What will happen when you get older? Will you have trouble remembering things? Do you already have trouble? Are you stressed about it?Stressing out about it isn't going to do any good. Literally. I read an article today that said stress releases a hormone called cortisol, which kills brain cells in the hippocampus (I think that was the campus where I lived during my college years--it was totally hip). This is the area of your brain where your "episodic memory" is stored.
So prolonged or frequent stress can lead to memory loss.
But here is the thing. It is said we only use 10% of our brain. I like to think of that 10% as a thriving metropolis, like New York City (and I'm the mayor). But as in NYC, there are brain cell murders going on, and drive-by shootings by the "Stress Gang." So if I started getting low on virtual memory, why wouldn't I get on Amazon.com and order some new cells from the suburbs of my brain (the 90%) that aren't being used, to be delivered into my memory center in the heart of my city? I mean, really, what are those brain cells in my suburbs doing, anyway?
Nothing.
So I did a little research and found out the brain cells I'm not currently using are all part of a National Park System in my brain, and they cannot be used for any other purpose. My brain is made up of 10% city, and 90% National Park.
Just my luck.
What are your brain suburbs doing?
Editor's Note: Melanie Sherman is aware that the 10% of the Brain myth is an urban legend. It is just that she has trouble remembering that.
