Do you ever find yourself struggling to focus, feeling mentally sluggish, or experiencing moments of forgetfulness? You’re not alone. Welcome to the world of brain fog, where the clarity and sharpness of our minds seem to be enveloped in a thick haze. Brain fog can disrupt our productivity, hinder our cognitive abilities, and leave us feeling frustrated and drained.
If that sounds all too familiar, then you’re in the right place because we are going to walk you through the potential causes of this frustrating experience and share some natural ways you can lift the fog and restore your mind to its full potential.
What is Brain Fog?
Brain fog is a term that was first coined in 1850 by James Tunstall, a British physician. Originally, Tunstall intended the term to be used as a way to describe the mental drain that writers, teachers, lawyers, students, and other “brain workers” experience when they are overworked. Fast forward to today and the term “brain fog” is now used in a broader sense to describe the feeling that your ability to think, remember, concentrate, or make decisions has become slow or “hazy.”
As you can imagine and have likely experienced, brain fog can negatively impact nearly every aspect of your day-to-day life. At work, your productivity may reduce because of your lack of focus. At home, you may notice yourself forgetting important things, which can cause frustration for you and your family members. Additionally, your sense of self-confidence and self-fulfillment may diminish since you’re likely to feel like you aren’t giving your best at work or with your family.
Causes of Brain Fog
So, what causes brain fog to set in? The answer, it turns out, is that it really just depends. There are a variety of factors that can contribute to the onset of brain fog. While it can be a result of some of the physiological changes our brains go through as we age, it can also be brought on by various lifestyle and environmental factors.
For starters, not providing your body with enough specific key nutrients can contribute to feelings of brain fog. For example, a low amount of vitamin D can lead to changes in your mood which, over time, can lead to brain fog. If you aren’t giving your body enough vitamin D, taking steps to change that may be beneficial in helping relieve the brain fog you are feeling. In fact, one study showed that women who had supplemented their diets with vitamin D for a year were able to perform better on learning and memory tests than those who didn’t use a vitamin D supplement.
Other nutrients that you may need more of if you are experiencing brain fog include:
- Vitamin B12. Because of its important role in the functioning of the central nervous system, not getting enough of this vitamin can impact your memory, thinking, and judgment.
- Iron. You may not realize that iron also plays an essential role in cognitive function and brain development, but it does. In fact, some researchers have found that the changes in memory, attention, and behavior that are often associated with brain fog can result from both high and low levels of iron.
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Another extremely important nutrient for brain health is omega-3 fatty acids, and it’s no secret that most of us don’t get enough of it from our diets. One specific type of omega-3 fatty acid, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), has been found to be particularly important for brain function, especially when it comes to things like learning and memory.
Aside from nutrients, another important part of your diet that could lead to brain fog if you neglect it is water intake. While the human body is roughly 60% water, the brain is estimated to be about 73% water. Because of this, losing just 2% of the water in your body can impact your brain's ability to function optimally, which can negatively impact things like focus, memory, cognitive performance, and even your ability to make decisions.
Aside from your diet, there are other lifestyle factors that can contribute to brain fog, namely lack of sleep and chronic stress. The connection between sleep and your brain’s ability to function is fairly obvious as it’s something we’ve all experienced more than once in our lives. When you sleep, your body uses that time to restore and rejuvenate itself, and when you are not getting enough high-quality sleep, your brain doesn’t have time for this important self-care task. As a result, your brain cells can slow down their communication which can lead to poor concentration, memory lapses, and cloudy thoughts.
On a similar note, chronic stress can also cause brain fog. When you are constantly feeling stressed, your body doesn’t have time to come out of fight-or-flight mode, which can wreak havoc on nearly every part of your body, including your brain. In particular, chronic stress can lead to things like mental fatigue, which often makes it difficult to focus or think clearly.
Outside of your lifestyle, there are a few environmental factors that can play a role in causing brain fog. For example, being exposed to toxins like cleaning chemicals, mold, and pet dander can hamper your cognitive abilities. Another common contributor from the environment is air pollution. In fact, one study found that being exposed to air pollution caused by traffic for as little as two hours can lead to a decline in brain connectivity and impairment of cognitive function.
Last, but certainly not least, spending too much time looking at the screens of our electronic devices throughout the day can also contribute to feelings of stress, mental fatigue, mood changes, memory lapses, and a decrease in attention and concentration.
Natural Ways to Combat Brain Fog
With so many things out there that can contribute to brain fog, finding a way to combat it and get your mind back into tip-top shape can feel overwhelming and nearly impossible, but go ahead and take a deep breath and keep reading. There are some simple, natural ways you can combat that cloudy, distracted mental state.
- Eat Brain Food: Brain foods are natural foods that can help to boost your brain health by providing it with the nutrients it needs to thrive. Some of the most popular brain foods include leafy green vegetables, fatty fish, berries, walnuts, and green tea. Adding a few of these foods to your diet can help nourish your brain so it can get back to functioning properly.
- Relieve Stress: Prioritizing stress-relieving activities each and every day can do wonders for helping to combat brain fog and improve other areas of your health. Consider taking up an activity like yoga, meditation, gardening, reading, or coloring to help melt away the stress and boost your brain power.
- Get Some Sleep: It’s estimated that 1 in 3 adults don’t get enough sleep. Don’t let that be you! Find a bedtime routine that works for you and stick to it to help ensure you are getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. Trust us, your mind will thank you for it.
- Exercise: Both physical and mental exercise can do wonders when it comes to keeping your brain healthy. Aim to move your body for at least 30 minutes a day, and then spend some time engaging your brain as well with activities like puzzles, memory games, and board games. And if you can do these things without using a screen, that’s even better!
- Take Brain-Boosting Supplements: As we get older, our bodies often need a little extra help getting the nutrients it needs, and this situation is no exception. Taking natural, whole-food supplements that contain brain-nourishing nutrients like vitamin D, omega-3s, and B vitamins can go a long way toward giving your brain the support it needs.
Nourish Your Mind Naturally
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