Constant Fatigue And Brain Fog

Thyroid Gland Insufficiency Or Hyperactivity

The thyroid gland is important for your metabolism. It produces the T3 and T4 hormones that are responsible for the exchange of energy between cells. In case you have a thyroid gland insufficiency your hormones can also get affected.

The altered levels of the thyroid hormones can make you have a brain fog constantly. That is why it would be better to ask your doctor to prescribe you hormones to ease the brain fog symptoms.

What Exactly Is Brain Fog

Brain fog is a term used to describe feeling like yourbrain is cloudy or not functioning as well as it should. You mayfeel like you cant concentrate, think straight, or remember things as quickly.

This term is also sometimes used to describe brain function issues that can occur when you have a fever or are dehydrated.

Dealing With Gerd And Brain Fog At Work

After booking the sick room at an old job several times in the span of a year, the health and safety lead assigned someone to sit in the room to watch me, which made me consider whether they thought I was a danger to myself or whether they didnt trust that I wasnt just slacking off. It was an awkward experience for both myself and the person assigned , and needless to say I didnt rest, and never booked the sick room again.

As I got older the fatigue became worse. Brain fog would overcome me, making me completely unable to function or process even simple thoughts. My eyes would close against my will, and Id have to prop myself up on my elbows at my desk. Not giving in to sleep would eventually make me feel sick to my stomach. Lights were too bright, I felt cold in my bones, and my face and lips would turn pale.

It hit me on the weekends too, especially if we were doing a lot of socializing with friends. I always needed to rest afterwards, even if we had done something very low key. I was also developing GERD and it was getting out of control.

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Pandemic’s Emotional Hammer Hits Hard

This kind of mental fog is real and can have a few different causes. But at the root of it are the stress and trauma of the past year, say Cyrus and other mental health experts. It’s a normal reaction to a very abnormal year.

And while many people will likely continue to struggle with mental health symptoms in the long run, research on past mass traumas suggests that most people will recover once the coronavirus pandemic ends.

“We know that the majority of people tend to be resilient,” says Lynn Bufka, a psychologist with the American Psychological Association. “They may have struggled during the time of the challenges but generally come out OK on the other end.”

In the meantime, Bufka and other experts say that there are things we can do now to fight the mental fog and exhaustion.

How stress and sleep are linked

“Exhaustion can be a symptom of many things,” says Cyrus.

For one, it can be a symptom of stress.

“We know from other research that people will talk about fatigue as something that they experience when they’re feeling overstressed,” says Bufka.

What Can You Do To Beat It

If you have brain fog caused by a medication or a medical condition, including COVID-19, speak to your doctor about whether it warrants further investigation and if there are strategies you can employ to deal with it.

For brain fog triggered by other causes, there are some common things you can do to try and overcome it, Dr Gurvich says.

First of all, take a look at your lifestyle.

“Make sure your diet is OK, and you’re sleeping well, and you’re getting exercise and routine, and trying to reduce stresses,” she says.

In terms of trying to improve your brain and cognitive functioning, look at what you can do to reduce your distractions.

For example, switching off your phone while you’re working, or your email and social media notifications, so you can just focus on one thing at a time.

“If you’ve got big tasks that are overwhelming, you can break them down into smaller, more manageable tasks and write checklists,” Dr Gurvich says.

And remember, when it comes to brain fog you’re not alone.

“We all experience brain fog,” Dr Gurvich says.

“Certainly on its own, it might not necessarily be something to be concerned about.”

But if you’re at all worried about it, she recommends seeking help from your GP.

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What Was I Saying Again Six Common Causes For Brain Fog

Darn it! Where did I park my car again?

Wait, what was I saying?

At some point or another, weve all had these thoughts. Whether youre unsure where you parked at the grocery store or youve lost your train of thought during a great story, brain lapses happen to us all. Its called brain fog, or among some parents, mommy brain.”

But why does this happen and is it something to be concerned about?

When Should I Worry

Brain fog has undoubtedly been experienced by everyone, one day or the other, or one minute or the other. It starts to become a worry when it becomes long-lasting, and the effects become very intense. This includes when a persons memory becomes worse day by day, or when someone forgets very important things on a regular basis. When a person gets intense anxiety, or cant complete simple daily tasks. This becomes a worry and should be checked

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Tips For Managing Daily Tasks

A number of strategies can help manage when it becomes difficult to think clearly.

Avoiding distractions: When possible, find a quiet space to concentrate on tasks, and take regular breaks to help with focus.

Getting support: Explain how you feel to family and friends and ask them to speak more slowly. This will allow extra time to process information.

