How Can I Beat Brain Fog? And Why is My Brain So Slow?
Have you ever felt zoned out during that math quiz or find it hard to concentrate on that task your boss just handed you over?
Behold, you have entered the dimension of brain fog!
It’s annoying, draining, and an awful buzz kill. The good news is that there are ways to beat brain fog! You can tackle and perhaps eliminate it entirety.
Want to know how you can beat brain fog for yourself? Keep reading!
What Is Brain Fog?
Brain fog is described as a type of mental fatigue characterized by mental confusion, lack of focus, and an inability to memorize data.
A layman’s term for brain fog could be ‘distraction’ or ‘disorientation’.
Computer processors may get slow over time and start malfunctioning or respond slowly.
Similarly, human brain processing refers to the rate at which the brain can formulate a response after it has been presented with information.
Slower processing in humans is ‘because’ of brain fog.
Mentioned below are a few symptoms of what it feels like;
- Problem recalling things
- Dampened mental clarity
- Mental fatigue
- Lack of focus
- Hard time concentrating
- What Are The Causes Of Brain Fog?
- Lifestyle Factors:
- Overworking
- Exhaustion
- Lack of sleep
- Stress/Depression
- Excessive screen time
Medical Factors:
- Concussions
- Trauma
- High blood pressure
- Medication
- Stress
- Sleeping disorders (sleep apnea)
- Smoking
- Aging brain
- Diet poor in nutrients and high in sugar
- Sedentarism
- Oxidative stress
- Hormonal fluctuations
- Chronic infections
12 Ways To Beat Brain Fog
Sleep Well
Sleep deprivation is one of the most commonly occurring factors of brain fog. It is also one that you can rule out quickly.
Sleep is extremely important for brain function!
For most people, at least 6-8 hours of sleep is required for your brain to function properly.
Why you may ask?
The answer lies in the Circadian rhythm and how respecting it would lead to a great lifestyle.
The Circadian rhythm is a series of changes that occurs within a span of 24 hours. By sleeping on time and incorporating optimum sleep hours into your routine, the Circadian rhythm will enable you to tackle brain fog.
Some nootropics that help aid a peaceful sleep include melatonin, 5-HTP, and, L-Theanine.
Incorporate Exercise
The relationship between mental acuity and exercise is often forelooked upon. Cognitive decline is indeed associated with a lack of activity.
The release of harmful chemicals called ‘cytokines’ followed by the consequent release of ‘endorphins’ provides the brain with an optimal functioning environment.
Even if an individual is not able to pull of strenuous workout sessions, meditative activities may also impart a useful result.
Promote Gut Health
One of the main culprits of brain fog could be faulty dietary habits. It’s usually triggered by a lack of nutrients or an inflammatory event caused by certain foods.
A diet rich in dairy consumption and sugar is the leading cause of deteriorating gut health.
I highly recommend supplementing your diet with certain probiotics like the ones found in “Total Gut Health“.
Their formula has everything you need to fully optimize your gut health, including probiotics, digestive enzymes and much more. A healthy gut equals optimal brain function!
If you suffer from regular brain fog, you should definitely check it out at the link below.
https://www.supermindhacker.com/onnit-gut-health-probiotics
Also check out our article on brain foods , the fuel that leads to the elation of brainpower!
De-Stress & Relax
It is important to keep cortisol levels at bay no matter how draining your routine might be. Increased cortisol levels might be the reason for that God-awful brain fog.
This stress hormone causes anxiety, depression, fatigue, and lethargy when its levels are found to be inflated.
Toning down stress for some might just be in the form of a hot shower or a scrumptious cheat meal.
However, for others, the task might seem to be out of their control.
Dampening depression and strokes of anxiety can be made possible with the sensible selection of nootropics such as L-Theanine, Citicoline, and Ashwagandha.
Tickle Your Brain With Puzzles And Crosswords
If you don’t use it, you lose it. You probably heard this one before. It applies to tot the brain.
The white matter is the part of the brain that harbors loads of synaptic connections, and to keep them functioning you need to keep them active.
Challenging your brain with such activities improves focus, mental processing speed, and also reinforces those very connections!
Hydration Is Key
Your brain is composed of 73% water. Needless to say, it needs to be hydrated to function optimally.
The human body needs water to perform basic and complex processes. When it’s not hydrated, you may experience brain fog, drowsiness, and headache.
Water is a universal solvent hence serves as a medium for a wide array of chemical and physical reactions.
Depriving the brain of water would be like inducing a drought!
Fatty Acids And Fish Oil Are Allies
I would say fatty acids have more to do with brain quality, which in turn combats brain fog.
Fatty acids help assemble structurally strong components of the brain such as nerves and their protective coatings.
The Omega fatty acids are excellent for the brain and significantly enhance focus and memory.
Supplement Antioxidants
Let’s be honest, the dietary habits of the modern man have lead to a variety of nutritional deficiencies.
Antioxidant levels are found to be compromised which allows the free radicals to take in charge that causes relentless damage.
Antioxidant supplementation can help tackle this problem and thus reduce the frequency and intensity of brain fog.
When the free radical levels are dampened, the environment for the brain becomes optimum to showcase cognitive abilities and stellar performance.
Talk To Your Doctor About Your Medication
Certain medications may also cause brain fog. Antidepressants, in particular, are notorious for propagating brain fog.
This may come off as a side effect. Consulting your physician is the best way to rule out the cause.
Pay Attention To Possible Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea leads to a momentary period of breathlessness during sleep and is often unnoticeable.
With this condition, acquiring a state of deep sleep becomes difficult. This in turn results in possible episodes of brain fog.
For sleep apnea, you should consult a physician as well as a dentist to help you resolve the problem.
Cure Chronic Infections
Chronic infections lead to an uprise in a dull but constant inflammatory state. This may also lead to an imbalance of healthy bacterial colonies and harmful pathogens.
A very common example is of the infection caused by the pathogen ‘Candida Albiacans’ which lingers on for a lengthy time span, thus causing destruction to the integrity of the body and brain.
The best way to beat this is with probiotics.
Balancing Hormones
Hormonal imbalance may be caused by pregnancy, thyroid disorders, and an unbalanced diet.
Whatever it is the cause, you can fix this with a better diet, treating the causative factor, and incorporating nootropics in the daily regimen.
Consult your doctor and get yourself tested to rule out hormonal imbalances.
How to Beat Brain Fog & Why Is My Brain So Slow At Processing Information? – Final Thoughts
Brain fog isn’t the rarest of phenomenons and is growing common by the day, especially for those who went through an episode of Covid-19.
However, it may be treated with the options suggested above.
Brain vitality gives you drive and the energy to perform. Ignoring the red flags or obvious signs by rooting it as a ‘it’s probably just a phase’ thing will only let it dwell further.
Brain fog isn’t something that should have you worried, but ignoring it isn’t the most sensible of options either!
About David Gracey
Founder of SuperMindHacker.com
In other words, I am completely obsessed with anything and everything related to cognitive brain enhancement!
Whether it's nootropics supplements, challenging brain puzzles, or even meditation techniques, chances are, I've tried it! This website is my outlet to give back and share what I've learned in the past 15+ years in this field of study.
You Can Read my Other Posts Here: David Gracey's Articles