What Brain Fog Feels Like

When you’re feeling slow, groggy, unable to stay focused, and forgetful, you are probably experiencing brain fog. Half of the time you spend trying to get things done can feel like it disappears into a black box. Many people experience it, but the good news is you can fix it by taking the proper steps to improve your wellness. Here are some of the causes of brain fog and how to prevent it from taking away your time and productivity.

What Causes Brain Fog

There are quite a few things that can cause a fuzzy unclear headspace. Run through this list and identify which applies to you to pinpoint what might be causing you to feel hazy and half-awake during the day. Most people find that making healthier choices clears up their brain fog. 

Lack of sleep, poor nutrition, alcohol, frequent stress, and many more factors can contribute, and symptoms can be subtle to severe depending on your lifestyle. There are also medical conditions and some medications that can cause effects of feeling unclear and slow. 

Here is a general list of what may be causing the fogginess:

• Stress Overload
• Consuming Alcohol Frequently
• Dehydration
• High Sugar Intake
• Nutritional Deficiencies
• Too Much Caffeine
• Processed Foods
• Physical Inactivity
• Bad Sleeping Habits
• Toxins in Your Environment
• Poor Diet
• Drugs and Medications
• Underlying Medical Conditions

How to Prevent Brain Fog

The best actions you can take to prevent brain fog and alleviate some of the symptoms are making positive changes in your lifestyle habits and breaking unhealthy patterns. To start, make a list of easy things you know you can do every day, like staying hydrated, taking a daily multivitamin, and getting a full night’s sleep in.

Set up your list of bigger wellness goals to start implementing that may take more patience and effort. These steps might be a daily exercise regimen, limiting your alcohol consumption to once a week, and practicing stress reduction activities.

Try some of these homemade elixirs for supporting a clear mind and boosting your energy!

Follow the tips below to help you steer clear of sluggishness and feel your best.

1. Find Healthy Ways to Manage Stress

Here are some excellent techniques you can use to beat stress and feel your best.

• Deep breathing 
• Walk around the block
• Reading a book
• Hot to cold shower
• Mindfulness meditation
• Spend time in nature
• Massage
• Have a Serving of CBD When You Need to Relax
• Work on a project that inspires you
• Listen to peaceful music while you work
• Quality connection with a loved one

2. Reduce Your Alcohol Consumption

Limit your alcohol intake as often as possible. Frequent drinking is really hard on your brain and interferes with the brain’s communication pathways. Your neural network is very fragile, and alcohol has adverse effects on how your brain processes information, motor skills, and the body’s vital functions.

Over time drinking can contribute to mental health problems, brain damage, and serious diseases. Talk to your doctor about your alcohol intake to get support, make adjustments to your habits, or quit drinking to improve your wellness.

3. Get Physically Active Daily

Every day, get yourself moving, stretching, and using your whole body. When you wake up in the morning, make it a habit to do a few pushups, wall sits, and stretches to help wake your brain and feel ready for the day. Exercise increases blood flow, oxygen, and nutrients to your brain and can sharpen your thinking in minutes.

If you have a mental block, take a walk around the block. After lunch or in the evening, take a quick walk. Doing so stimulates brain function and helps you feel sharp. 

If you sit most of the day, stand up frequently. Sitting for long periods is bad for your brain and overall health. Simply stand up frequently throughout the day to stimulate brain function.

4. Think Before You Eat

Your brain needs nutritional fuel to be sharp and perform at its best. Experiment with your diet to see what may be affecting your wellbeing and hurting your brainpower. Some of the obvious offenders include sugar, highly processed foods, unhealthy fats, greasy food, and additives. The high amounts of sugar added to packaged foods is a culprit for brain fog and poor health. Start eliminating unhealthy foods out of your diet and introduce plenty of healthy fats and whole foods into your diet. Greens, fruits, nuts, olive oil, coconut oil, fatty fish, and antioxidants are important nutritional building blocks for a healthy brain. The more natural, the more nutritious it will be for your brain.

5. Stay Hydrated

Your water intake strongly influences your brain. It is so essential to your wellbeing to drink enough water and yet overlooked. Not drinking enough water is like starving your brain and body of what sustains it. Dehydration affects your brain, mood, and concentration, making your brain work so much harder on simple tasks. If you have brain fog, pay attention to how much water you have consumed and drink up!

6. Get a Full Night of Sleep

Get regular, high-quality sleep. Your brain does a lot of work when you are sleeping, so although it feels like you are turning off your brain, it is on and performing essential roles to keep you healthy. Poor sleep curtails essential brain regeneration. Create a bedtime routine to ensure you get a quality full night of sleep in. Getting enough sleep will help your brain fog symptoms diminish.

7. Reduce Toxins in Your Environment

Switch to natural cleaning products and personal care products. The toxins we breathe in and ingest daily are damaging to our fragile brains. Reduce chemicals in your home, don’t use chemically made air fresheners, don’t smoke inside, clean your air filters every 6-8 months and run a HEPA air filter in your bedroom to lighten your toxin load while you sleep.

If you are feeling fuzzy and having poor concentration issues, you have the power to take back your brain power and boost your wellness. Start with stress reduction techniques, quality sleep, daily exercise, improve your diet, and try natural herbs and supplements to boost your wellness. Use the tips above to reduce mental sluggishness and give your body the fuel it needs.