“
Brain fog” wasn’t officially introduced into the lexicon until April of 2021 but the malaise has likely been around since the beginning of time.
Whether you call it spaciness or forgetfulness, you, too, may have experienced its primary symptoms. The incapacity to think of the right word, failing to remember a key appointment, struggling to hone in on a project, or just feeling cognitively
sluggish—all are signs of the condition that affect an estimated 600 million people worldwide.
But despite its prevalence, few understand where their own brain fog genuinely stems from—or what they can do to remedy it (which, let’s face it, only adds to the confusion).
Read on to learn about four possible causes of brain fog and four natural ways to revive your mental sharpness.
What causes brain fog?
1. Long COVID
The American Medical Association (AMA) claims that brain fog is “one of Long COVID’s most misunderstood symptoms.”
It’s also more common than you perhaps think: A cross-sectional study published in the October 2022 issue of
Jama indicates that
almost half of the 16,000 individuals studied continued to experience either brain fog or poor recall two months after their diagnosis.
What is Long COVID, you might ask?
Also called “Post-COVID,” the CDC defines the medical complication as a persistence of symptoms of the virus after it has been resolved. These may persevere for days, weeks, months and even
years after the acute infection has ended.
Two factors may heighten your risk of experiencing brain fog post-COVID: the severity of your infection and whether you were vaccinated, with the AMA remarking that those who received a vaccination are
less vulnerable to those “where in the world did I leave my keys?” moments.
Restore clarity naturally by†…
First and foremost paying a visit to your healthcare practitioner. They should be able to assess whether your brain fog is in fact due to Long COVID or another underlying condition or lifestyle factor.
And while the Yale School of Medicine recently released a study indicating the promise of two drugs for Long COVID-induced brain fog, there’s a more immediate way to reinvigorate your mind: Exercise.
Whether you elect for a fast-paced walk or a vigorous Tabata session hardly matters. What does is that you get your heart pumping: A growing body of research shows that moderate-intensity workouts stimulate the “birth” of fresh brain cells in a process called neurogenesis, which may foster clearer thinking.
2. Insufficient vitamin B12 intake†
You might do plenty to raise and sustain your energy, from prioritizing sound, nourishing sleep to eating a balanced, nutrient-rich diet.
And yet, even the most health-conscious among us might be missing an essential vitamin that plays a significant role in mental nimbleness: vitamin B12.
Known as cobalamin, vitamin B12 is one of the building blocks of red blood cells, whose principal role is to transport oxygen from your lungs and distribute it throughout your body. As such, it’s crucial for energy. Additionally, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) asserts that vitamin B12 essential in the production of red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body. Not getting enough vitamin B12 in your diet can result in fatigue—and we don’t necessarily need science to realize that a fatigued body can easily lead to a fatigued mind. This may result in impaired memory and even
cognitive decline.
While vitamin B12 is found in a wide variety of foods (mainly those derived from animals), vegans, vegetarians, older adults and those with pernicious anemia, Crohn’s and Celiac disease might not get enough of this gem of a nutrient. In turn, they may experience the predominant symptoms of brain fog, such as difficulty following along during a dinner conversation or wrestling with multitasking.
Restore clarity naturally by†…
Amping up your vitamin B12 intake.
† Grass-fed beef, trout, salmon, clams and organ meats like liver are all terrific sources of this vital vitamin.
Happen to be a vegetarian or vegan? Search for products like nondairy milk and cereals that are fortified with vitamin B12—and add a touch (or a bunch!) of nutritional yeast to your stir-fries, salads and soups: The NIH reports that a mere two tablespoons of it possess the recommended dietary allowance (2.4 mcg/day) of vitamin B12.
Further, with your doctor’s approval, you can supplement with vitamin B12. A superb one to try?
Vitacost’s Vitamin B-12 Methylcobalamin.
† Devoid of standard allergens like peanuts and gluten, this excellent supplement organically supports alertness.