Organization techniques: It may help to keep a diary or make lists. Smartphone reminders may help remind you to complete tasks, such as taking your medication or going to doctors appointments.

Storing items in the same place each time: Find somewhere memorable in the home to keep items that are easy to lose, such as keys.

Strategies to help with memory and concentration can make the situation more manageable in cases where brain fog is part of a long-term condition.

A person should see a doctor if they:

• have other symptoms that may indicate an underlying medical condition
• notice that brain fog has started or worsened suddenly or significantly
• see no improvement despite making lifestyle changes

A doctor will usually ask for information about their mental health, diet, and other symptoms before carrying out tests.

What Exactly Is Fatigue

Fatigue is a feeling of tiredness that many different things can cause. It can make it difficult to do everyday activities and may lead to feelings of frustration, irritability, and lack of energy.

There are two main types of fatigue: mental and physical.

Mental fatigue is the result of using your brain for prolonged periods of time and can be caused by activities such as studying, working, or attending social events.

Physical fatigue is the result of physical activity and can cause a person to feel tired after exercise or work.

Now that we know what brain fog and fatigue are, lets take a look at some of the most common causes for each condition.

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Home Remedies For Brain Fog

Some of the best remedies for brain fog listed in reputable websites are:

1 Get some good sleep

Hormones in your brain stay at the right levels when you get a good nights sleep. Remember that you cannot replace your night sleep if you choose to work during that part of the day. As an adult, you should sleep for at least seven hours per day.

2 Include some exercise in your daily schedule

Brain fog comes as a consequence of body fatigue. That is why engaging in a mild exercise could significantly improve your health, make your thyroid gland work better, and give you less stress and anxiety.

3 Take care of your diet

You are the sole responsible for your diet. Eating more healthy fats and proteins give you the amino acids needed for the right brain function. A good diet can fight against your depression, especially when you choose healthy foods.

4 Reduce stress

Adopt a lifestyle that promotes peacefulness to your relations with other people. Anxiety and stress can increase cortisol levels in your blood and worsen the cognitive fatigue symptoms and the memory loss you experience with brain fog.

How Are They All Connected

There are a few things that can produce brain fog. Low Dopamine, Low Epinephrine can cause brain fog2.

Low blood sugar can also cause brain fog. See the article:Hypoglycemia and Adrenal Fatiguefor more information.

The adrenal glands have a role to play in the above causes of brain fog.

Below are results from a urine test. There are mine from 2010, back when I had brain fog. Note the low dopamine and lowepinephrine.

Low Dopamine on Integrative Psychiatry Urine Test from 2010

Low Epinephrine on Integrative Psychiatry Urine Test from 2010

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Diagnosis Of Brain Fog

Brain Fog could be an emergency if the symptoms begin suddenly and worsen as time passes by. It would be wise to and let him decide about the further diagnostic tools.

The right doctor to deal with your cognitive functions and mental health is the neurologist. He can perform some neurological tests and nerve stimulation to check your ability to perceive and react to the external environment.

The most common diagnostic tools for neurologists are:

• The electroencephalography, showing them how your brain works while you sleep and when you are awake.
• The CT-Scan and MRI, is going to show your doctor if you had a head injury. It may also exclude the presence of a brain tumor responsible for brain fog.
• Blood smears analysis to test if you have elevated cancer markers or hormone changes that lead to mental fatigue and cognitive disease.

Psychologists and therapists are competent at diagnosing Brain Fog syndrome. They can ask you questions about your life and extract useful assumptions about the possibility to suffer from stress, anxiety, or even depression.

These experts follow specific protocols to diagnose Brain Fog and give you the right mental or physical treatment for your case. It is needless to visit a hospital to diagnose brain fog. It would be better to ask your doctor any further questions relevant to this situation, especially if you are under unbearable pain.

How To Get Sleep In Uneasy Times

Chronic stress also triggers low-grade inflammation, she adds.

“We have this inflammatory response when we’re feeling severe states of stress that can last. It’s subtle, it’s low grade and it can absolutely cause fatigue and a worse mood.”

A year of anxiety, grief and trauma

The fatigue and fog so many are feeling now also could be symptoms of other mental health issues that flared over the last year, says Dr. Jessica Gold, a psychiatrist at Washington University in St. Louis. “After this long, most people have had some degree of anxiety, depression, trauma, something,” she says.

As studies have shown, rates of anxiety and depression in the population have gone up during the course of the pandemic.

I think that because so many people are struggling with this and because it is so normal, everybody has something to say. If we could just get to the point where we could be talking about the stuff more openly, we’d feel a lot less alone.

