The Brain Fog Fix: How To Achieve Mental Clarity
Do you ever have days where no matter what you do, your brain just can't seem to turn on? Your mind feels sluggish, you can't focus, and you may even feel a bit detached from reality. It's as if you're living in a fog, and that's exactly why this experience is called brain fog.
While brain fog isn't an official medical diagnosis, it's a term that describes a symptom many people experience for a myriad of reasons. Brain fog can be a side effect of medications, conditions, and illnesses, or it can occur due to lifestyle factors.
Pinpointing your precise source of brain fog often requires the guidance of a healthcare expert, but below are ways to avoid the most common causes and support your overall brain health.
The Most Common Brain Fog Culprits
1) Not Getting Enough Sleep
Probably the most obvious yet most common reason for brain fog is simply not getting enough sleep. Consistently getting good sleep is one of the most vital components of caring for your brain health, and without it, you'll quickly find it harder to focus, learn, and pursue just about any brain-based endeavors.
7-9 hours of high-quality sleep is a good general recommendation for adults, although women tend to need slightly more sleep than men, and pregnant women often need between 8-10 hours.
In addition to getting enough sleep, you'll want to maintain a consistent sleep schedule by going to bed and getting up at approximately the same time each day whenever possible. This can improve the quality of your rest.
2) Dietary Factors
Another key contributor to brain fog is not getting enough energy and brain-supportive nutrients. Deficiencies of vitamin B12, iron, vitamin D, magnesium, choline, and several other nutrients can all deplete the brain's ability to function at its peak. Plenty of omega 3 fatty acids and vitamin C are also important for cognitive health.
Certain foods can also bring about brain fog more directly. Processed sugars and other high glycemic index foods such as starches and refined grains usually lead to blood sugar spikes, and this often comes with a side effect of brain fog. Alcohol overconsumption can also lead to both short-term and even chronic brain fog for some people.
Last but not least, staying well-hydrated with electrolyte-rich water is an easy way to keep your brain sharp.
3) Stress and Burnout
A third common cause of brain fog is chronic stress and overworking. While short-term stress can actually boost brain function, incessant stress without proper rest can impair the brain's normal processes.
Finding a healthy balance between work and rest isn't important just so you can enjoy life, but also because your brain needs rest to function at its best. If you needed another reason to squeeze in a nap or book a massage, this is it!
4) Mental Health Concerns
Many health conditions like anxiety and depression are associated with brain fog. Sometimes getting to the root cause of brain fog by seeking care for any mental health conditions is the only way to bring your mind back into a state of clarity.
Other general mental health concerns such as low dopamine production can also lead to brain fog. Activities like social media, gambling, video games, consuming alcohol, caffeine, and sugar can all lead to dopamine spikes and crashes which can be contributing factors to brain fog.
Additional Tips To Clear The Fog
On top of tending to the four main factors that lead to brain fog, here are a few additional tips to help you feel your best:
● Eat plenty of dark leafy greens to support good overall brain health.
● Consider regularly including omega 3-rich fish into your diet to combat inflammation.
● Support your gut health with prebiotic and probiotic foods.
● Try a lion's mane supplement for clearer thoughts and better focus.
● Consider trying an adaptogenic herb such as ginseng, ashwagandha, or holy basil to decrease stress and anxiety.
● Aim to get a few minutes of sunshine in the mornings.
● Get up every so often to stretch and walk around while working to keep your blood flowing and your brain functioning well.
While brain fog may not always be entirely in our control, there are plenty of strategies to make it more manageable. Other times, brain fog is simply present in certain phases of life no matter what we do (hello busy students and new parents!) and all we need to do is let it be there while we ride it out with as much grace as we can muster!