Brain Fog

Many of our day-to-day activities and thoughts that are regulated by our brain are actually done on a subconscious level. Thus, activities that we do without thinking consciously, like walking, talking, responding to stimulus, etc. actually take place at a subconscious level. Thus our brain is actually constantly functioning. This can lead to times when it does not function to its full potential, which in turn can lead to a disturbance in clarity of thought. This is known as brain fog. Some people dismiss this condition as merely a momentary disturbance that does not require any kind of serious medical attention, however, sometimes brain fog may even be caused due to a serious underlying problem like poisoning or exposure to electromagnetic radiation. There are many different causes of brain fog, and their treatment in turn, vary accordingly. Given below are the various causes, accompanying symptoms and treatment options for dealing with brain fog.

Brain Fog Causes
There are many different brain fog causes, some of which are induced due to ingestion of a poisonous substance whereas sometimes, even stress can be the culprit. The various causes of brain fog include:

Metal Poisoning: The human body is quite prone to being affected by heavy metals poisoning. This is because the skin acts as an easy medium for absorption of toxic levels of certain metals which can prove to be harmful for the body and brain. These metals include mercury, cadmium, lead, etc. One of the first signs of metal toxicity is, in fact, mental confusion and brain fogging. Later, when the levels in the body of these toxic metals increases, then it leads to symptoms like vomiting, cramps and severe nausea.

Stress: One of the most common causes of brain fog include severe stress. In fact, brain fog and anxiety are closely related. Any kind of severe stress can lead to the inability to think clearly. Furthermore, this can also be compounded if there is simultaneous depression. There will often be other symptoms accompanying brain fog in case of stress and depression, like change in appetite (either an increase in appetite with cravings or a loss of appetite).

Insomnia: Lack of sleep or any kind of sleep deprivation can lead to brain fog and the inability to think clearly. In fact, insomnia and sleep disorders lead to inadequate amount of rest for the brain. This can lead to not just mental clouding but also anxiety and changes in a person's mood.

Lack of Proper Circulation: Poor circulation in the brain can also lead to brain fog and thus, lack of clarity in thought. The brain is one of the most richly supplied organs in terms of blood and oxygen, hence, any kind of lack of these two can lead to improper functioning of the neurons, which in turn, can lead to mental clouding.

Hypoglycemia: Just like oxygen, low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia can also lead to mental clouding. The brain needs constant supply of glucose and so any lack of it can affect it adversely, leading to fogging of brain.

Other Causes: Other causes of brain fog include exposure to electromagnetic field, chronic fatigue syndrome, leaky gut syndrome, adrenal fatigue, candidiasis, lack of nutrients, etc.

Brain Fog Symptoms

• Inability of a person to focus on any task at hand.
• Difficulty concentrating, mental clouding and confusion.
• Difficulty in problem solving and inability to learn new tasks is also one of the brain fog symptoms.
• Disorientation which may vary in severity and duration.
• Forgetfulness and difficulty in remembering recent tasks.
• Disrupted sleep or disturbed sleep and trouble falling asleep.
• In some severe cases, there may even be lack of spatial awareness or general awareness.

Brain Fog Treatment
The treatment for brain fog that is caused due to a medical condition, like poisoning or hypoglycemia, will consist of treating this underlying medical condition. Hence, the treatment in such cases will vary accordingly. There is no fixed treatment or medicine that can be used to deal with fogging of brain if there is no underlying severe medical problem. Some people claim that there are many brain fog supplements that help to get rid of this condition, however, there is no documented proof as to whether they work for everyone or not. One of the simple ways of getting rid of brain fog is by going for a walk. Walking helps to get the blood flowing in our body and so, also helps to get rid of confusion and clears the mind.

Analyze your office, or the place where you feel you tend to get repeated attacks of mental fogging. It is often seen that excess of clutter present in the vicinity can lead to anxiety, stress and the resultant inability to concentrate and think clearly. Believe it or not but your diet also plays an important part in deciding your mood and how well your brain works. One common mistake that many people tend to make is to gorge on sugar and then sit down to do work that requires a lot of thinking. After the initial 'sugar rush' fades away, you'll realize that it's difficult to concentrate, which is known as brain fog after eating. Hence, try not to gorge on a lot of carbohydrates and then get down to do some serious thinking. More often than not, stress is to blame for brain fog and so, try to ensure that you try out some simple stress relief measures like deep breathing, yoga, etc.

One of the simple brain fog treatment options is to simply get better sleep. Eight hours of sound sleep every night ensures that the brain works just fine the next morning. This is because just like the rest of our body, our brain too needs a bare minimum amount of rest so as to ensure its smooth functioning. Try to ensure there is a bit of variation in your daily routine. This way, you'll ensure that every activity you do will make you think and so you will be able to keep yourself physically and mentally occupied at all times. Once a boring routine sets in, the brain tends to work only up to half of its potential due to the mundane nature of work at hand, which can lead to brain fog. Hence, these simple measures will ensure that you keep mental clouding of any kind at bay for good.