I'm A Neurologist: Here Are 3 Surprising Things You Should Know About Memory 

Here's what we generally know about memory: It tends to worsen as you age, which means it's important to keep it in tiptop shape while you're young (bring on the brain-supporting foods and mind teasers). But as neurologist and Alzheimer's researcher Scott Small, M.D., tells us on this episode of the mindbodygreen podcast, a few underrated factors can affect your memory—and they don't receive as much attention. 

Hear us out: Having a "bad" memory can actually be good for your brain. Of course, a strong memory is crucial for cognition, but according to Small, "You need memory and forgetting to work in balance to sculpt your cognitive abilities, your creative abilities, and your emotional well-being." In other words? As important as it is to remember the details, sometimes it's good to forget. 

For example, Small discusses the importance of forgetting in the context of trauma. When your brain is unable to "forget" the emotional stress of a certain event, that's how post-traumatic stress disorder can arise. "That disorder is fundamentally because your emotional memory is off-kilter," he says. "You need to forget some of the emotional valence of those memories; otherwise, you might not be able to function [in everyday life]." 

Add it to the growing list of reasons why sleep is imperative for overall health: Sleep is critical for a healthy memory (are you surprised?). In fact, "one of the main purposes of sleep is to trim down our memories," says Small. 

See, your brain encounters countless pieces of information every single day—most of which is extraneous and unnecessary (things you don't even realize you're processing). "Your brain is very good at remembering a thousand details, and most of them are not really critical for your life," he adds. Small compares these memories to an overgrown field: When you sleep, you're "mowing" and "shaping" the lawn to trim down the excess—as a result, the field as a whole becomes healthier (meaning, your brain can better remember the more important items). 

Meaningful social connections are also crucial for overall well-being, but in the context of memory, Small says building relationships can dial down fear memories3 (aka, the emotional memories associated with fear that are formed in the hippocampus and amygdala).