Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is Brain Fog?Brain Fog in ADHDHow to Fight Brain FogPreventing Brain FogCoping

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

What Is Brain Fog?

Brain Fog in ADHD

How to Fight Brain Fog

Preventing Brain Fog

Coping

Close

Managing your ADHD symptomscan be hard even on your best days. On days when you’re tired, not feeling well, or just generally drained, those symptoms can get even worse, creating an experience that’s popularly known as “brain fog.”

Brain fog comes and goes, but when it’s there, it can make other symptoms—especially executive dysfunctions likeindecisionorlack of focus—even worse. Trying to complete a task when you can barely make sense of your thoughts and feel like your brain and body are moving in slow motion is tough.

Sometimes, it can feel like your brain is just inaccessible. Someone will talk to you, but, even though they’re speaking the same language as you, your brain just isn’t absorbing and processing the words. It’s just a collection of sounds. Likewise, when you try to read, the words on the page have no meaning. You reread the same sentence over and over, but it just doesn’t transmit any information to your brain.

What Causes Brain Fog in ADHD?

Brain fog can be a sign of a number of underlying health problems that can affect people, regardless of whether or not they have ADHD. But having ADHD can cause brain fog episodes.In addition, having ADHD can make it harder to maintain the balanced and healthy lifestyle that would protect your brain from experiencing fog.

Dysregulated Dopaminergic System

The dopaminergic system is a part of thecentral nervous systemthat controls cognition, executive functions, motivation, and other processes. When that system doesn’t function properly, it can lead toexecutive dysfunction, slowed cognition, and memory problems.

In short,dopamine dysregulationcan cause episodes of brain fog. While the causes of that dysregulation in ADHD are not well understood, a dysfunctional dopaminergic system is very likely a key factor in ADHD.

This is one reason having ADHD could make you more vulnerable to brain fog.

Brain Inflammation

Some studies point to inflammation in the brain as a potential cause of brain fog because an excess of inflammatory molecules can slow or shut down cognitive functions.

One systematic review of studies on the subject found that chronic, low-grade inflammation in the brain, resulting from an overactive or impaired inflammatory response, correlates with the development of ADHD.(However, inflammation itself doesn’t cause ADHD.)

So, if people with ADHD are likely to have chronic inflammation, anything that triggers even more inflammation can make your ADHD symptoms worse to the point that you experience brain fog. Triggers include:

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Lack of Exercise

Physical exercise stimulates blood flow to the brain and increases oxygen levels in the brain—all while helping increase the levels ofneurotransmittersand endocannabinoid receptors that can improve cognitive skills like attention, memory, and executive functions.

So not exercising enough can deprive the brain of those important benefits. Over time, thatlack of exercisecan lead to cognitive decline, making you more vulnerable to brain fog as you age.

Lack of exercise may also increase your risk of having chronic low-grade inflammation. While inflammation spikes immediately after an intense workout, research shows that people who exercise regularly have improved anti-inflammatory responses and lower overall levels of inflammation in the long term.

Iron Deficiency

For people who menstruate and have ADHD, it may be worth asking your healthcare provider to test your iron levels. One 2021 research paper estimated that between 12% and 18% of the otherwise healthy and fit women in the study were iron deficient—a deficiency that can cause brain fog.

If you menstruate and you find that your brain fog typically kicks in (or gets worse) during your period, try getting checked for the possibility of an iron deficiency.

Air Pollution

While the effects of chronic exposure to air pollutants on our lungs and heart have long been known, a growing body of research is now showing that those same pollutants could be causing neurological problems as well.

Exposure to emissions has been linked to decreased attention span, slowed cognitive functions, and other brain fog-like symptoms.With poor ventilation and filtration, those pollutants can build up in higher concentrations indoors, where Americans spend an average of 90% of their time.

How to Fight Brain Fog Right Now

Here are a couple of tips on what you can do in the moment if you’re already dealing with an episode of brain fog:

How to Prevent Brain Fog Long-Term

Find Ways to Improve Air Quality

Exercise Regularly

Research confirms that physical exercise can meaningfully improve executive function and cognitive performance in people with ADHD.Its role in reducing long-term inflammation levels could also help prevent brain fog.

Another strategy is to find ways to build movement into your routine. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Bike to the store instead of driving. Grab your coffee to go and walk through the park with your friend instead of sitting at the café. Take a leisurely walk through the neighborhood in the morning while you mentally prepare for the day—or after work while you unwind and transition into relaxation mode.

Find activities that are enjoyable (or at least tolerable), so that you’re more likely to look forward to them.

Remember, it can be difficult for anyone with ADHD to make a routine and stick to it; so don’t be hard on yourself if you’re not able to follow a schedule. It can take some time and patience to find the best way for you to fit exercise into your life.

What to Do When You Have No Motivation

Add More Iron to Your Diet

Some great ways to add more iron to your diet that are also low-effort enough for your ADHD-induced executive dysfunction include:

Low-Effort Iron-Rich FoodsCanned chili (with beef and beans)Dried fruits like raisins or apricotsInstant oatmealMake a smoothie with spinach, kale, or other dark leafy greens

Low-Effort Iron-Rich Foods

Canned chili (with beef and beans)Dried fruits like raisins or apricotsInstant oatmealMake a smoothie with spinach, kale, or other dark leafy greens

Managing Disorganization in ADHD

Coping With Brain Fog

Brain fog can be frustrating, and there may not be a “quick fix” for your symptoms. But there are productive coping mechanisms that can help you learn to live with brain fog with less stress. These strategies include:

Is There a Connection Between Anxiety and Brain Fog?

14 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

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Anand D, Colpo GD, Zeni G, Zeni CP, Teixeira AL.Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and inflammation: what does current knowledge tell us? A systematic review.Front Psychiatry. 2017;8:228. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2017.00228

Rogers RL.Cigarette smoking decreases cerebral blood flow suggesting increased risk for stroke.JAMA. 1983;250(20):2796. doi:10.1001/jama.1983.03340200030024

Mandolesi L, Polverino A, Montuori S, et al.Effects of physical exercise on cognitive functioning and wellbeing: biological and psychological benefits.Front Psychol. 2018;9:509. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00509

Khazaei M.Chronic low-grade inflammation after exercise: controversies.Iran J Basic Med Sci. 2012;15(5):1008-1009.

Dugan C, MacLean B, Cabolis K, et al.The misogyny of iron deficiency.Anaesthesia. 2021;76(S4):56-62.

Schmidt S.Brain fog: does air pollution make us less productive?Environmental Health Perspective. 2019;127(5):052001. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00509

Harvard Health Publishing.What is COVID-19 brain fog and how can you clear it?

Sun W, Yu M, Zhou X.Effects of physical exercise on attention deficit and other major symptoms in children with ADHD: A meta-analysis.Psychiatry Res.2022; 311:114509.

Kray J, Karbach J, Haenig S, Freitag C.Can task-switching training enhance executive control functioning in children with attention deficit/-hyperactivity disorder?.Front Hum Neurosci. 2012;5:180. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2011.00180

Egger F, Benzing V, Conzelmann A, Schmidt M.Boost your brain, while having a break! The effects of long-term cognitively engaging physical activity breaks on children’s executive functions and academic achievement. Parmenter B, ed.PLoS ONE.2019;14(3):e0212482. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0212482

Ma X, Yue ZQ, Gong ZQ, et al.The effect of diaphragmatic breathing on attention, negative affect and stress in healthy adults.Front Psychol. 2017;8:874. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00874

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