1. Take a Break, Especially After Getting Sick
If you zip from task to task throughout the day, you may not be giving your brain the break it needs to function well. Just like physical rest, mental rest can help you recover and recharge.
It’s normal to want to push through your day and resume your typical to-dos, but this isn’t likely to set you up for success. Prioritizing your absolute-must tasks while scheduling downtime can help support mental stability while working with the fog.
2. Automate Your To-Do List
Managing a busy life takes work, but there’s no need to stress yourself out about small things you might forget (hint: defrosting the chicken). Limiting distractions and planning ahead can help you stay organized.
For example, use the alarms on your phone, schedule reminders through a voice assistant, set up auto pay for your bills, and organize your meetings into a calendar. This may help take away some of the stress associated with brain fog.
3. Fill Up on Anti-Inflammatory Foods
Brain fog can be a side effect of certain autoimmune conditions, and inflammation may be to blame. For example, people with rheumatoid arthritis often report feeling forgetful and unable to concentrate. And anywhere from 50 to 80 percent of people with fibromyalgia may experience brain fog.
4. Get Moving, Often
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week for adults. This keeps not only the heart in good shape but also the brain.
Memory, executive control, and attention may all get a boost when you work up a sweat. It can also help reduce stress for many people, and it builds up your cognitive reserves to help your brain become more resilient as you age.
5. Find Time for Brainy Activities
Your brain may be an organ, but you can train and strengthen it like a muscle. Activities that stimulate and support your cognitive health include reading books, tackling crossword puzzles, playing games or instruments, and keeping updated on current events, among others.
As with physical exercise, consistency is key. To maintain a regular practice, lean in to activities you find enjoyable. Don’t want to learn to play an instrument? That’s fine, perhaps you’d rather brush up on French vocabulary that you haven’t revisited since college.
6. Clean Up Your Sleep Hygiene
Sleep helps keep you sharp. If you’re feeling cognitively fuzzy, consider how well you’ve been snoozing.
7. Address Underlying Health Conditions
Lagging focus, lacking understanding, trouble finding words, and poor concentration are all symptoms of brain fog in multiple sclerosis, and a brain-fog feeling can sometimes be the first symptom of the disease.
While these are just a few examples, proper treatment or management of these underlying conditions may help relieve the cognitive symptoms of brain fog.
All told, experiencing brain fog isn’t just a marker of aging or a busy lifestyle, and it’s not something to ignore. It’s an opportunity to make healthier lifestyle choices and seek medical advice from your doctor, so that clearer thinking can be in your future.
The Takeaway
- Brain fog includes symptoms like sluggish thinking and difficulty concentrating.
- It can arise from various causes, such as stress, poor sleep, or underlying health conditions.
- Lifestyle changes, like taking breaks, engaging in physical or cognitive activities, and eating a balanced diet, may improve mental clarity.
- If you experience extreme or persistent brain fog, consult with a healthcare professional to address possible underlying causes.
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