Posted by How to Stimulate Your Memory After Anesthesia
Are you searching for information about how to reverse memory loss after anesthesia? Have you had surgery or know someone who has and needs help recovering safely? This article can help you with those questions and more.
If you’ve recently had surgery, you might be wondering how to remember what happened during your procedure and after you wake up from it. If so, these are the steps you should take to reverse memory loss after anesthesia
Know How Long It Takes for Your Body to Start Processing the Anesthesia
Once anesthetic is given, it takes several minutes for it to reach its peak level in your bloodstream. It can take one hour or more before your brain reaches its lowest level of alertness. While you’re under anesthesia, use that time to give instructions to your family members or caregivers about how you want them to care for you when you wake up.
If possible, write down any questions that might arise after surgery and direct them how and when they should ask for help from your doctors and nurses. That way, no matter what happens after surgery (unfortunately some patients never awaken) someone will be ready with answers and as much support as possible.
Practice Mindfulness Meditation
Meditation has been shown in studies to have a positive effect on memory, including long-term recall. And it only takes about 10 minutes a day. Before bedtime, take some time for yourself to relax and breathe deeply.
If you’re having trouble falling asleep, or staying asleep due to insomnia or anxiety, try a guided meditation; these work well because you can relax and simply listen as opposed to making active choices about how you feel or what your body is doing at any given moment (which can lead you back into worrying).
Find one that works for you, there are plenty of free apps out there and make it part of your daily routine so that over time it becomes an ingrained habit.
Take a Nap
When it comes to improving memory, there’s no more effective way than getting a good night’s sleep. Sleep deprivation impairs many different functions related to learning and memory.
Whether you’re prepping for surgery or just having a bad day, make sure that you get at least seven hours of sleep—otherwise, your memory will be seriously impaired. If you think you might need some extra help getting through those important last few hours of work, drink a cup of tea before bed, it may be able to help.
Visit Familiar Sceneries
Studies show that your memories are stored in specific regions of your brain. When you visit these places, you’re activating those memory centers and helping them stay sharp. One simple way: Visit familiar places regularly and create new experiences there, such as reading a book or magazine in a favorite café, or running a regular errand at a nearby store.
In some cases, psychologists say that simply imagining yourself in an experience is enough for it to be filed into your long-term memory. You don’t need to travel across town—just use your imagination.
Remembering where certain things are can also make you feel more secure about yourself and reduce anxiety about not being able to recall specific details later on down the road.
Listen to Familiar Sounds
In order to stimulate memories, you should listen to music that is familiar and provides a relaxing environment. It might help to have soothing music in your room before, during, and after surgery. This can also help with reducing anxiety that many people have before going into surgery.
Don’t expect these sounds will be played consistently during surgery though. Music can be played throughout various phases of an operation as they are needed. For example, you may hear soothing music while you are being put under anesthesia and also hear some familiar music right after waking up in recovery.
However, if things don’t go smoothly at any point during your operation (an emergency arises for example), other types of music will be played in order to create a less stressful atmosphere for everyone involved – including you.
Eat Healthy Foods
When it comes to your body and brain, what you eat can make a big difference. There are some foods that may actually help preserve your memory after surgery and others that can negatively affect you for days or weeks afterward.
Make sure you’re eating well before surgery, that way when you do wake up from anesthesia, your memory hasn’t already taken a hit from malnourishment. It’s important to eat high-quality foods so organic (if possible), to support healthy body functions (including brain function). Vitamin C is also essential, because low levels of vitamin C have been linked with cognitive impairment in seniors.
Talk With Friends, Family and Loved Ones
One of your first steps should be to talk with friends, family members and loved ones. Their help is invaluable when it comes to memory loss after anesthesia. Have them explain what happened during your surgery and how long you were under. Also, if you’re already on medications for memory problems, ask about those.
If not, consult a medical professional about starting one. With any luck, by understanding your memory issues and learning about possible remedies from lifestyle changes to medication, you’ll start making progress on reversing memory loss after anesthesia sooner rather than later.
How To Reverse Memory Loss After Anesthesia Conclusion
The goal of surgical anesthesia is to bring your body into a state of general anesthesia, meaning it will be rendered unconscious and unable to feel pain while still allowing your vital organs like heart and lungs continue functioning. However, there are many side effects that come with general anesthesia that you should be aware of before going under.
One of these effects is short-term memory loss, a temporary deficit that may or may not persist after your surgery ends. You can minimize or even reverse memory loss by keeping focused on what’s important and by practicing some basic lifestyle habits like staying physically active, eating right, getting enough sleep and reducing stress.
