Ask HN: I think I'm losing my memory, is lack of sleep a cause?

I'm struggling to get enough sleep per night and find myself feeling more tired waking up than going to bed. I am getting about 5 hours or less of sleep per night. I am forgetting people and some simple facts around my situation (like the color of my car [not gold, silver] ). If I can get some sleep thearapy of some kind is this reversable? I feel like my mind has been a kind of FIFO buffer where old knowlege is being destroyed as I absorb new information. I'm on the other end of a major life change (loss of a parent) and I've had to depend on my mom for routine and a sense of purpose (elderly care). People know me and I don't know them. I was working on an ambitous project but now it seems hopeless that I can complete it with my ability to concentrate such that it is. If this sounds familiar maybe airing this out can serve as a warning to others that are going down a similar path, especially if it is too late. I'm 41 years old and suffer from a mental illness. Thank you for your perspective.