7 Things That May Be Triggering Your Brain Fog
By Sandy Schroeder
We all have those moments where we can't quite punch through the fog, according to Mady Hornig, MD, Columbia University Medical Center. She says, "It's a vague sense of what you're trying to retrieve, but you can't focus in on it."
Robert Lahita, MD, PhD, of Newark Beth Israel Medical Center says that "brain fog might cause you to forget where you parked that car at the mall, but dementia might make it impossible to get there in the first place."
Here are a few things brain fog might be telling you:
Mood swings may have a strong impact - Researchers are now showing depression and bipolar disorder reports of fuzzy thinking actually show up on brain scans. They say the brain may work differently when there are mental health issues. Medications or therapies may help the mental issue and the brain fog.
Weight gain can add to brain fog - Eating leafy greens, dark chocolate or fatty fish can power up your brain, but packing on the pounds with pasta, pizza and burgers may reverse the flow and up the fog.
Your hormones may be changing - Working memory can change for women between the ages of 40 and 60 if menopause is near. Changes in hormone levels can be similar to "pregnancy brain," which impacts memory.
Blood pressure pills, and some antibiotics may be culprits - Brain clouds can also show up with antidepressants, allergy medications and painkillers. See your doctor for alternatives.
Undiagnosed health issues - Brain fog can emerge in a wide range of diseases, such as lupus, fibromyalgia and multiple sclerosis. If you are sleeping well and eating healthy, talk with your doctor about headaches, lack of coordination, numbness, tingling or muscle or joint pain.
Cancer treatments fog the brain - Chemotherapy can cause disorganization, forgetfulness, difficulties with concentration and frustration. Countering with a good diet and lots of reminder notes may help. In many cases the fog lifts after a few weeks.
Stress may be stealing your alertness - When life takes a wrong turn, and you are worrying your way through the consequences, you may also find yourself confusing issues or forgetting things. All of the agitation involved in your stressful situation simply soaks up some of the working energy of the brain. Zeroing in on the stress may make the fog go away.
Keep looking to find the triggers for your brain fog and enjoy the breakthrough when you find them.
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