Memory & Sleep & Something Else But Can't Remember

So this is a quick post, coming after having had a poor sleep for nearly a week. Our little boy got sick with a virus, and had a rash and joint swelling. Poor little guy couldn't walk with the pain, and he hardly slept. Lots of crying (him, not us...). He is feeling better, and my wife is staying home today and tomorrow to be with him. Poor little guy.

I've been sick myself. Another accursed headache this morning - I've popped some Tylenol.

Like a lot of experiential knowledge, you just don't know until you know, but this I feel exquisitely this morning: lack of sleep exacerbates memory problems. And all the more so if you have ADHD, i.e. where you have a pre-existing memory condition. I write about working memory deficits elsewhere in this blog.

"[...]adults with ADHD are thought to have deficits of working memory as exemplified by less ability to attend to, encode, and manipulate information. Such deficits in working memory may decrease the ability to filter out distractions, which contribute to further symptoms of inattention in adults with ADHD."

I forgot to put the recycling out this morning. I haven't forgotten in a LONG while. I forgot a bunch of things and have been procrastinating getting things done. Admittedly, it is hard to do work, and cross off to-do list items when you're taking care of a little one, so I'm not being too hard on myself there... but the memory thing is quite tangible today. I am going to keep my notebook with me at all times today (my personal 5" by 7" paper notebook in which I record to-do items and notes).

I will return to writing shortly - hope all is well in your world,

Cheers,

Mungo

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