All your mental energy becomes devoted to the stressors, and you feel foggy when you try to focus on something else. Eating foods containing gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye, has been linked to brain fog in people who have non-celiac gluten sensitivity, according to a 2020 study published in PLOS One. The list of things that have brain fog as a symptom is so long it couldn’t be written in one article, and only your doctor can help you pinpoint yours. Brain fog can be caused by lifestyle and environmental factors or by an underlying medical condition. But while it’s frustrating that what is mush brain more people are being affected by it, it has brought the brain fog conversation into the mainstream. It’s gaining broader acceptance and understanding, says Dr. Kaiser.
Study greener
Sometimes the best things is to distract yourself — then refocus. “Chatter zooms us in on the problem and makes it hard for us to think rationally or objectively,” Kross says. It can also harm our relationships by causing us to displace negative emotions onto others, or simply, overwhelm people with our outward negativity. Chatter, Kross explains, arises most often when you find yourself perseverating on a problem. “You can’t stop thinking about a problem and the way you’re thinking about it isn’t improving the way that you actually feel and doesn’t allow you to move on with your life,” Kross says.
What else causes brain fog?
Over time, microglial neuroinflammation can become pretty serious — once it begins to affect the brain permanently, it’s one of the key biological markers of dementia. Viruses, injuries, aging, and more can cause neuroinflammation, but so can stress, she says. By harnessing technology and incorporating targeted interventions, we can enhance the brain’s natural intuitive functions, leading to improved attention, decision-making, and overall well-being. Emerging technologies like neurofeedback and brain stimulation can further enhance intuitive abilities. Neurofeedback trains individuals to alter brain activity patterns, leading to improvements in attention and decision-making.
Stay active during the day
These changes may be easy to implement, but they can take a bit of time to become part of your routine properly. If you notice any of these brain fog symptoms in you or someone you know, then try not to worry, as you might be able to manage it yourself from the comfort of your own home. In this article, we‘ll look at what brain fog is, what causes it, how you can manage brain fog yourself, and when to see a GP about your brain fog symptoms. So while brain fog can be utterly debilitating and demoralizing, the situation is not hopeless.
Though challenging at first, the fog gradually lifted, and clarity returned. Did you know that making simple lifestyle changes sooner rather than later can help you lower your risk of dementia? Most of us are aware of the myriad benefits of regularly getting a good night’s sleep, but continual poor quality sleep could induce brain fog that is difficult to manage.
Some people experience this condition on a persistent basis, and it may affect their ability to live their daily lives or cause serious disability. As a general rule, when we’re in a better mood, our mental performance tends to improve, in part due to feeling more energised and motivated. One implication of that is that anything you can do to improve your mood will likely have knock on benefits for your mental alertness, from meeting a friend for a chat to taking a walk in the countryside.
- Cognitive symptoms like brain fog can be especially common for women in menopause due to hormonal changes.
- When we mindfully work on one thing at a time, we can concentrate far better and often enter a state of flow.
- Many of these changes might be able to help balance your hormones and reduce symptoms like brain fog.
- Indeed, exercise is a well-known mood-booster–aim for a moderate intensity that is fun but not overly arduous.
Improve sleep hygiene
‘Starting at screens a lot can cause you to go into foveal vision too much. This is when you are only focused on the thing right in front of you. Rebecca says it’s important to give yourself time to reset, and to not try to push yourself too far. Look for the spots in your family’s routine where you can make tweaks to your multitasking habits, and your brain will thank you.
- For example, you may forget you already made a cup of tea, or you might find it particularly difficult to pay attention during meetings or conversations.
- Brain fog is a temporary condition that can make it difficult for you to concentrate, recall or retain information, and complete tasks.
- I have recently discovered why brain fog could lead to poor time perception.
- You’ll be glad to hear that research shows that having some fun playing sports, walking with friends, and sweating without fretting, sharpens your cognition.
“Fluorescent molecules in the cerebrospinal fluid had one wavelength, blood had another wavelength, and norepinephrine had yet another wavelength,” Hauglund says. Her study found the glymphatic clearance was mediated by a hormone called norepinephrine and happened almost exclusively during the NREM sleep phase. Anesthesia and sleeping pills shut this process down nearly completely.
When To Call the Doctor
Write the 7-8 steps you need to take to achieve your goal and keep it visible. If I complete this task four times a week, I get a pamper session as a reward. As my primary caregivers, Joel and Sam have devised different ways of hurrying me along without making me feel babied. Sam often says, “We’re not going to chat now, as we’ve got to….”
Dopamine sharpens focus and enhances attention, enabling rapid information processing. Substance abuse Serotonin regulates mood and social behavior, contributing to well-being—essential factors for intuitive decision-making. Optimal serotonin levels promote cognitive flexibility and creativity, necessary for generating novel insights. If your days are made difficult by forgetfulness, mental exhaustion, and a persistent fuzzy feeling in your head, then it’s likely you’ve stumbled across the term ‘brain fog’. Addressing the lifestyle factors Brennan identifies as triggers, including nutritional and dietary deficiencies, poor sleep, lack of exercise, and chronic stress, is also a great place to start.