Hippocampus

There’s a tiny part of your brain that quietly decides what you remember… and what you forget.
It’s called the hippocampus — named after a seahorse because of its shape. This small structure sits deep inside your brain, but without it, memories cannot stick.
The hippocampus acts like your brain’s memory librarian. Every name, place, face, smell, or moment first passes through it before being stored long-term. Damage it, and you can live fully in the present… yet lose the ability to form new memories.
It’s also your internal GPS. The hippocampus helps you know where you are, how you got there, and how to find your way back. That’s why people with hippocampal damage often feel lost, even in familiar places.
Stress is its biggest enemy.
Chronic stress releases cortisol, which can shrink the hippocampus, affecting memory and learning. On the flip side, sleep, exercise, learning, and even meditation can help it grow stronger.
So next time you forget something, remember—
your hippocampus might just be asking for rest