Believe it or not, stress affects memory. Have you ever walked into a room and completely forgotten why you went in there?
Or remembered at 10 p.m. that you meant to send in that school form for your child?
If so, you’re not alone. These everyday slips are incredibly common, especially for busy parents. And there’s a reason they tend to happen more when life feels overwhelming.
In this blog post, I’ll explain how stress affects memory, what the research shows, and one simple way to support your family’s nervous system during stressful seasons like the school year and holidays.
Stress Affects Memory: What Is Prospective Memory?
The type of memory behind those “Wait, why did I come in here?” moments is called prospective memory.
It’s often described as “remembering to remember.” Prospective memory is what helps you remember to do something in the future, like:
- Signing a permission slip before the bus comes
- Picking up a prescription on the way home
- Reminding your child to pack their gym clothes
- Calling back the doctor’s office
It’s different from remembering facts or past events. Prospective memory depends on holding an intention in mind and then acting on it at the right moment. And, unfortunately, stress has a big impact on it.
How Stress Affects Memory: What the Research Shows
In one study, researchers followed college students before and during final exams. They found that students performed worse on prospective memory tasks during the high-stress exam period than they did at baseline. [1]
The researchers also used brain imaging to compare how memory-related areas of the brain communicated with each other at baseline and during that period of chronic stress. They focused on subregions of the hippocampus, a part of the brain that plays a key role in memory.
During the stressful period, the way these hippocampal regions connected with other parts of the brain shifted, and those changes were linked to the drop in prospective memory. [1]
Researchers used brain imaging to compare how memory-related areas of the brain communicated at baseline and during a period of chronic stress. Source: Chen et al., Scientific Reports, 2019.
In other words, stress doesn’t just make us feel frazzled. It can change how the brain’s memory networks work together, which helps explain why we’re more forgetful when we’re under pressure.
This study was done in young adults, but the takeaway applies to the whole family. Parents juggling work, schedules, and school deadlines feel it. And kids navigating tests, activities, and new routines feel it too.
Supporting the Nervous System During Stressful Seasons
Of course, we can’t eliminate every stressor from our lives. But we can support our nervous system so it’s better equipped to handle them.
One of the nutrients I recommend most often for this is magnesium.
Stress Affects Memory: Why Magnesium Matters
Magnesium is involved in over 300 enzyme reactions in the body. It supports nervous system regulation by promoting:
- Sleep
- A healthier stress response
- Muscle relaxation
- Healthy bowel motility
These benefits matter most when magnesium intake or status is low, which is more common than many people realize. Research suggests that nearly half of people in the U.S. don’t get enough magnesium from their diet. [2]
If sleep is a struggle in your house, you may also find my post on sleep support for kids with magnesium and GABA helpful.
HKHM Advanced Magnesium: Support for Stress and Memory
Because magnesium shortfalls are so common, I encourage families, both kids and adults, to add a high-quality magnesium supplement to their daily routine.
Our HKHM Advanced Magnesium contains three forms of magnesium for systemic absorption:
- Magnesium citrate
- Magnesium glycinate
- Magnesium malate
Using more than one form helps the body absorb and use magnesium throughout the body, rather than relying on a single type.
Every child is different, so I recommend asking your child’s healthcare provider whether magnesium will help them and what dose they should take. We also offer dosing instructions by age on our online store for HKHM Advanced Magnesium.
Helping Your Family Thrive This School Year
Forgetting why you walked into a room doesn’t mean something is wrong. Often, it’s a sign that your brain and nervous system are carrying a heavy load.
Supporting the nervous system with nutrients like magnesium is one simple step toward a calmer, more focused school year and holiday season for the whole family.
You can find HKHM Advanced Magnesium in my store, along with free shipping on U.S. supplement orders of $250 or more.
While you’re there, grab a copy of my new e-book, Constipated to Consistent!
If you’d like more guidance on next steps, whether that’s becoming a patient at Infinite Health, health coaching, or supplement questions, you can schedule a 15-minute informational call with our team.
References
- Chen J, Wei Z, Han H, et al. An Effect of Chronic Stress on Prospective Memory via Alteration of Resting-State Hippocampal Subregion Functional Connectivity. Sci Rep. 2019;9:19698. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-56111-9
- Rosanoff A, Weaver CM, Rude RK. Suboptimal magnesium status in the United States: are the health consequences underestimated? Nutr Rev. 2012;70(3):153-64. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22364157/
