What is Brain fog? Brain fog makes you feel unrecognizable, can have an impact on your relationships and career, and can leave you feeling unstable. Visit our free questionnaire to learn more about the connection between your general health and your brain fog COVID, then continue reading to learn how to feel more like yourself.
Not only is brain health essential for cerebral function, but it is also crucial for emotional well-being. Your ideas and feelings are inextricably linked, so if you want to feel well, you need to think positively. At Parsley Health, we’re all about optimization, and many of our members visit us in search of increased mental clarity, concentration, and Brain fog symptoms.
What is Brain fog?
A person with brain fog may feel less intellectually alert than normal. Daily tasks may appear more difficult and thoughts and emotions may feel numb. It can be difficult to access one’s ideas or form plans, according to some people, who describe it as a hazy veil.
Examples of things someone with brain fog COVID could do include:
- forgetting about a task they had to do, finishing basic activities considerably more slowly than normal
- being easily distracted and being worn out when working
- Describe the sensation of brain fog.
- There are several ways that brain fog may manifest.
- Most of the time, it feels like cotton candy is now where your substantial cerebral neural tissue used to be.
- Even if the lights are on, nobody is home.
It’s possible that you won’t be able to focus for long enough on discussions, activities at work, or even the words you’re reading at the moment. You can find it impossible to decide, that even the smallest decisions are significant, that you need more coffee to concentrate, more food to keep up, and more alcohol at night to temporarily dispel the fog.
You may get headaches, eye issues, or even nausea in more serious situations. Knowing what causes brain fog COVID and how it affects you
What causes Brain Fog COVID?
A vitamin deficit, sleep problem, bacterial overgrowth from excessive sugar consumption, depression, or even a thyroid disease can all cause brain fog covid. Other typical reasons of brain fog include eating excessively and frequently, being inactive, not getting enough sleep, being under a lot of stress, and having a bad diet. At Parsley Health, these are some of the most typical causes of brain fog.
Hormonal adjustments and brain fog
Throughout your life, hormone shifts are typical, whether they occur during pregnancy, postpartum, menopause, or just unanticipated changes in your surroundings and way of life. Additionally, these phases can leave your brain feeling foggy and disoriented; according to one research, 60% of women experience concentration problems after menopause.
Your foggy head symptoms may occasionally be brought on by changes in mood or sleeping patterns, but they may also be caused by fluctuating hormone levels as your body works to regain equilibrium.
Disturbed Sleep
Your natural circadian rhythm, often known as your internal body clock, is disrupted by poor sleep hygiene such as inconsistent sleep and waking times, obtaining fewer than seven to eight hours each night, or being exposed to blue light before bed.
This affects brain fog in a number of distinct ways. The hormone melatonin, which is necessary for long, deep REM sleep, is decreased in the event of blue light exposure just before night.
For the consolidation and processing of daytime memories, REM and non-REM sleep are both necessary. Your body and brain detoxify the most between the hours of 10pm and 2am; continuing to be awake during this period interferes with this process and may make you feel foggy.
Food Sensitivities and Dietary Deficits
The central nervous system and the production of red blood cells are both aided by vitamin B12. Because of this, a B12 shortage will inevitably lower your energy levels and make you feel generally worn out. Brain fog may also be caused by a vitamin D deficiency as low vitamin D levels are linked to cognitive decline.
Your current state of confusion may also be brought on by an unexplained dietary intolerance. For instance, inflammatory pathways might cause cognitive impairment as a result of gluten intolerance. If any of these might be causing your brain fog, it can be determined using advanced blood work that analyses your nutritional levels, an elimination diet, or testing for food allergies or sensitivities.
Stress
Even while the word “stress” may seem common and relatively innocuous, prolonged stress may have a disastrous effect on your health. Your body triggers the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), sometimes known as the fight-or-flight reaction, when it detects a stressful circumstance.
Epinephrine, also known as adrenaline and norepinephrine, are released in reaction to the stressor, which eventually directs energy away from your body’s normal processes and toward the stressor. Your brain may become exhausted as a result, making it challenging to think effectively and to concentrate. When your brain feels fuzzy, it may be helpful to learn to manage your stress over time with therapies like meditation, exercise, or dietary modifications.
Medication
As a side effect, certain prescription and over-the-counter drugs are known to produce brain fog. Although it might seem natural and expected for your head to feel hazy when taking medicine, it’s not. Before turning to medicine, we at Parsley Health believe in lifestyle modifications that address your underlying problems.
