Causes and cures of brain fog

The human brain is pretty amazing. It is such a fascinating machine and we barely have scratched the surface of its capabilities. One “thing” that we don't really understand fully is why is it that some days it seems like our friend. We're full of confidence, full of energy, witty and sharp as a tack, while other days our brain feels like our enemy. You feel sluggish, like someone just poured a vat of molasses over your brain and it's just slowing down all the gears of your mind. On these days it seems to completely sabotage our ability to focus or remember, in the short or even the long term. Basically, it just makes us feel like our brain is in a completely dilapidated state. This is often referred to as brain fog and, according to SteadyMD, is the inability to have a sharp memory or to lack a sharp focus. This is characterized primarily by a lack of mental clarity combined with an inability to focus and a decreased function of working memory. Though brain fog is not yet determined to be a clinical malady; because it is more of a subjective feeling rather than something that can be easily tested. But, the question still bears asking, why does this happen and how can we prevent it?

Society has been trying to answer this question for years because brain fog sucks, especially if you have an important function, meeting or presentation. And even more so if you are interacting with people a lot of the time or you have to solve an important problem. You can't afford to be in this state of brain fog. When you are, you're presenting to the world the worst possible version of yourself. Not to mention it's really annoying. So, today we're going to go over some factors as to why you probably have brain fog and how to address it.

Factor number one is over stimulation. Since we live in such a digital environment where attention is crucial, with all of these different companies and all of these different websites, these advertisers all want your attention in order to monetize it. Whenever you click on something, somebody gets paid. Whenever you watch something, somebody gets paid. You may not realize it but, they all want your attention and will do almost anything to get it. Look at the various web sites you click on. More than likely there will be one or several pop-ups that are vying for your attention. Everybody wants your attention. What this means for you is, if you spend a lot of time on the internet and around screens, inevitably your attention is going to be completely dispersed in a thousand different directions. And if you spend a long enough time doing this, you start to get used to having your attention fragmented. YouTube is a perfect example of this. In fact, they have coined a name for it called Clickbait. On YouTube, it is so powerful because of something called super normal stimulus, that it is considered a psychological phenomenon.

Secondly and more serious causes include stressful lifestyles, neurological disorders, heavy metal toxicity, hormonal changes, Inflammation, dehydration, kidney issues, adrenal fatigue, thyroid imbalances and poor nutrition. Just to name a few. If you are not sure what may be the culprit, it would be well advised for you to see your doctor for a professional opinion. Don’t let brain fog go on for an extended period thinking it is normal or natural. Left untreated, the underlying cause can continue to worsen. You may have incurred Lyme disease, or have been subjected to mold, pesticides or may even have developed an allergy to food additives, who knows?  Brain fog is a common symptom of Lyme disease and appears to be a toxic symptom of it. The Center for Disease Control estimates that 300,000 people per year are diagnosed with the disease every year.

Lastly, are our poor sleep patterns. We are all guilty of overscheduling our daily activities to the point where we often almost pass out from exhaustion, only to grab a few hours of rest and start all over again the next day. The sad part is, we try to convince ourselves that we are being productive but, are we really? Or are we simply fooling ourselves into believing so when really, we are only doing a number of tasks with a low level of effectiveness. It is kind of like the cartoon character with legs that are spinning really fast but, they’re not going anywhere.

Let’s take a look at some practical cures for relieving your brain fog:

1)       Sleep, sleep, sleep: this is probably the simplest cure to help relieve your problem.  Studies show that people perform best when they are able to get eight to nine hours of “quality” rest per night. If need be, go to your local pharmacy and purchase an over the counter sleep aid. If that doesn’t work, see your Doctor.

2)       Practice meditation: in this day and age, because people can't sit still with themselves for more than five minutes, it trains you to collect your thoughts and redirect them into doing something at a little slower pace. Try reducing your social media and hopefully you can focus better on conversations and socializing with friends and family around you.

3)       Change your diet to include more brain boosting foods: a diet that includes fatty fish such as salmon and trout help to elevate your Omega3 levels. Your brain uses Omega3 to help build brain and nerve cells. It is also accredited with slowing aging and helping to reduce depression. Also, don’t forget caffeine. Now don’t go crazy and drink your coffee by the pot but, a cup in the morning and maybe another during the day can help you stay alert and has even been thought to boost some of your “good” neurotransmitters such as serotonin. Coffee is also considered high in anti-oxidants so, not only will you be more alert, you could be improving your overall health as well.

4)       Start including probiotics and prebiotics into your daily routine: Probiotics we know help your gut by promoting the growth of good bacteria. While prebiotics are various types of fiber that feed probiotic strains. Supplements such as these, can be obtained in any vitamin or health food store. Not to mention a little change in your diet to include more fiber rich foods and vegetables. 

5)       Exercise: Take a walk, join a health club, go dancing with friends or go ride a bike. The opportunities are endless and you may lose a few pounds in the process.

6)       Take up a hobby: Find something that you always wanted to do like painting, or building model airplanes, whatever. Find something that puts your overactive mind at rest. Just find something that takes you away if only for a short time daily.

7)       Make a list: Write down the “tasks” you want to accomplish each day. I know it sounds like more work but, doing so will help you keep focused and reduce the amount of distraction in your day. Facing each day in a “Helter Skelter” manner. You will only add to your frustration and confusion. It will also help keep you on track and help you to stop procrastinating. In addition, completing your tasks can help to reward your brain with a shot of dopamine as you celebrate your many accomplishments.

8)       Visit you physician: When was the last time you had a full checkup? If you cannot remember, it’s probably been too long. Hopefully, your brain fog can be corrected by a couple life style changes. But, you won’t know until you are sure there is not a more serious underlying culprit.

Well, that’s, our blog for today, and I hope what you are reading helps put you on a track to better health and well being…CBD Doctor