She has a Master’s degree, undergraduate degrees in English and Sociology, a diploma in Holistic Herbal Therapy, and is trained in mental health first aid, anti-violence work, and peer support work. Brain fog is a non-specific term that implies a temporary loss of cognition. Also known as the “clouding of consciousness,” brain fog conceptually occurs when the parts of the brain that regulate consciousness are impaired by some external force. A meta-analysis of the impact of short-term sleep deprivation on cognitive variables. “Listen, back in the day, I was a bit of a douche. I was sloppy. I’ve been here and there, sporadically watching old episodes of Vanderpump Rules, and I’m just watching myself, Oh my God,” he shared. Brain fog describes the inability to focus, remember things, use logic, or solve problems.
Brain Fog Scale: Measuring and Managing Cognitive Cloudiness
Lack of mental clarity is one of the brain fog symptoms that make you feel like you are in a permanent mental haze. You may feel unmotivated and frustrated with your thoughts or emotions dulled or numb. This long-term disease causes your immune system to attack your body, and the symptoms can be different in different cases. About half the people with lupus have problems with memory, confusion, or trouble concentrating. There’s no cure, but medication and talking with a therapist can alcoholism treatment help.
Understanding Brain Exhaustion: More Than Just a Case of the Mondays
You might find yourself doing the dishes when you meant to fold laundry. Perhaps you have a hard time paying attention to the meeting in front of you when there is music in the other room. Brain fog can develop in response to conditions that affect the part of the brain that directly or indirectly regulates these and other cognitive functions. Brain fog is an informal term used to describe a range of symptoms caused by a mild loss of cognition (including the ability to think, perceive, learn, or remember). People with brain fog describe feeling “vague” and unable to concentrate, keep a train of thought, focus, or remember things. Depending on the severity of brain fog, it can interfere with your work, school, or other daily tasks.
Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome
Research from 2018 suggests hormonal changes can also cause brain fog. When your brain is exhausted, it becomes harder to think, reason, and focus. https://ecosoberhouse.com/ We’ve partnered with C60 Power to discuss six possible causes of brain fog.
Can brain fog be prevented?
- Remember, your brain is not just an organ – it’s your command center, your idea factory, and the essence of who you are.
- About 70–80% of people with lupus experience brain fog at some point in their lifetime.
- Based on the results, your doctor will determine whether to run further tests.
- You can shift your body from side to side or get up and down to help get your blood moving, and so your creative juices flowing to break out of the mental block.
- Take a step back, implement these strategies, and give your brain the TLC it deserves.
Brain fog can be very frustrating mush brain because it makes you feel like your mind isn’t working properly and that you’re not able to do anything; you just feel foggy. Many women find it’s harder to remember things during pregnancy. 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. By Michelle PugleMichelle Pugle writes health articles for award-winning websites, as seen in Healthline, Verywell, Everyday Health, and Psych Central.
At Parsley Health, we work with our members to get to the root cause of their issues and resolve brain fog for good. Heavy metals are everywhere in our daily lives—our food, beauty products, and even teeth fillings. The most common sources of heavy metal exposure are arsenic, mercury, aluminum, lead, thallium, and cesium. If you are experiencing any of these brain fog symptoms, it would be wise to see a doctor who can provide medical advice and rule out these other potential causes of cognitive dysfunction.
Mood disorders
If you need help finding a primary care doctor, then check out our FindCare tool. Your doctor may also conduct allergy testing to check for allergies or a sleep study to rule out a sleep disorder. Talk with a doctor if you have a persistent lack of clarity that worsens or does not improve.
Sleep has an important role in supporting brain health, including memory. In fact, 1 in 3 Americans do not get enough sleep.7 It is recommended that adults get 7 or more hours of sleep each night.8 If you are getting less than that, it could be a cause of brain fog. Gen Z spends an average of 6.6 hours daily on screens, which is more than any other generation.8 There’s currently no scientific evidence directly linking excessive media use to cognitive issues. But constant exposure to screens and content during developmental years does raise concerns. We don’t yet know how much it could impact young people’s ability to process information and manage daily tasks.