Before you leave, walk to the kitchen, but then you can’t remember what you were looking for there, only to find out half a day later what you forgot! How come you forget things when you walk through the door?
As mad as a hatter
Now you don’t have to worry about dementia: you just quickly forget things when you walk through a doorway. Scientists from the University of Notre Dame (USA) realized this phenomenon and have been conducting research since 2006. They found that if you walk from one room to another, specifically through a doorway, you are more likely to lose your thoughts. And then you stand there in the kitchen, wondering what you even came to do.
Memory folders
The scientists discovered that you link thoughts to the space you are in. Think in folders: you will have a living room folder, but also a snack folder or a bedroom folder. When you enter another room, you change memory folders, causing you to forget what you wanted to grab. Other scientists said this is not always the case. For example, subjects had to think exclusively about the thought they did not want to lose, and thus they forgot as much as normal, which was not due to openings. That makes a lot of sense, because the door is of course not a magical mind-erasing portal.
Show oblivion the door
How do you get your memory back? You’ve probably heard it and tried it before: walk back to the room you were in when the thought occurred to you. What did you want to do in the bathroom? Remember it well this time, otherwise you will keep walking back and forth. Repeat the task to yourself, in your head or out loud. It may seem a bit crazy, but it ensures that you don’t have to take a beep test.
Stick behind the door
Do you never want to forget anything when you walk through an opening? The very best solution is to demolish all openings in the house and turn it into a kind of studio. An open floor plan is all the rage these days, so you are also a trend follower. Don’t forget to take out the front and back doors, although you will need to stock up on some extra sweaters in the winter.
