Brain Fog artwork
Mental Health Training

Brain Fog

  • S1E3
  • 02:52
  • December 6th 2019

Don’t Let Brain Fog Keep You Down

While brain fog is not a medical condition, it is debilitating because it affects your ability to think clearly and therefore affects your focus and productivity.

Some of its symptoms include

Fatigue

Mental confusion

Inability to concentrate or hold a train of thought

Low motivation

Forgetfulness

Poor cognitive skills

Some known causes of brain fog include

Lack of sleep

Overwork/Overwhelm

Stress

Depression

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Certain Medications

Menopause

Cancer treatment and certain chronic illnesses

There are effective ways to clear your mind and stop brain fog from interfering with your life. First is getting consistent quality sleep. Most adults need 7 - 9 hours each night. Power naps that last no longer than 20 minutes are a great way to restart your mind during the day.

Processed foods that are loaded with sugar, fat and preservatives wreak havoc on our systems. Choose to eat a clean healthy diet filled with whole foods. Eat brain food, including fatty fish, avocados, blueberries and broccoli and seeds.

One of the main reasons behind brain fog is a lack of oxygen reaching the brain. Exercise enhances blood circulation, pumping blood through your veins and giving your brain the oxygen, it needs to work at its optimal level. You don’t have to do a full hour of cardio, you can take a brisk walk at lunch, garden, swim or anything you enjoy that gets you moving.

While it may seem trivial, it has to be mentioned because so many people forget to drink enough water throughout the day. Even a little bit of dehydration - as little as 2% - can cause major brain problems, mainly because 73% of your brain is made up of water.

 

Most important is getting your stress under control. Stop working too much! Over work and overwhelm really impact your cognitive processes. Tuning out stress with the help of a mindless activity can help decrease the effects of brain fog. Doing something enjoyable reduces stress which, in turn, reduces brain fog symptoms while boosting productivity.

Stress reduction techniques include,

Meditation and yoga

Enjoying a hot bath

Reading

Listen to soothing music/sounds of nature

Working less

Regular relaxation moments throughout your day

You can stop brain fog from interfering with your life and improve your life quality with the power of healthy, positive habits. Stay well and take care!

Mental Health Training