You might want to talk to a provider if you frequently forget about appointments, have trouble completing ordinary tasks or find it difficult to pay attention when someone’s talking to you. Brain fog is common, and a provider can help you find out what’s causing your symptoms. Whether you feel tired all the time, lack focus and mental clarity, or deal with mood changes, a thyroid disorder may be at the root of your symptoms. But whether your thyroid gland is producing too much thyroid hormone (hyperthyroidism) or too little thyroid hormone (hypothyroidism), this could be causing your brain fog. Other symptoms of a thyroid disorder can include weight loss or gain, fatigue, muscle weakness and digestive issues. If you’re having difficulties falling (and staying) asleep, your mind can easily grow fuzzy ‘round the edges.
Brain Fog Symptoms
- It can be difficult to establish whether brain fog is the result of depression and consequent cognitive underperformance, loss of motivation, and low energy levels, or vice versa.
- If you need help, just hope your doctor isn’t at the end of an epic shift and feeling mushy-brained themself.
- If you’re not a huge fan of barbells, you can try outdoor sports such as cycling, running, or mountain climbing and dial up your cognitive functions equally efficiently.
Read more about exercise as a treatment for chronic stress and pain. One 2019 study showed that reaching for a cell phone did not allow the brain to recharge as effectively as other types of relaxation. Have you ever felt like you just couldn’t get yourself to focus on a task, no matter how hard you tried?
Lay off the smokes and alcohol
There’s nothing wrong with having a treat, and any kind of food is better than no food. But for an added cognitive boost, try to make sure you’re getting helpful nutrients. Sleep may take a backseat to everything else when you’re under a lot of stress. But your body needs sleep even more than usual when you have a lot going on.
Clear Brain Fog Instantly With These 12 Effective Strategies
- Have you ever noticed how at peace you feel looking at trees or in front of the ocean?
- Brain fog, or mental fog, is often described as feeling mentally drained and unable to concentrate.
- In reality, our brains are inextricably tied to our gastrointestinal tract.
- A client of mine with ADHD recently bemoaned how exhausted she is after a long day at school.
- When you get optimal sleep, the hormones in your brain stay in balance.
This can reduce how much serotonin (a chemical messenger) your body produces, which can impact cognitive function and lead to symptoms of brain fog. Brain fog, also called mental fog, can happen after an illness, mush brain as a side effect of a medication (like chemotherapy) or as a symptom of an underlying condition. A healthcare provider can help you determine what’s causing brain fog to help you feel more like yourself.
Causes and Cures for a Fuzzy or Foggy Brain
But if you’re stressed 24/7, those hormones continually flow throughout your body, making it difficult for you to calm down and think clearly. Max Hirshkowitz, chair of the National Sleep Foundation Scientific Advisory Council, suggests that college-aged people should get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night. By taking the right steps, you can reverse the symptoms to find a clear mind and even prevent them from happening again. Carrying a baby can change your body in lots of ways, and chemicals released to protect and nourish your baby may bring on memory problems. While all of these strategies can help you better manage brain fog, they aren’t a long-term solution to managing anxiety.
Take regular breaks
- Your bedroom may not be the best place to study, especially if you mainly use it for sleeping.
- And if it’s not possible to get away, have a proper staycation where you focus on rest, relaxation and doing the things you love.
- If your brain cells are running on empty, you’ll only risk even greater stress and thicker brain fog, so don’t let it happen, for the sake of your physical and mental health and future financial safety.
- But your body needs sleep even more than usual when you have a lot going on.
- Our poor, overworked minds were simply not designed for the level of hyperstimulation that we now constantly encounter.
- When stressed, you might feel too tired to prepare balanced meals and turn to snacks or fast food instead.
- It can help to take a step back and explore some ways to set aside time for all aspects of your life.