12 Brain Fog Symptoms & Signs Medically Reviewed

Testing for thyroid dysfunction and seeing a doctor who can interpret the resultscorrectly is crucial. A little bit of stress is natural and can come from internal or external factors, including our physical environment, jobs, relationships, traffic, and unexpected events. High levels of stress, or chronic stress, can cause an array of health problems, including brain fog.

When To Contact a Healthcare Provider

That is because 90-95% of our serotonin, the key neurotransmitter responsible for regulating mood, is made in our gut. Serotonin and other vital neurotransmitters travel from the gut to the brain via the vagus nerve. Chemical signals travel both from the gut to the brain and vice versa. If you’re lacking vital nutrients essential for thyroid function, you may be at risk of developing thyroid disease. Vitamin D or B are necessary for regulating metabolism and hormones. Luckily, these deficiencies can all be corrected fairly easily which is why I recommend everyone take a high-quality multivitamin.

• You were sure you set your glasses on the desk yet find them in the fridge.
• Brain fog can have a number of negative consequences for your health and well-being, and some symptoms could be indicators of deeper health issues.
• Most people will benefit from avoiding stressful situations, such as public speaking or a demanding job.
• That moment when you’re staring at your computer screen, trying to remember what you were supposed to be doing, only to realize you’ve been lost in a haze for the past 15 minutes.

What Causes Brain Fog?

It’s like your brain has run a mental marathon without proper training or hydration. In everyday language, we often use phrases like “My brain is mush” to describe a state of mental fatigue or cognitive sluggishness. It’s that frustrating feeling when your usual sharp wit and quick thinking seem to have abandoned ship, leaving you floundering in a sea of mental molasses.

Tired Of Prescription Drugs Giving You Brain Fog?

A meta-analysis of the impact of short-term sleep deprivation on cognitive variables. Brain fog describes the inability to focus, remember things, use logic, or solve problems. Candida is a form of yeast that lives in your mouth and intestines in small amounts. However, the good bacteria that keep yeast levels in check can get out of balance, allowing yeast to overgrow.

Clearing the haze: A brighter cognitive future

• However, the good bacteria that keep yeast levels in check can get out of balance, allowing yeast to overgrow.
• For those dealing with neuro fatigue after a brain injury, these recovery techniques can be particularly beneficial, but always consult with a healthcare provider for personalized advice.
• Along with brain fog, they also may have hot flashes — sudden sweating with a higher heart rate and body temperature — and other body changes.
• 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.

This is different from intentional slow thinking, where you take your time to work through a project and give each detail focus thoroughly. It may feel more that you are stuck failing to make progress at all. Every time you try to get started again, it may be easier for a bit, but then the brain fog will return, and you’ll have to start over. Making sure you are getting a diet rich in fresh leafy greens, and healthy fats can help, as well as removing inflammatory foods like gluten, dairy, and overly processed junk. Try diffusing rosemary oil to help clear your mind and relieve fuzzy thinking. Indeed, exercise is a well-known mood-booster–aim for a moderate intensity that is fun but not overly arduous.

Multitasking causes the brain to lose focus on either task and ends up lowering efficiency. This is one of the most problematic brain fog symptoms where it is easy to forget why you were walking into another room when decreased visual and spatial skills make it hard to keep up with where you are. Issues with problem-solving are a common what is mush brain trait that individuals with brain fog struggle with.

• It is the feeling of being mentally tired, unable to concentrate, and having difficulty thinking, a foggy haze that makes it difficult to keep thoughts in your head or plan ahead very far.
• Many people have brief instances of brain fog or moments when they have trouble finding the right words, focusing, and remembering things.
• Multitasking causes more stress, and that means cortisol goes up, and when chronically high, it can raise inflammation and damage memory.
• Running, in particular, is fantastic way to optimise your mental function and clear the fog.

Feeling it takes you much longer to think, needing more time for simple tasks that used to come easily, and that it takes forever to come up Drug rehabilitation with an answer can be one of the massive brain fog symptoms. When it feels like an eternity before you can reply to a question and you used to be quick on the draw, brain fog may be the culprit. Lack of mental clarity is one of the brain fog symptoms that make you feel like you are in a permanent mental haze.