Why Might Brain Fog Be Happening To You Right Now
The is pulling our attention toward issues directly impacting our survival: our health and wellness, ability to support ourselves, and our social connectivity, Green explains, adding that this leaves very little extra energy for things that our brain may experience as less urgent or necessary. On any given day, brain fog could be easily triggered due to stress, grief, and trauma. If you were already dealing with brain fog sometimes before the pandemic, it could be intensified right now. With COVID-19 activating our fear and stress responses, we might not have a lot of leftover energy for the email on which we were ccd.
Though brain fog is frustrating, experts view it as a defense mechanism, at least when it comes to stress in particular. When were stressed, our bodies secrete cortisol and adrenaline, which help us react appropriately to a perceived threat, but that stress can cause a range of cognitive challenges . That might sound counterintuitive for survival, but its your brains way of trying to conserve as much energy as possible for the very act of survival above all. Brain fog may be a way for our brains to keep functioningwhile sacrificing the sharpness needed for higher-level cognitive tasks, Green says.
In short, if youre experiencing brain fog in this particular moment, its a normal response to all of the events unfolding around you.
What Are Some Symptoms Of Covid
Keep an eye on your symptoms. You should also check for fevers and coughs as a possible complication.
The most common symptoms of COVID-19 include:
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Muscle or body aches
- New loss of taste or smell
These symptoms may appear two to fourteen days after exposure.
Home Remedies For Brain Fog
Some of the best remedies for brain fog listed in reputable websites are:
1 Get some good sleep
Hormones in your brain stay at the right levels when you get a good nights sleep. Remember that you cannot replace your night sleep if you choose to work during that part of the day. As an adult, you should sleep for at least seven hours per day.
2 Include some exercise in your daily schedule
Brain fog comes as a consequence of body fatigue. That is why engaging in a mild exercise could significantly improve your health, make your thyroid gland work better, and give you less stress and anxiety.
3 Take care of your diet
You are the sole responsible for your diet. Eating more healthy fats and proteins give you the amino acids needed for the right brain function. A good diet can fight against your depression, especially when you choose healthy foods.
4 Reduce stress
Adopt a healthy lifestyle that promotes peacefulness to your relations with other people. Anxiety and stress can increase cortisol levels increasing your blood pressure and worsen the cognitive fatigue symptoms and the memory loss you experience with brain fog.
Recommended Reading: How To Prevent Pms Depression
Balance Active Workouts With Active Tune
Many types of exercise stimulate the sympathetic nervous system which is responsible for fight or flight responses. Unfortunately, your body doesnt know the difference between running on a treadmill or running from dangerboth look like stress. Stress manifests as brain fog. In order to reduce stress, you need to flex your parasympathetic nervous system, which is engaged during rest and relaxation and helps to calm your body and your mind. You can do this by incorporating more meditation and yoga into your routine.
When Should I Seek Help For Brain Fog
Here are some signs that there may be an underlying medical cause to your brain fog:
-
Sudden onset without a clear reason
-
Your brain fog seems to be getting worse with time.
-
You have trouble completing daily tasks.
-
Your level of brain fog is interfering in your social relationships or functioning at work.
-
You are experiencing any other unusual physical symptoms, such as weight loss, night sweats, hair loss, diarrhea, unusual rashes, numbness, or tingling.
For persistent brain fog, you should contact your healthcare provider for an evaluation. They will ask you detailed questions about your symptoms and may run blood tests to look for a cause. Depending on your specific symptoms, your provider may refer you to a specialist as well. Together you can come up with a plan to help bring your brain back into focus.
Read Also: Can Depression Be Treated Without Drugs
What Is Psychomotor Slowness
Is psychomotor retardation a positive symptom of schizophrenia? Please note, that the classification of underweight, normal-weight, overweight, and obese people was similar across the three groups Supplementary Table Correlations Based on the Spearman correlation analysis Fig. Someone experiencing psychomotor agitation may display these behaviors in a way that seems uncontrolled or erratic. How to reverse psychomotor retardation? I was supposed to take 6 of them but I only took 3. Lethargy: Another commonly reported symptom of brain fog is that of lethargy. It is common in patients with melancholic depression and those with psychotic features.
Brain Fog Vs Dementia
We all forget things. Even in our twenties we might lose our keys or forget the name of someone we just met. And as we age, these moments of forgetfulness happen more often.
For women in their late forties and early fifties, the onset of menopause can bring even more brain fog and memory lapses for many women.
But the big question is: when should you worry that something is wrong? Is it just menopause, or might it be early warning signs of Alzheimers disease or dementia?
Its important to remember that there are lots of causes for brain fog, says Lynne Shinto, N.D., M.P.H., a naturopath with expertise in neurology and womens health at the OHSU Center for Womens Health.
Most of them are far less scary than Alzheimers disease. Here are a few of the most common causes:
- Hormone changes during the transition to menopause
- Other hormone changes
- Vitamin and mineral deficiencies
Many of these causes come in pairs, or even trios. Stress can lead to lack of sleep or depression. The transition to menopause can lead to hot flashes that impact sleep, or to depression. Depression can lead to stress.
