Some aspects of memory get better as we age

I've noticed as I've gotten older that I can remember people's names as I first meet them. When I was younger, the name would fade within seconds. But something changed and now whatever mnemonics I used to remember names seem to now happen automatically. So if you have anxiety about that kind of stuff related to interpersonal interaction, don't worry, it gets easier.

If I had to pick a reason why, I think it's because I see the world now more through other people's eyes. So certain behaviors become easier as empathy improves. Almost like, remembering someone's name is less important because I already care how their day went or whatever, so asking them to remind me again what their name is, is more of an afterthought than a crisis. With the pressure off, remembering it just happens.

On the other hand, I've acquired a small degree of something like dyslexia, so sentence structure doesn't just automatically fall into place like it used to. I also sometimes accidentally swap words like "their" and "they're", which literally never happened once in decades. I think my brain shifted gears from being pedantic to letting the small stuff slide. But I think my disposition is more at ease now, so I'm not sure that I'd go back.

Since we're doing opinion pieces:

I have seen first hand from family and relatives who are well in their 70s and 80s what good memory is like. Uncanny ability to recall dates, times and conversations at the drop of a hat that occurred anywhere from last week to decades ago.

Though I've never felt like I've had an above average memory, I've been told many times I do. One thing I have noticed is that as of the last few years, my memory over all has improved. I can better remember what things look like, sound like, smell like. The most vague and abstract of sounds can set off a reaction of memories that feels like reminiscing to some degree, and yet the trigger sound has very little, if anything in common with the actual memory. If I try hard enough, I can pull out a very long-term memory from seemingly nowhere.

I hope this stays, but hearing intelligent and active people developing Alzheimer's is something that always saddens.

I've never had anyone in my family with dementia, alzheimers, etc., but as I'm approach 50 I'm finding that there are times that I know that I know the word for something, but I can't recall what the word is without a lot of effort (and sometimes a google search). I haven't bothered to look up if that is common, mostly because I don't want to find out that it is common - but only for people that are experiencing early-onset something.

I always felt it was more like there was more to search through, so now searches took longer kind of feeling. Not that the memory was worse but that there was often more of a pause before finding the words.

I wonder if this explains why my grandfather would go on and on about the war (II) as if it happened yesterday.