't really funny, is it? (Seriously, conversations between middle-aged guys are just one "that" and "this" after another...)
I was making fun of my classmate, but it turns out I'm slowly heading in that direction myself lol
So, is this just “aging”?
Or is there some other reason?
I got curious, so I started looking into it lol
"Forgetting" Isn't Just a Sign of Aging. What's Happening in the Brain?
Look it up online and check out the results lol
"Memory" is the brain'sHippocampusApparently, it's located in that area.
There's a small organ in the brain that looks like an octopus.
Apparently, it plays a role in temporarily "storing" new information and converting it into long-term memory.
In practical terms, it’s like, “Make a note of the slump value for the ready-mix concrete truck, and fill it in on the paperwork later.”
The hippocampus serves as that "temporary memory center."
So, what happens to this as we get older?
The number of neurons in the hippocampus gradually decreases each year after a person turns 40.
*Research Report on Aging and Brain Changes by the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology
If there are fewer “temporary note-takers,” notes will naturally fall through the cracks.
I just can't seem to remember what we were talking about a moment ago.
So, I'm going to repeat what I just said.
You can't blame your classmates, can you?
This is actually about how the brain works.
"Forgetfulness" and "dementia" are two different things
Here's a pretty wild story, lol.
"Repeating the same story does not necessarily mean dementia."
Medically speaking, there are the following differences.
[Age-Related Memory Loss]
If someone points out, “Wait, did I just say that?” I can think, “Oh, I might have!”
The experience itself remains. It's just that the "timing of the record" is off.
[Memory Impairment Due to Dementia (Alzheimer's Disease, etc.)]
The very fact that "I said it" has disappeared.
In many cases, even when you point it out, they deny it, saying, “No, I didn’t say that!”
The experience itself isn't remembered.
In my classmate's case, he laughed and said, "Oh, was that right? lol," so yeah, it's the first one lol.
However,Both situations have one thing in common: "doing nothing" is the worst option.I am.
It's Not Just Aging. Field Work May Be Affecting Memory
What really struck a chord with me personally was the realization that memory loss isn't just a result of aging.
If anything,Lifestyle and Work EnvironmentApparently, that has a major impact.
Specifically, it seems these are the factors involved.
① Chronic sleep deprivation
Memory consolidation and retention occur during sleep.
Memory transfer from the hippocampus to the cerebral cortex occurs particularly during "non-REM sleep (deep sleep)."
If you don't get enough sleep, this transfer process will be incomplete.
*"Sleep and Memory"*
We start early in the morning on site.
It's not uncommon to wake up at 5 a.m.
So sometimes I stay up until 11 or 12 at night, thinking about the logistics for the shoot!?
No wonder my memory is getting worse.
② Chronic Stress and Fatigue
It is known that prolonged elevated levels of the stress hormone (cortisol) can damage nerve cells in the hippocampus.
The pressure on-site, schedule management, the weather, quality, safety, coordinating the workers… If you had to handle all of that by yourself, the stress would be overwhelming, wouldn’t it?
Especially the director!!
③ Lack of exercise
It is known that exercise stimulates the growth of new neurons in the hippocampus.
*Increase in hippocampal volume due to aerobic exercise
There are actually a lot of people who use their bodies on the job but don’t consider it “exercise.”
Aerobic exercise is important.
It seems that just "lifting heavy things and walking" isn't enough,
It seems that doing vigorous aerobic exercise triggers the release of substances that promote the growth of brain neurons.
Telling the Same Story Three Times—What's Behind It!?
He's an office worker now, and he seemed pretty busy.
He doesn't seem to get much sleep, drinks in moderation, and doesn't really seem to exercise.
This isn't just a matter of age.
"The result of long-standing lifestyle habits"But I think it's coming up as a memory issue.
So, I couldn't bring myself to say, "Didn't I just say that?" right then and there lol
I just went along with it, reading the room, lol.
But once I get back, I’ll write about how “this isn’t just someone else’s problem—it affects me, too” in my next post.
Specifically, what helps improve memory?
What are some measures I can take even while working on-site?
It’s never too late, even in your 40s and 50s—I’ll post the results of my proper research next time! lol
Don't you know anyone like that?
That old guy who keeps repeating the same story over and over... lol
See you later.
