What Is Brain Fog and What Does It Feel Like?

Last Updated on April 26, 2024 by Ryan

Have you ever spent a day feeling like you couldn’t get your brain out of the first gear? A day when your usual mental sharpness deserted you, and you struggled to remember things? This was likely a bout of brain fog that may have gone unnoticed. You’re not alone in this; many folks grind their way through brain fog without ever knowing that they did.

Brain fog is not a medical condition but a sign of a deficiency in your mental or physical well-being. This is why it is essential to be able to pinpoint this condition and try to address it as early as possible. Here are the telltale signs of brain fog and how to deal with them.

A Cloudy Mental Weather Report

Brain fog can be described as a collection of symptoms that include mental fatigue and cognitive inefficiencies. In addition to not being at your sharpest mentally, you may struggle to remember things or be prone to losing your train of thought. You may find yourself in a room but not quite remember why you entered it.

If you have experienced any of these, chances are you were suffering from brain fog. Many people who had a good handle on their brain function before they contracted COVID-19 have struggled to regain their previous mental sharpness. Does this mean that brain fog is a medical condition?  

While brain fog is not an ailment in and of itself, it can be a sign of an underlying medical condition. Or a behavioral pattern that is interfering with the normal functioning of your brain. Some of the common causes of brain fog are:

Mental Health

Existing mental health conditions like anxiety and depression can weigh down the brain and hinder its ability to function optimally. Even the most mundane of tasks can take you unusually long to execute due to the disruption of normal brain function caused by such conditions.

Hormone Levels

The changes in hormone levels in men and women brought about by age can bring about the mental lethargy that characterizes brain fog. In women, hormonal changes can also be brought about by pregnancy.

Allergies

The reaction of the body to allergens can also include the development of mental fatigue. When you’re allergic to a substance, your body produces histamine whenever it comes into contact with the allergen. The production of histamines can result in you experiencing brain fog.

Chronic Illness 

Treatment for some ailments can also interfere with normal brain activity. Patients undergoing chemotherapy and other forms of aggressive treatment have been known to experience a mental fogginess on the back of treatment sessions.

Sleep Quality

Not all causes of brain fog have to do with medical conditions. Lack of sleep is one of the common triggers of this uncomfortable inability to focus. When you don’t get enough Zs during the night, you hamper the ability of your brain cells to communicate with each other. This causes that unsettling, albeit temporary, mental fatigue that hounds you through the day.

Clear the Symptoms Away

Knowing what the symptoms and causes of brain fog are, is there a way to combat them? You will be happy to hear that there are steps you can take to improve your brain’s ability to power through that debilitating haze.

Get Enough Rest

Getting the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep may seem like a luxury given all the things you need to get done in a day. But it is only when sleep is adequate that your brain will get the chance to clear out the toxins that interfere with its functions.

Watch What You Eat

After eating a meal laden with saturated fat, you will notice that you will struggle to fall asleep. And that lack of sleep will come back to haunt you the following day. Increase your intake of fruits, vegetables and water, and your brain will be better for it. Some foods are known to improve the health of the brain and boost memory.

Get Physical

Improve your mental health by engaging in activities that allow you to de-stress. Physical activity is an enjoyable way to relieve stress and improve your overall mental health. Suppose you will be engaging in outdoor activity. In that case, you should remember to keep yourself well protected.

Ordering prescription glasses online is a convenient method for purchasing eyewear and not being limited to the styles and choices at retail locations and of course, will also help to keep your eyes from harmful UV rays when participating in outdoor activities and sports. 

Avoid Stimulants

Avoiding drugs and alcohol will also reduce your chances of developing brain fog as these substances contain chemicals that interfere with normal brain function.

Combatting Brain Fog

You cannot fight an enemy you don’t know. Winning your battle against brain fog first starts with a clear understanding of the problem, and familiarizing yourself with its telltale signs. Next, you should find out what is in your power to do to prevent them. What habits should you take up or drop to give your most important organ a fighting chance? Then develop a plan to sustain the healthy habits long-term.