Feeling tired, scatterbrained and anxious? Here’s how you can get your mind back in focus
Do you often find names suddenly elude you, lose your train of thought, or ever stride purposefully into a room, then can’t remember why? You may feel like you’re ‘losing it’, but that sensation of a mist descending could be down to brain fog. And it’s all normal. We asked the experts what causes brain fog, how to differentiate it from more serious brain conditions, like dementia, and how to help clear your head – fast.
What is brain fog?
‘It’s an umbrella term describing a collection of symptoms, generally coined as having a fuzzy head,’ explains dietitian Lola Biggs. ‘You become less efficient at thinking and processing, and find tasks that require focus and thought difficult.’
What are the red flags? ‘Noticing increased forgetfulness, wandering thoughts and lack of clarity on decisions can all point to brain fog,’ explains Lola. Symptoms also include feeling tired and distracted, as well as mood swings.
The reasons
Many women worry forgetfulness is an early sign of dementia. But if it coincides with a change in hormone levels, it’s more likely to be the perimenopause. There are also a number of other reasons you might not be firing on all cylinders…
An underactive thyroid
Your thyroid controls your metabolism and, when it slows, virtually every bodily function does too – including thought processes. ‘You may want to say one thing, but find something else comes out,’ says nutritionist Judy Watson. Other signs could be weight gain and fatigue, so speak to your GP if you’re worried.
Stress
Anxious thoughts can intrude on thought processes, hampering concentration and clear thinking. Anxiety can make relatively easy tasks trickier (more than challenging tasks), according to a study**. This is because straightforward jobs require less cognitive resources, leaving more space for anxiety to seep in.
COVID-19
Those who’ve had COVID-19 are reporting that brain fog is lasting long after other symptoms have disappeared. The jury’s still out on the cause. ‘We know the virus can get into the brain and damage brain cells,’ says consultant neurologist Dr Steven Allder at Re:Cognition Health. ‘Studies also showed obvious changes in brain volume, function an