Dr. Jessica Gold, psychiatrist

Long-term anxiety can also exhaust the body, says Gold.

“We evolved as creatures, people that run from predators in the animal kingdom, right? To have anxiety as a way to predict and run from threat,” she says.

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Lifting The Fog: Treating Cognitive Problems

Most people with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and many people with fibromyalgia experience cognitive problems, often called “brain fog” or “fibro fog.”The difficulties, which many people find very distressing, include being forgetful, feeling confused, difficulty concentrating and the inability to speak clearly.

CausesCognitive problems can have a variety of causes, including:

Treatments

Cognitive problems are sometimes treated with stimulants, such as Provigil or caffeine, but these substances can produce a push/crash cycle. In the words of one patient, “Taking stimulants is like borrowing energy you don’t really have. You feel better while you’re on it, but when it wears off, you crash.”This article describes 14 non-drug strategies for lifting the fog, divided into three categories.

1) PacingTake a Rest Break Cognitive difficulties can be caused by overactivity. As one person in our program said, “Brain fog helps me to recognize when I’m outside my energy envelope and need a break. Even if I don’t feel tired, the fact that I can’t think clearly tells me that I am beyond my limit.”A brief rest may be enough to end the fog for some people. For more on the power of rest, see Nurture Yourself with Pre-Emptive Rest.

What Can I Do For Myself

There are some things that you can do for yourself to help you manage the condition and still live your own life. Small changes can build and make a difference to your energy and mobility. This is called self-management.

To help with this, you might try:

• Planning your time record what you do so that you can build a picture of what uses more energy and what activities you can ask others to do for you. This will help you choose what is important to you and plan your day to achieve this. It will also show you if there are patterns of symptoms and when they appear during your day
• Rest and relaxation this is very important for managing CFS/ME. You may need some support and advice on what that might mean for you in terms of your physical, mental and emotional activities for resting
• Getting support being open with people and asking for help when you need it before you are exhausted is a key approach to managing your condition. Talking about how you are feeling is important for long term health conditions because of the impact your symptoms have on the way you live your life. While you are adjusting to the diagnosis and the change in your life, it may be helpful to get outside support such as counselling or CBT. Talk to your GP about emotional support available to you.

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What Else Could It Be

The symptoms of ME/CFS are similar to those of other conditions.

If you think you may have ME/CFS it’s important to see a GP to make sure you get a correct diagnosis. A GP should also be able to refer you to a ME/CFS specialist if they think it would help you.

Page last reviewed: 29 October 2021 Next review due: 29 October 2024

Brain Fog: Solutions To Help You Improve Concentration

5 minute read

Most people have experienced mental fog or brain fog. It is often described as a cloudy-headed feeling. Forgetfulness is a common complaint among older adults. As we grow older, we experience physiological changes that can cause glitches in brain functions we have always taken for granted. It takes longer to learn and recall information. We are not as quick as we used to be. Also, lack of sleep, overworking, and stress can cause brain fog. Brain fog can be frustrating, but relief is possible. Do not ignore your symptoms. If left untreated, brain fog can impact the quality of your life and lead to other conditions such as Parkinsons disease, memory loss, and Alzheimers disease.

Read Also: What Kind Of Doctor Diagnoses Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Symptom: What Is Brain Fog

Brain fog, also known as mental fatigue, refers to transient periods of cognitive mental dysfunction that affects memory and concentration. It can be a symptom of a medical condition and can also be related to lifestyle conditions including stress and diet.

Brain fog can make you feel as though your thought, understanding and memory processes are not functioning as they should and you may become forgetful or unable to store or recall information. Your ability to understand language, draw pictures or recognize shapes may deteriorate. Calculating sums, organizing and planning activities, and problem solving may all become more difficult when experiencing brain fog. Most people experiencing brain fog agree it makes them feel heavy and disconnected, and that there is a thought or action they must carry out but are not able to as they are confused or unable to concentrate. Brain fog encompasses a variety of components and you only need a few of these traits for brain fog to be present. Brain fog can come and go over a period of time and symptoms can last for weeks or months.

My Wish For Youhealth Happiness And A Better Quality Of Life

If you would like more information about functional medicine and integrative medicine or Dr. Sexton go to www.napervilleintegratedwellness.com

Do your own research, inform yourself and ask lots of questions. When collecting information, you MUST consider the source. There is no shortage of false, misleading, outdated, profit-driven and utterly biased information in healthcare today even from the most respected sources and organizations.

This approach to healthcare is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, mitigate, or prevent any disease. This article is for information purposes and is not a substitute professional healthcare services. Contact our office for more information.

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