Brain fog is a term used to describe feelings of mental confusion, forgetfulness, and lack of focus. It can make it hard to think clearly or perform daily tasks. While everyone experiences periods of forgetfulness or distraction, brain fog refers to more chronic issues that interfere with your ability to work, go to school, or just get through the day.
What causes brain fog? There are many potential contributing factors, including:
- Stress - High levels of stress hormones like cortisol can impair memory and concentration. Chronic stress takes a toll.
- Poor diet - Eating a lot of processed, high-sugar foods can lead to energy crashes and trouble focusing. Not getting enough healthy fats and protein also doesn't support brain function.
- Lack of sleep - Not getting 7-9 hours of quality sleep prevents your brain from resting and repairing itself each night. Sleep deprivation worsens brain fog.
- Hormonal changes - Shifting estrogen and progesterone levels during menopause or perimenopause can negatively impact cognition. Hormonal birth control can also cause brain fog in some women.
- Medications - Brain fog is a side effect of many common prescription drugs, including statins, anxiety meds, allergy meds and more. Always read side effect labels.
- Thyroid issues - An underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism) is a common cause of brain fog, fatigue and memory problems. Getting thyroid levels tested is important.
- Nutrient deficiencies - Being deficient in vitamins B12, D, omega-3s, magnesium, zinc and other nutrients can impair optimal brain function.
- Chronic inflammation - Ongoing inflammation due to autoimmune disorders, food sensitivities, leaky gut syndrome or other issues can manifest as brain fog.
- Lingering infections - Bacterial, viral or fungal infections that your immune system can't quite kick can sap your mental energy. Lyme disease is one example.
If you regularly struggle with symptoms like cloudy thinking, an inability to focus, poor memory, lack of mental clarity and slowed thinking, bring it up with your doctor.
Getting to the root cause is key, whether it's stress, hormones, poor sleep habits, a nutrient deficiency or something more serious like early dementia.
With an integrative approach, most cases of brain fog can be reversed or greatly improved. Lifestyle changes like eating a whole foods diet, exercising, reducing stress through yoga or meditation, improving sleep habits, and taking targeted nutritional supplements can all help clear the fog. Hormone balancing through bioidentical hormones, thyroid medications or holistic therapies may also provide relief for many.
At
Vitality Health Center, we specialize in getting to the bottom of stubborn hormone-related symptoms like brain fog. Our integrative providers run thorough lab tests to pinpoint imbalances, then craft customized treatment plans. Bioidentical hormone therapy can help restore optimal estrogen, progesterone, testosterone and thyroid levels to reduce brain fog. We also provide nutritional support, gut healing, detoxification, stress management and sleep regulation therapies to clear brain fog at its roots. Contact us today to schedule a consultation! We'll help you reclaim your mental clarity.