Poor thinking ability and memory problems are a very common symptom of depression.
For many people, treating their depression clears up symptoms of brain fog and cloudy thinking. For this reason, everyone with these symptoms, even people in their seventies and beyond, should be screened for depression.
Brain fog and dementia are different
Healthy brain aging
Read Also: How To Help A Girl Who Is Depressed
How Depression Causes Brain Fog
Additionally, since your body will use all its resources to heal the site of the surgery, you will need to rest. The best way to heal is to rest, therefore rest as much as you can. This will allow the immune system to heal the site of surgery much quicker, thereby allowing you to be back to normal much faster. Depression in critical brain regions seems to involve dysregulation in neural networks.
Reduction in neurotransmitter levels or efficacy may also affect the symptoms of brain fog. These neurotransmitters are:
Some studies show that depression can also cause cognitive symptoms by:
- Brain and nerve cell growth reduction
- Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor dysregulation
- Inflammation in the central nervous system
What Are The Causes Of Brain Fog
It is believed that brain fog is a symptom of inflammation which can be triggered by viral infection, stress hormones and even medication.
There are many things that can cause the feeling of brain fog. For example, illnesses such as Long COVID, Multiple Sclerosis or mental health conditions such as Major Depressive Disorder or anxiety can cause brain fog.
Brain fog can also be caused by lifestyle factors such as lack of sleep, stress, poor diet and allergy medications.
Recommended Reading: Why Am I Always Depressed And Anxious
Brain Fog Signs And Symptoms
Brain fog symptoms and signs include:
- Confusion confusion, itself, is not a particular cognitive deficit in depression, but the components of confusion such as slow thinking and indecision are. These cognitive deficits are noted parts of depression for many people. Confusion and forgetfulness are often closely linked.
- Detachment brain fog detachment can be thought of as emotional detachment or an inability to connect with others emotionally. This can also be called “emotional numbing.” Detachment may be a coping mechanism used not only to detach from others, but also to detach the person from their painful depression symptoms. Detachment is actually measured in depression as part of the most common depression rating tool, the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale .
- Forgetfulness impairment in memory, both short- and long-term, is also a cognitive deficit found in depression. People with depression may have particular trouble remembering verbal information.
Symptoms Of Brain Fog: What Does Brain Fog Feel Like
Together, the symptoms of brain fog can be summarized with one word: trapped. Experiencing brain fog is like being trapped behind a dirty window, with roiling fog outside, and not really knowing why youre just standing there staring through the dirty glass at gray, misty fog. Further, you dont know what to do about it. Symptoms of brain fog arent debilitating or life-threatening, but they do inhibit your normal life functioning. Lets explore brain fog symptoms and what brain fog feels like.
Also Check: Best Vitamin Supplements For Depression
What Are The Symptoms Of Brain Fog
Do you sometimes feel like you cant think straight?
Like youre in a mental fog and cant focus on anything?
If so, you may be experiencing brain fog.
Brain fog can be a symptom of many different things, including dehydration, lack of sleep, stress, and certain medical conditions. It can also be a side effect of certain medications.
While brain fog is usually not a serious condition, it can be frustrating and can cause problems with work, school, and personal relationships.
If youre experiencing brain fog, there are some things you can do to try to clear it up.
Drink plenty of water. Dehydration can cause brain fog.
Get enough sleep. Lack of sleep can also lead to brain fog.
Reduce stress. Stress can make brain fog worse.
Exercise. Exercise can help to improve brain function.
Switch to a healthy diet. Eating a healthy diet can help to improve brain function.
If youre still experiencing brain fog after trying these things, you may want to talk to your doctor.
Brain fog can be a symptom of a more serious condition, such as depression, so its important to get a proper diagnosis.
Key Takeaway:
Crps Causes Memory Loss Forgetfulness And Brain Fog
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, CRPS, is the most painful disease known to Humankind. It is a disease of the Sympathetic, Central, Enteric and Autonomic Nervous Systems, and any injury can trigger it at any time. CRPS has many symptoms, including disproportionate, burning pain, cold or hot skin, increased sensitivity to the skin, and swelling to the affected limb. Another symptom that is often not talked about, is memory loss, forgetfulness, and brain fog.
For a list of symptoms,
Brain fog is a general term that many people who suffer from CRPS use to describe the general feeling of dysfunctions in focus, learning, and memory that can create brief episodes of confusion, disorientation, and frustration.
Also Check: Claustrophobia Meaning In English
Don’t Miss: Can T Do Anything Depression
What Is Cognitive Impairment Or ‘brain Fog’
Brain fog is the feeling that you cannot think as clearly as you used too. It can affect memory, decision making, concentration and the speed at which you are able to process information.
Brain fog is a symptom of lots of things, including cognitive decline which is a normal part of ageing. Cognitive decline usually occurs because as we get older the neurons in our brain decrease in speed meaning than brain functions are slowed.
