By Laurie Larson
Have you ever felt like someone was pumping dry ice up your nostrils and into your brain? Did you find it difficult to focus and concentrate because everything felt kind of… foggy?
You may be victim to brain fog.
What is brain fog?
WebMD defines “brain fog” as any time you have trouble remembering things, you lack mental clarity, you’re doing a poor job of concentrating or you can’t focus.
People might describe it as being in a haze or feeling separated from things happening around you. If you find yourself re-doing work, losing time or looking at people straight in the face without understanding a word they’re saying, you could be suffering from brain fog.
Thankfully, there are ways to clear the fog so our brains get back to efficiently humming along for work, communicating and capably handling life’s daily challenges. Addressing your brain fog starts with understandings it’s roots.
Why you have brain fog
Brain fog is something that comes along in the wake of other illnesses or stress. We can suffer from brain fog when we’re tired, taking certain medications or depressed.
Brain fog can signal some trouble with inflammation in our body or changes in our blood sugar levels. You may feel the weird haze if you suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome, anemia, diabetes, hypothyroidism, arthritis or multiple sclerosis.
Did you know cancer patients often experience “chemo brain” and forget things after their treatments? The chemotherapy is that strong at killing things inside of our body. Also, interestingly enough, both pregnant woman and older women in the midst of menopause can struggle to remember things and to concentrate due to their specific hormone changes.
How to combat brain fog
While treating brain fog can be as simple as making a few lifestyle changes, it may also indicate there are larger issues at play. There is no medication to treat it. You should take it seriously. It may be a symptom of something much more serious. Here’s what you can do:
Improve your sleep
Sleep and mental and physical health are strongly intertwined. For example, science shows that sleep is just as important as diet and exercise to maintaining good health.
Get more sleep, more often, with more emphasis on keeping a consistent bedtime to help clear the fog. If you improve your sleep habits and you’re still waking up to change positions or because you’re sore or in pain, you likely need to change or update your sleep environment. You need to take a hard look at your mattress. If you’ve had it at least seven years and it’s causing those issues, it’s time for an upgrade. Your sleep is worth the investment.
Manage stress
Your mental acuity will suffer when you don’t manage stress. Stress drains your body—possibly leading to high blood pressure and a weakened immune system—and your mind—possibly leading to depression. You can’t function stacked up against unrelenting stress.
Examine how you approach your work and your home life. Are you shortchanging enjoyable pursuits, which can fill up your cup, to fulfill your work ambitions, which can drain your cup? Practice mindful meditation. Get into yoga. Cut your caffeine intake. Turn off the electronics. Stop and take time to look your partner, kids, family, friends in the eye. Go outside for sunshine and get more Vitamin D into your system. Anything to put some distance between you and soul-sapping stress.
Fix your diet
Put down the processed foods. Pick up the B-12. OK, this is just good advice for every part of your life—increasing your energy, maintaining a healthy weight and avoiding brain fog. Refined sugars show up in processed foods like sweets, sodas, pastas, white bread and more.
While Vitamin B12 deficiency is rare, B12 keeps your nerve and blood cells healthy and prevents anemia that makes people tired and weak. Beef, tuna, salmon and eggs are high in B12. Supplements work. Your doctor may also give you a shot of it in the office if you agree it might help.
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The end goal is to clear your mind so you can focus, so you can concentrate and so you can remember the things you need to remember.
Remember to treat brain fog seriously. Talk to a doctor about what may be causing it.
About the Author:
Laurie Larson is a freelance writer based in NC. She writes on home, health, and lifestyle topics.
