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Sabina Brennan just couldn\u2019t find the words \u2014 literally. She was in the middle of writing a book when she started experiencing brain fog in October 2021.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt felt like there was just nothing in my brain,\u201d Brennan said. \u201cI was struggling to read and write. Coherent sentences just seemed out of my grasp. I felt as if my life was a game of charades, and not a fun game of charades. I just couldn\u2019t say what I wanted to say.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brennan, a neuroscientist and author of \u201cBeating Brain Fog,\u201d knew that her symptoms were related to brain fog after a bout with Covid-19. But even for her, \u201cThe experience was really quite frightening,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
What is brain fog?<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
Brain fog is an umbrella term for a collection of symptoms that may include having a lack of concentration, memory loss, heightened clumsiness or the inability to recall words, process information quickly or multitask. Uma Naidoo, M.D., a Harvard-trained nutritional psychiatrist, calls it \u201cmental fuzziness.\u201d<\/p>\n
You might forget what you just did earlier in the day, or something important that a loved one told you. If you\u2019re normally quick-witted, you might find yourself processing information so slowly that you\u2019re unable to respond in a conversation with friends or during a presentation at work. Or you might suddenly feel ill-equipped to do tasks at which you\u2019re normally an expert.<\/p>\n
Brennan compares dealing with brain fog to being in a constant state of jet lag. \u201cIt\u2019s not a disease. It’s not a disorder in and of itself, but rather, it is a signal that something is amiss, like your brain is malfunctioning,\u201d she explained. \u201cBut just because it’s not a disease or a disorder doesn’t mean that it doesn’t exist. It is very<\/em> real.\u201d<\/p>\n While everyone has moments when a word escapes them or they forget where they put their keys, brain fog will have a noticeable negative impact on your life.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you have brain fog \u2026 the symptoms are persistent, they occur regularly, and they actually interfere with the quality of your life, with your relationships and with your ability to carry out your job,\u201d Brennan said. \u201cIf it\u2019s interfering with your life, you need to take it seriously and seek medical care to determine the underlying health condition.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Causes of brain fog<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n Unfortunately, Brennan said, many of these underlying health conditions affect women.<\/p>\n Hormonal changes can lead to brain fog during pregnancy (hence the term \u201cpregnancy brain\u201d), perimenopause and menopause, and diseases like hypothyroidism and diabetes can also cause hormonal changes, which in turn can affect cognitive ability.<\/p>\n \u201cYou tend to hear about neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, but your brain also communicates via hormones, including estrogen,\u201d Brennan said. \u201cYou have estrogen receptors in your hippocampus, which is involved in learning in memory, but also in your cerebral cortex, which is involved in thinking, language and various other functions. So when your estrogen levels drop, they’re going to impact those functions.\u201d<\/p>\n Autoimmune inflammatory diseases like lupus and multiple sclerosis, which affect women at nine and four times the rate they affect men, respectively, as well as fibromyalgia and Crohn\u2019s disease, can all cause brain fog. The Covid-19 pandemic has also shone a spotlight on brain fog, a common lingering effect of the virus. A recent study published in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience found that large numbers of people experiencing Covid symptoms reported difficulty concentrating (78%), brain fog (69%), forgetfulness (68%), tip-of-the-tongue (ToT) word finding problems (60%), and saying or typing the wrong words when communicating (44%). <\/p>\n Depression, cancer or viral or bacterial infections can also lead to brain fog. <\/p>\n To make the problem even worse, medications used to treat many of these illnesses can also cause brain fog as a side effect.<\/p>\n \u201cAny medication that acts on the central nervous system has the capacity to disrupt your cognitive functioning, your mental processes,\u201d Brennan said. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n What can you do about brain fog?<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n Brennan recommends keeping a journal of your symptoms, so you can understand whether you\u2019re just having an off day, or if your brain fog is a sign of something more serious.This will also help you advocate for yourself when you talk to your healthcare provider (HCP) about treatment. <\/p>\n If you\u2019re on medication, it\u2019s important to talk to your HCP about whether the medicine may be the cause, and if a change in dosage might help. <\/p>\n Additionally, you can ask for a blood test to evaluate your vitamin B12, vitamin D and iron levels, as deficiencies in these can lead to brain fog. <\/p>\n While you\u2019re working to find the cause and appropriate treatment with your medical provider, there are also lifestyle changes you can make to help your body beat brain fog.<\/p>\n Getting enough sleep is Brennan\u2019s number one recommendation. \u201cSleep is absolutely critical for brain health and optimal cognitive functioning,\u201d she said. \u201cYour brain is a really high-energy organ. It produces a lot of waste, and it can’t clear that waste during the day when you’re awake. It needs you to go through REM sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n How does food affect brain fog?<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n As more research is done on the brain-gut connection, scientists are finding more evidence that what you eat can affect your mood and your cognitive function. <\/p>\n \u201cDiet may just be our secret weapon in fending off brain fog,\u201d said Naidoo, author of \u201cThis is Your Brain on Food.\u201d \u201cNutrition has the tremendous power to help us reduce mental cloudiness and maximize focus, productivity and brain power in the workplace.\u201d<\/p>\n Here are four dietary changes she recommends to help fight brain fog:<\/p>\n 1. Fill up your plate with colorful fruits and veggies that help fight inflammation:<\/strong> \u201cFiber-rich, plant-based foods are packed with antioxidants, polyphenols, flavonols, vitamins and minerals that help reduce inflammation in the brain and resist the effects of oxidative stress (the kind that damages cells, and even leads to premature aging,\u201d Naidoo explained. [They] can help improve focus, reduce fatigue and enhance cognition for optimal performance.\u201d<\/p>\n 2. Eat fewer simple carbs, like sugary pastries, cookies and white bread.<\/strong> These foods can cause a sugar imbalance, Naidoo said. Instead, choose foods rich in healthy<\/p>\n fats and fiber to reduce sugar cravings, and opt for low-glycemic fruits like berries.<\/p>\n 3. Stay hydrated.<\/strong> \u201cMany symptoms of poor mental health and cognitive function are tied to dehydration. Sip on water throughout the day and include hydrating fruits and vegetables in the diet, such as cucumber and leafy green lettuces,\u201d Naidoo advised.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t want people to take on an entire diet reset, as it becomes too overwhelming and then unsustainable,\u201d she said. \u201cMy recommendations are always for slow, steady<\/p>\n small habit changes [such as] changing out a food that you are eating, such as daily ice cream or a candy bar that may be worsening your brain fog.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
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