How To Reduce Brain Fog and Improve Clear Thinking
By: Eric Sangerma
Tags: Sleep, Self, Productivity, Brain Fog, Mental Health

What Causes Brain Fog?

Brain fog is an elusive condition and its symptoms are easily mistaken for a whole variety of illnesses. Some of these illnesses have brain fog as a symptom! But it can also come from various lifestyle problems.

Luckily, this phenomenon is not irreversible. Here’s what could be causing it and how to kick it to the curb.

1. Lack of oxygen

Sinusitis — an inflammation of the tissue lining the sinuses — causes swelling of the nasal crevices, applying pressure to the eyes and forehead.

As our nasal airways are blocked, the only way to supply our lungs with oxygen is by breathing through the mouth. Unfortunately, that oxygen is not being filtered, further decreasing the quality of the oxygen supplied to our brain.

Without oxygen, our brain performance decreases, resulting in cognitive dysfunction and difficulty concentrating.

Solution:

Although you can relieve sinusitis symptoms with some home remedies or over-the-counter sprays, treating chronic sinusitis requires expert advice.

Home treatment includes using a humidifier, inhaling steam vapors, or rinsing your nasal passages.

2. Medications

Certain medications can impact our cognitive health. Benzodiazepines — a class of medications encompassing lorazepam, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam — are often prescribed to patients suffering from insomnia or anxiety because of their calming properties.

However, these medications have been linked to “impairment[s] in several cognitive domains, such as visuospatial ability, speed of processing, and verbal learning” (Stewart 2005). All of these cognitive deficits are characteristic of brain fog.

Other medications that induce similar side effects include non-benzodiazepine prescription sedatives (zolpidem, zaleplon, and eszopiclone), anticholinergics (brand names: Atropen, Cogentin, Cyclogyl, Enablex, Toviaz, Urispas, etc.) and mood-stabilizers (lithium).

Solution:

If it’s your physician that prescribed any of these medications, talk with them and ask for a change of prescription. Be honest about the side-effects and explain that the medications are impeding your functioning.

If you’re using non-prescription medication of any kind and are experiencing an uptick in brain fog symptoms, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

3. Sleep problems

According to research, 25 percent of Americans experience acute insomnia each year and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 3 adults don’t get enough sleep (seven-plus hours per night).

Sleep deprivation is known to influence attention and vigilance (Alhola & Polo-Cantola 2007), working memory, psychomotor and cognitive speed (Goel et al. 2009).

As such, sleep deprivation is one of the leading causes of brain fog.

Solution:

Get enough sleep! Make sure to go to bed on time and have some quality rest. Dim your bedroom, avoid using social media before bed, optimize your bedroom temperature (it should be colder than the rest of the house), and don’t snack or drink alcohol late in the evening.

4. Allergies

Similar to sinusitis, allergies cause nasal congestion by releasing cytokines — proteins that help our bodies fight foreign substances (allergens in this case). These proteins cause the inflammation in our nose, narrowing the airways and decreasing the amount and quality of oxygen coming to our brain.

Solution:

Protect your indoor air by keeping your windows and doors shut during pollen season. You can even consider purchasing air filters. When outside, wear a protective mask and wash your face as soon as you get home.

Lastly, schedule an allergy skin test and determine your triggers. Perhaps it’s really easy to avoid them. If not, consult your physician about the best antihistamine medicines you can use to treat the allergy.

5. A thyroid condition

Hyperthyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland becomes overactive and starts producing too many thyroid hormones. Studies demonstrate that “brain development is much more sensitive to thyroid hormone excess or deficit than previously thought” (Zoeller et al. 2002). It is likewise evident that there is a “link between [thyroid hormones] and cognitive processes that are mediated primarily by the frontal cortex, areas associated with executive function tasks.” (Grigorova & Sherwin 2012)

Solution:

If you suspect there might be a problem with your thyroid gland, you should visit a doctor immediately. The symptoms of thyroid dysfunction may vary from person to person but a blood test will certainly provide the most accurate diagnosis.

Once you start taking treatment, you’ll probably feel your brain fog symptoms diminishing. You can also introduce changes to your lifestyle: cut down on sugar, eat selenium-rich foods (tuna and turkey) or food packed with vitamin B-12 (beans, peas, and eggs).

In any case, you should always talk with your doctor about the proper treatment plan.

6. Inactivity

Physical exercise not only inflates our muscles but it also makes our brain bigger. A study done at the University of British Columbia discovered that “aerobic exercise training increases the size of the anterior hippocampus, leading to improvements in spatial memory.” (Erickson et al. 2011)

Inactivity, on the other hand, shrinks and weakens the brain, dampening its performance.

Solution:

Get moving! Search for ideas on how to get healthier and start exercising. You don’t have to go to the gym or start running, though. Long walks will suffice.

Brisk walking was shown to have tremendous benefits for our mental health. Hippocampal atrophy — a key biomarker in the preclinical stages of Alzheimer’s disease — “has been shown to be associated with hippocampal volume; specifically increased aerobic activity and fitness may have a positive effect on the size of the hippocampus.” (Varma et al. 2015)

According to Harvard Health, you should aim for walking at least 30 to 45 minutes a day, preferably briskly so that you can feel your heart rate elevating a bit.

7. Dehydration

Our bodies are 60% water and our brain a whopping 75%. That means that even the slightest hint of dehydration negatively affects brain performance.

One study determined that mild dehydration “impaired vigilance and working memory and increased anxiety and fatigue” while another study revealed that a 36-hours-ling water deprivation had negative effects in the participants’ vigor, cognitive performance, short-term memory and attention span (Na Zhang et al. 2019)

Solution:

Amp up the fluids. You can stick with the tried and trusted method of 8 glasses a day. But the amount of water you need will largely depend on your activities throughout the day — if you’re more active, you’ll need more water.

8. Food intolerance

If you google the symptoms of food intolerance, you’ll discover that they encompass nausea, headaches, nervousness, and irritability. Sounds familiar?

If you’re experiencing brain fog, there’s a chance you can blame it on certain foods.

Solution:

If you suspect you’re intolerant to some foods, your physician will probably perform a blood test or elimination diet. The usual suspects are dairy, gluten, and caffeine, and starting a diet that eliminates these may yield results. If not, a thorough medical exam will solve the mystery.