Sometimes brain fog is brought on by illnesses or injury. For example, Long COVID or a traumatic brain injury. This is usually referred to as cognitive impairment.
Brain fog in itself is not a mental health issue. However, it is very closely related to mental health as it can be both a symptom of common mental health conditions such as depression or stress, and a cause for others such as anxiety.
Prescription & Otc Medications
Every medication carries some risks.Brain fog is one of the most commonly reported side effects of prescription and over-the-counter medications.Statin cholesterol-lowering drugs and prescription sleeping pills are notorious for causing memory loss.An entire group of drugs known as the anticholinergics work by blocking the action of acetylcholine, the brain chemical of memory and learning. Typical side effects of anticholinergic drugs include brain fog, forgetfulness, and inability to concentrate.Itâs not only prescription medications you have to watch out for.Many popular over-the-counter drugs also work by blocking acetylcholine including Benadryl , Pepcid AC , and Tylenol PM .
Dont Miss: A Phobia Definition
Also Check: Can You Be In The Military With Depression
Understanding And Overcoming Depression
Depression is a common mental health disorder that can affect anyone at any age. It is characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and a lack of interest or pleasure in activities that are normally enjoyable. Depression can also cause physical symptoms such as fatigue, changes in appetite and sleep, and difficulty concentrating.
If you are experiencing symptoms of depression, it is important to know that you are not alone and that help is available. With the right treatment, most people with depression are able to overcome their symptoms and lead fulfilling lives.
Understanding the causes of depression can help to inform treatment and recovery. While the exact cause of depression is not fully understood, it is believed to be caused by a combination of factors, including:
- Genetics:Depression can run in families, suggesting that there may be a genetic component to the disorder.
- Brain chemistry: Changes in the levels of certain chemicals in the brain, such as serotonin and norepinephrine, may play a role in depression.
- Life events: Traumatic or stressful life events, such as a death in the family or a divorce, can trigger depression.
- Medical conditions: Certain medical conditions, such as an underactive thyroid gland, can cause symptoms of depression.
If you are experiencing symptoms of depression, it is important to seek help. There are many effective treatments for depression, including:
Manage Your Stress Levels
Chronic stress can lead to symptoms of brain fog, such as difficulty focusing, forgetfulness, and fatigue.
This is because chronic stress can cause changes in the brain that impair cognitive function,according to research.
So, it is important to find ways to manage your stress levels. Some effective stress-relievers include:
You can also find many free apps for brain-training games online.
Research also found that learning a new language or a new skill, such as a musical instrument, can help enhance brain functioning.
Recommended Reading: Does Depression Always Have A Reason
Other Factors That May Contribute To Brain Fog
As mentioned above, inflammation in and around your brain may contribute to brain fog. However, there are other ways that COVID-19 may indirectly lead to brain fog as well.
Some possible contributing factors include:
Researchers are still working to understand how common brain fog is in people whove had COVID-19.
One recent showed that between 7.5 to 31 percent of people experience an altered mental state as a symptom of COVID-19. However, this estimation was based on small studies and may not be applicable to a larger population.
Another recent study reports that neurological symptoms could be more widespread than originally thought and may occur in up to 69 percent of people whove had severe illness with COVID-19.
At this time, its not clear why some people develop brain fog and others dont. People with severe cases of COVID-19 seem to be at a
As of now, the best treatment for brain fog caused by COVID-19 is to adopt healthy habits. The following tips may help boost your mental function if youre dealing with ongoing brain fog.
Researchers are continuing to look at the potential benefit of steroids for reducing inflammation of the brain that may contribute to cognitive changes.
Psychomotor Retardation: Causes Symptoms Diagnosis & Treatment
Psychomotor retardation feels a lot like moving through molasses, both mentally and physically. They are known to contain certain chemicals and other substances that can affect the neurotransmitters in the brain and result in slower thought or physical movement. Excessive sleepiness is referred to as hypersomnia, and is associated with brain fog. Inflammatory markers are associated with decreased psychomotor speed in patients with major depressive disorder. In melancholic depression, the symptoms can often be more severe than those seen in other types of depression. Also, try avoiding fluoride as much as possible.
You May Like: How Do I Help Someone With Severe Depression
What Does Brain Fog Feel Like
Brain Fog feels like being disoriented. Many refer to it as a curtain that covers their brain and they cant think right. They have a blurred mind and their judgment is less sharp than it used to be. Cognitive and memory failure is one of the primary symptoms, but many people also say that they feel physically tired that makes them avoid working and even going out of their home. It feels like a massive shut down of your mental abilities, mood, and competency to resolve problems at work.
Does Anxiety Cause Brain Fog
Anxiety and stress are some of the main causes of Brain Fog to healthy individuals. The modern way of life requires endless hours at work and shrinks the time you have for yourself. Fear for the future and uncertainty are the roots of anxiety and stress for most people. That is why you should reduce your anxiety to the lowest possible level if you want to effectively deal with brain fog symptoms.
You May Like: Latuda For Bipolar 2 Depression