Brain Fog: What is it? How can it be prevented?

Brain fog is not a medical condition. It’s a term used for certain symptoms that can affect your ability to think. You may feel confused or disorganized or find it hard to focus or put your thoughts into words. Although brain fog sounds vague and temporary research is beginning to show that it can affect some people for months and take over many aspects of life. Brain fog tends to affect executive function — a set of skills that are essential for planning, organizing information, following directions and multitasking, among other things.

Symptoms of Brain Fog

Brain fog symptoms may include difficulty with cognitive functions such as:

1. Focusing on a thought or idea
2. Remembering things
3. Multi-tasking
4. Following conversations
5. Paying attention to your surroundings
6. Brain fog can also cause symptoms like headaches and mental exhaustion.

Causes

Brain fog can be a symptom of a nutrient deficiency, sleep disorder, bacterial overgrowth from over-consumption of sugar, depression, or even a thyroid condition. Other common brain fog causes include eating too much and too often, inactivity, not getting enough sleep, chronic stress, and a poor diet. Let’s take a look at how sleep problems, depression and anxiety, and medication can cause brain fog.

Sleep Problems

Chronic sleep problems can impact energy levels and brain function, which can cause foggy brain. You need sleep to help your brain work the way it should, but too much can make you feel foggy, too. Aim for 7 to 9 hours. To get good rest at bedtime, you may want to avoid caffeine and alcohol after lunch or right before bedtime and keep the computer and smartphone out of your bedroom. It also can help to get to bed and wake up at the same time every day.

Depression and Anxiety

The causes of brain fog and depression are complex. It can be due to a traumatic experience, or sometimes there’s a family history of depression. Depression causes reduced cognitive functions, including our working memory, long-term memory, and ability to focus. When we’re forgetful or having trouble making decisions, we’re more likely to suffer from that feeling of brain fog. Researchers are still studying the link between depression and brain fog. Some factors that may contribute to the development of depressive symptoms include:

1. Family history of depression. You may be more likely to develop depression if someone in your family has dealt with depression or another serious mental health issue.
2. Stressful events or trauma. Stressful events – such as losing a loved one and sustained trauma in childhood – have been linked to depression into the teen and adult years.
3. Substance abuse. Smoking, alcohol use, and drug use are all linked to increased rates of major depressive disorder in adolescents. Substance abuse is also known to impair our senses and memory.

Medication

Some kinds of drugs, over-the-counter and prescribed, can cause brain fog. If you take medicine and notice that your thinking isn’t as clear as it should be or you suddenly can’t remember things, call your doctor. Be sure to let them know all the medications you take. It is suspected that sensitivity to some chemicals (both natural and artificial) can also cause brain fog.

Treatment and Prevention?

To help clear brain fog, Andrew E. Budson of Harvard Health recommends the following:

1. Perform aerobic exercise. This will help improve brain health, perhaps just two to three minutes a few times a day. It’s generally recommended you work toward 30 minutes a day, five days a week.
2. Have a healthy diet. Fruits and vegetables, nuts and beans, and whole grains have been proven to improve thinking, memory. and brain health.
3. Avoid alcohol and drugs.
4. Sleep well. Sleep is a time when the brain and body can clear out toxins and work toward healing. Make sure you give your body the sleep it needs.
5. Participate in social activities.
6. Some research suggests that an adequate intake of vitamin supplements may help maintain or improve cognitive function.
7. If you’re having memory problems, it can help to plan and pace your day, have a daily routine that works well for you, and use reminder apps or Post-it notes if needed to write important information down.

If symptoms persist you will need to visit a specialist.