Memory Retention and Forgetting

Memories decay rapidly within the first two hours of learning, with about a 40% loss in retention. The forgetting curve eases over time, with the most forgetting typically occurring within the first day. It is recommended to recall learned information before sleep and upon waking, striking a balance between allowing forgetting to occur but not to the extent that memory is completely lost. People often fear forgetting and associate it with age-related memory decline; however, the inability to recall information does not necessarily mean it is lost but rather temporarily inaccessible. The retrieval of memories can be triggered by sensory experiences, such as music or scents, evoking forgotten memories unexpectedly.