Q. We take in so much information. Why do we forget it and where does it go?

A. A very good question—and a challenge to answer! Current estimates are that the brain takes in about 10-11 million bits of sensory data per second from the body and the environment. The sensory systems in the brain are said to be able to decode 10,000 bits of sensory data per second. The conscious thought portion of the brain involving about 20 percent of the cells, can decode only about 50 bits of that information per second. The other bits remain in the subconscious—at least for a while. The brain seems programmed to forget irrelevant details and focus on what it thinks will help you make good decisions in the real world. Perhaps this is because the brain appears to have unlimited capacity for concepts and ideas but limited long-term memory banks for “rote memorization.” (Quite frankly, I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone whose memory banks for rote memorization had reached capacity.) Some suggest that it is better to memorize WHERE to get needed information than to try to rote-memorize all the information itself—especially as fast as information is being generated! Consolidation is the label for the process the brain goes through to decide what information to keep and what to dump. If the brain believes the information is important—based on what you tell it and its tracking of your individual history, it will move the information into long-term memory. Banks. The rest is purged. Poof. Consolidation occurs during sleep, so if the brain becomes sleep deprived, consolidation may not occur and some of what you might prefer to have retained is lost. Information that was loaded from Adverse Childhood Experiences or ACEs involving mental, physical, emotional, or sexual trauma–-especially if it occurred prior to the easy use of language—may be buried so deeply in the brain’s subconscious, it may be recalled only as pictures or feelings or sensations. Some deeply buried memories (say of a difficult birth experience) may be recalled only with the help of a skilled therapist—if at all.