It is quite common that a lot of us have experienced this one way or another, where you would feel like your brain is failing you at the most unnecessary and inconvenient times. An example is, when you are in a hurry and you want to get something from your room but then the moment you enter you have no idea why you went there. Another scenario would be you looking for glasses for a long 5 minutes, only to find them on your head.
I experience this a lot more than I would like, there are times when I would be addressing a point and I would stop mid-sentence because now I have forgotten what I was supposed to say next, it is both embarrassing and frustrating because why am I losing my mind?
Health experts have an explanation as to why this happens and what it is, they call it a mental lapse but we know it as a brain fart. According to Very Well Mind, these instances are frequently just a typical aspect of brain function and tend to get worse when you are bored, anxious, or preoccupied.
These are some of the reasons behind a mental lapse:
Attention: Adolescent and mental health expert, Dr Caroline Fenkel states that when your attention is divided between many things, such as when you are multitasking, that can lead to forgetful moments, as cognitive resources become stretched, causing autopilot actions and a lack of focus.
Stress: The above mental expert also mentions that stress increases the likelihood of mental mistakes due to the brain prioritising immediate concerns over less urgent tasks. “Because your brain is distracted by other worries, you’re less able to concentrate on the information you need in the present moment.”
Sleep deprivation: According to Health Ph360, sleep deprivation negatively impacts the body and brain, as your energy is mostly spent on keeping you awake and on survival, reducing functions like digestion and brain function. the publication therefore explains that if this is your life then your brain is bound to malfunction and you will experience mental lapses here and there.
Age: “The retrieval process of the brain becomes less efficient with age. Our neurons don’t fire at the same rate they used to and our reactionary thinking slows down,” states the health publication above. It is said that an example of this would be when parents would go through a list of siblings, cousins, and pets before identifying the person they are calling for.
Also see: How safe are brain boosters?