3. Crash dieting
You might be on the prowl to shed a few pounds before the holidays or have an upcoming event that calls for looking for your best. And while attaining and sustaining a healthy weight is
always a laudable practice, crash dieting is notorious for causing brain fog.
Why?
Research suggests it’s two-fold: One, from the angst that typically arrives when you implement any serious life change and, two, from the dearth of energy you may be used to getting from ample carbohydrates and other forms of fuel.
Restore clarity naturally by†…
Adjusting your expectations.
Crash dieting may initially result in weight loss but bear in mind that it will likely be
water weight. What’s more, a drastic reduction in calories—to say nothing of
ignoring your body’s internal clues—may result in the blues, anxiety, or binge-eating, the latter of which could thwart your weight-loss goals.
Rather, diminish brain fog
and land your ideal weight by adhering to the
MIND diet: A combination of the Mediterranean and DASH diets that has been shown to delay cerebral slips and bolster cognitive agility. This is thanks to the myriad flavonoids, carotenoids and vitamins found in the diet’s prescribed foods, which may
shield your brain from inflammation and oxidative stress.
So instead of going pure Keto or reaching for low-fat, “lite” foods, fill your plate with:
- Berries
- Olive oil
- Whole grains
- Dark, leafy greens
- Vegetables
- Beans
- Fish
Best part yet? The diet allows for some indulgences like pastries and cheese—just as long as you curb your consumption of them to a few times per week.
4. Perimenopause
Perimenopause—or the era prior to the complete cessation of one’s menstrual period for one year or more—is characterized by a cornucopia of occasionally-uncomfortable symptoms like headaches, night sweats, mood swings, vaginal dryness, insomnia and, yes, that oh-so-exasperating brain fog.
To understand
why this occurs, it’s important to peer at menopause from a cellular perspective.
Estrogen is partially responsible for keeping your mind attentive—and even fiery—by prompting your neurons to, well,
fire. As this hormone plunges during mid-life, however, it prods your brain to utilize more glucose in the brain as a substitute.
Given that glucose is your central source of energy, this can leave your mind feeling depleted—and incapable of recalling your partner’s birthday, or ill-equipped to see an idea through to fruition.
Restore clarity naturally by†…
Supplementing with care.
Smart stress-smashing practices, solid sleep, and pitch-perfect nutrition can help mitigate perimenopause symptoms, but
several key supplements can take your efforts to a whole new level.
†
Chief among these are magnesium, black cohosh, red clover, zinc and chaste tree berry—an herbal aid for perimenopausal (and menopausal) symptoms that has been “in circulation” among women for
more than 2,500 years. Acting as a proxy, if you will, of progesterone, chaste tree berry (or
Vitex, as it’s also known), may help support healthy
dopamine levels to encourage a calmer, and therefore more coherent, state of mind.
†
What are some other brain fog causes?
Naturally, the potential causes of brain fog listed above aren’t the
only reasons why you can’t get past “Solid” on
The New York Times’ Spelling Bee or forget familiar landmarks on your way home from work. Brain fog may also be triggered by:
- Poor or insufficient sleep
- Chronic and/or acute stress
- Certain medications
- Dehydration
- Mental health complications, such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD
- Lack of physical activity
In addition, several medical conditions may give rise to brain fog, such as
Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), chronic fatigue syndrome, and lupus—an autoimmune disorder in which your immune system inadvertently assaults your body.
If you consistently can’t find that crystalline mental clarity you’re accustomed to, it’s crucial to schedule an appointment with your physician as soon as possible. While no single test can definitively confirm why you’re experiencing brain fog, your doctor can conduct a simple blood test to assess your glucose levels, markers of an inflammatory disease, and more.
In the meantime, put these tips on regaining cognitive proficiency into practice. Sometimes the smallest lifestyle tweak can make the biggest difference—and return you to sheer, beautiful lucidity.
†These statements have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease.
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