Having mental clarity, staying focused and on point, are some of the traits we expect from ourselves and others in our day to day lives. But sometimes, your brain just doesn’t seem to be able to think properly with your mind becoming foggy, unable to think, confused, forgetful with a loss in clarity on what is happening around you. This condition is called Brain fog but isn’t a medical condition. Brain fog is used to describe when your brain’s ability to think is adversely affected with many who experienced brain fog even being unable to put their thoughts into words.
The cause of brain fog is usually one of two things, the first is a lifestyle related brain fog and the second is medication induced side effects which cause brain fog.
Here are six reasons someone can experience brain fog:
6. Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
MS is a difficult disease to live with as it affects how the brain talks to the rest of the body by disrupting the central nervous system processes. These disruptions cause around half of those people with MS to suffer from memory issues. It has been noted that learning and memory exercises can help against brain fog.
It has been documented that many women find it difficult to remember events during their pregnancy because the chemicals in the body of the mother change to best nourish the baby. And some of these chemicals may cause memory issues to the mother leading to brain fog.
4. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)
CFS is a severe medical condition that forces your body and mind to feel tired for a long time even if you try to rest and recover. This condition can cause the mind to be forgetful, unfocused and confused at times. Experts state that no cure has been found for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome but talk therapy can help.
Due to the changes in a woman’s body during menopause, she might experience brain fog along with other signs of menopause including hot flashes, higher heart rate, increased body temperature and sudden sweating to name a few. This usually happens around the age of 50 about one year after her last period. It should be noted that there are hormone supplements that can help going through menopause while there are nootropic supplements that can be effective on brain fog.
Sometimes, medications can also cause adverse reactions in the body that can lead to brain fog. If you have taken any drugs that caused you to be unable to think clearly or forget things you are supposed to remember, it’s advised to consult your doctor with a list of all the medication you were on when you suffered from brain fog.
1. Cancer Treatment
Cancer treatment by doing Chemotherapy is used to suppress and eliminate cancer cells using powerful drugs that can cause side effects like hair loss and memory problems. Those with memory problems, also called ‘chemo brain,’ find it difficult to remember details and dates as well as finding it hard to multitask. While these side effects usually stop occurring after treatment, there are some who are affected for longer by this brain fog.