"Why Did I Walk Into This Room?"

You confidently walk into the kitchen.

You stop.

You stare.

And suddenly you have absolutely no idea why you're there.

Don't worry. Your brain probably isn't falling apart.

There's actually a name for something similar to this phenomenon: the doorway effect.

Your brain is constantly organizing life into little mental "events." Sitting at your desk is one event. Getting up is another. Walking into the kitchen creates another. When you cross into a new environment, your brain may essentially update the mental file it's currently working from.

Occasionally, the reason you got up gets left in the previous file.

Hence the classic walk back into the other room followed by:

"OH! That's what I needed."

But There's Another Side to It

These little mental glitches can become more noticeable when your brain has too many tabs open.

Poor sleep, stress, constant notifications, multitasking, rushing from one responsibility to another, and rarely giving yourself a quiet moment all compete for your attention.

Your brain is remarkably capable, but attention is not unlimited.

Sometimes what feels like a memory problem is really an attention problem. You can't remember something very well if your brain never fully registered it in the first place.

Give Your Brain Some Breathing Room

You don't need an elaborate "brain health" routine.

Get enough sleep. Move your body. Spend some time outside. Put the phone down occasionally. Do one thing at a time when you can. And allow yourself a few minutes each day when absolutely nothing is demanding your attention.

Boredom isn't always bad for you.

Sometimes your brain could simply use fewer tabs open.

And the next time you walk into a room and completely forget why you're there?

Don't panic.

Stand there for a second.

It'll probably come back to you.

...probably!

Yours in good health,

Dr. Orozco