However, if medication is required, your doctor can assist you in identifying whether your drug is affecting your brain health and will work with you to find the best solution, which may involve switching medications or reducing your dosage.
Anxiety and Depression
Executive function, attention, and memory have all been proven to be negatively impacted by depression and anxiety. According to research, this may be due to either the depletion of energy and motivation brought on by mental health issues or by physical changes to the brain that make it challenging for it to function normally.
Discuss treatment options with your healthcare professional if you experience depression or anxiety.
Thyroid conditions
A thyroid condition may be the cause of your symptoms if you experience mood swings, constant fatigue, loss of concentration, or mental clarity. The hormones that govern everything from metabolism and heart rate to respiration and menstrual cycles are created and released by this butterfly-shaped gland at the front of your neck, which is usually associated with brain fog.
This is particularly true in the case of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, an autoimmune immunological disease in which the thyroid is attacked by the body’s immune system, preventing it from making adequate thyroid hormones and resulting in an inflammatory condition.
Exposure to heavy Metal
In our daily lives, heavy metals can be found in food, cosmetics, and even dental fillings. Arsenic, mercury, aluminium, lead, thallium, and cesium are the most typical causes of exposure to heavy metals. And while exposure to these metals in small doses won’t necessarily be dangerous, long-term exposure to them can accumulate and lead to immune system problems, hormonal imbalances, weariness, brain fog, and high blood pressure.
To make sure your body is toxin-free, check the levels of heavy metals in your blood. Regularly adopting detox techniques, such as heart-pumping exercise or weekly sauna sessions, is a wonderful start to keeping your levels under control and eliminating any symptoms.
Treatment for brain fog: How to eliminate it
At Parsley Health, we collaborate with our patients to identify the underlying causes of their problems and permanently eliminate brain fog. Your doctor will work with you to comprehend your whole medical history and current symptoms as part of the therapy for brain fog. He or she will then request the necessary blood work to assess things like your thyroid function and heavy metal levels.
Your doctor can create a specific treatment plan for your symptoms, including brain fog, using the information you provide. These are a few suggestions that our medical professionals and health coaches could provide to assist you in overcoming brain fog.
1. Rest to Gastrointestinal System
The realm of nutrition and weight reduction is all the rage when it comes to intermittent fasting. But calorie restriction and eating more frequently can also improve brain health and lower the risk of neurodegenerative illnesses, making them useful for more than simply weight loss.
Try to increase the interval between your final meal of the day and your first meal of the following day as a first step in treating your brain fog and regaining some mental clarity. Plan on 12 hours. This encourages a procedure called ketogenesis, which can prompt the regeneration of the brain.
2. Move the object or lose it
Sedentary people have higher rates of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s dementia and even mild cognitive impairment. There is little doubt that higher exercise levels are linked to improved mood, better memory, and greater mental clarity.
Exercise results in the release of endorphins, which are hormones that make you feel good, as well as beneficial chemical messengers called cytokines. These substances clean and refresh the brain. Make an effort to move your body in a fun way every day. Run, jog, or dance. Whatever makes you happy will undoubtedly make you happy.
3. Have sound sleeping habits
The typical mental error individuals make is trying to optimise their time by staying up late and/or rising early, whether they are dealing with job, school, or any other impending project deadline.
Because cognitive capacities deteriorate with lack of sleep, this usually backfires. Every night, get at least seven hours of sleep, and if you can, eight or nine. Your work will get more proficient, and it will take you less time to produce work of this calibre.
4. Strike a balance between vigorous exercises
Numerous forms of physical activity activate the sympathetic nervous system, which is in charge of “fight or flight” reactions. Unfortunately, your body cannot distinguish between jogging on a treadmill and fleeing away from danger; both seem to your body as stress.
Brain fog is a sign of stress. Flexing your parasympathetic nervous system, which is active during rest and relaxation and aids in calming your body and mind, will help you minimise stress. You may do this by include more yoga and meditation in your daily practise.
5. Give your brain food
There is a lot of protein and fat in your brain. Does it make sense that we consume less of both of these food categories in our diets? Not really. Your brain does not like processed sugary foods.
Keep to a plant-based Paleo diet (mostly vegetables, enough protein, and always some good fats). Get lots of antioxidants, coenzyme Q10, and omega-3 fatty acids for their ability to reduce inflammation. You should also increase your intake of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to help your body produce more energy naturally.