How to Get Rid of Brain Fog

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsGetting Rid of Brain FogLifestyle Changes to Reduce Brain FogCognitive Strategies to Improve Mental ClaritySupplements and Natural Remedies for Brain FogSeeking Professional Help for Persistent Brain Fog

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Getting Rid of Brain Fog

Lifestyle Changes to Reduce Brain Fog

Cognitive Strategies to Improve Mental Clarity

Supplements and Natural Remedies for Brain Fog

Seeking Professional Help for Persistent Brain Fog

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We’re all at our best when our minds and bodies are working seamlessly. Take out one of those two, and life can suddenly seem impossible. Such is the case with brain fog, which means exactly what it sounds like: That your brain is feeling foggy.

Brain fog can mean different things to different people and may reflect the experience of having trouble focusing, forgetting things, losing executive functioning powers, thinking and processing more slowly than you usually do, and having a hard time making the connection from thinking something to successfully getting the words out of your mouth or taking action.

Brain fog itself is a symptom, not a disorder or diagnosis. That means that it can have a variety of causes, and usually in order to treat it, you have to treat the cause. It can be the result of nutrient deficiency,substances—both recreational and prescribed,not sleeping enough,stress,hormonal changes,and a variety of medical, neurologic and psychiatric conditions, including COVID, brain injury, and depressive disorders.

There are many different ways to attack this issue, ranging from the simple to the more complex. Although you may feel your brain fog may be related to stress, it may very well be reflective of a health issue, and just dealing with your stress may not make your brain fog go away. A visit to your primary care practitioner may be the best place to start.

With that said, let’s discuss lifestyle changes, cognitive strategies, natural remedies, as well as when it’s time to address the issue with a professional.

She adds that “lifestyle choices such as good sleep hygiene, regular exercise and stress reduction techniques can help reduce brain fog.” That can be as easy as taking a walk, which accomplishes both stress reduction and exercise, but it’s not realistic to expect that a walk can fix a health issue. Rather, consider that a first step to healthier lifestyle practices.

If you’re new to learning abouttechniques for managing stress, know that there are many readily available and free techniques to explore. Breathing exercises andmindfulnesscould both help with your mental clarity.

You’ll also want to exercise caution around substances, from caffeine to recreational drugs. These can contribute to brain fog in a variety of ways including impacting your sleep, andtoo little sleepcan make you foggy.

Employing a daily routine for your healthy lifestyle practices will help you get in the habit of ensuring your wellness.

Meditationis also famously helpful for improving one’s clarity. “One of the best cognitive strategies to improve mental clarity is engaging in a regular meditation practice,” says Le Goy. To begin, she suggests: “Find a form of meditation that feels right to you and that you want to stick with. Some people enjoy forms like walking meditations that allow them to get outside, enjoy nature, relax, and get some exercise all at the same time.”

8 Types of Meditation to Find Your Calm

A Personal ExperienceAs someone who experienced serious brain damage from carbon monoxide poisoning and recovered from it, I believe that supplements played a role in getting my mind back in working order. The one that I feel helped me the most is magnesium l-threonate, a particular a form of magnesium. Although it is important to note that there is limited data to support the clinical use of this supplement in recovery from brain injury.This is just my experience and your doctor can help you make the best decisions regarding what might be most helpful to you.

A Personal Experience

As someone who experienced serious brain damage from carbon monoxide poisoning and recovered from it, I believe that supplements played a role in getting my mind back in working order. The one that I feel helped me the most is magnesium l-threonate, a particular a form of magnesium. Although it is important to note that there is limited data to support the clinical use of this supplement in recovery from brain injury.This is just my experience and your doctor can help you make the best decisions regarding what might be most helpful to you.

As someone who experienced serious brain damage from carbon monoxide poisoning and recovered from it, I believe that supplements played a role in getting my mind back in working order. The one that I feel helped me the most is magnesium l-threonate, a particular a form of magnesium. Although it is important to note that there is limited data to support the clinical use of this supplement in recovery from brain injury.

This is just my experience and your doctor can help you make the best decisions regarding what might be most helpful to you.

Other supplements, such as omega 3 fatty acids, have some data to support their use in brain health.Before beginning any supplement, you should first speak with a healthcare professional, as many can interact with medications or might not be best for your particular health needs.

If you have visited your primary care practitioner to ensure that you don’t have a visible health issue, and you have tried changing your lifestyle, it may be time to seek a more in-depth answer. “If your brain fog is interfering with your daily life and you are forgetting very simple tasks, or not able to do your job or maintain your relationships you should consider seeking professional advice,” advises Le Goy.

You may already be frustrated because initial results weren’t conclusive, but that’s why it’s important to take the next step for a deeper look, and ask the right questions to advocate for yourself:

Before seeing your doctor, have a list of your most persistent and impactful symptoms.

If you have concerns that you may have a specific ailment, you should share those with your doctor.

Final Takeaways

Brain fog can make your life feel very hard, and impact your functioning at school, work and in relationships. It might be related to stress or lifestyle. You should seek out an appointment with a doctor to rule out any medical diagnoses that might be playing a role. If the cause appears to be stress based, lifestyle changes and cognitive exercises may be enough to fix your brain fog.

6 SourcesVerywell 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.Fadó R, Molins A, Rojas R, Casals N.Feeding the brain: effect of nutrients on cognition, synaptic function, and ampa receptors.Nutrients. 2022;14(19):4137.Kelly PAT.Does recreational ecstasy use cause long-term cognitive problems?West J Med. 2000;173(2):129-130.Krause AJ, Ben Simon E, Mander BA, et al.The sleep-deprived human brain.Nat Rev Neurosci. 2017;18(7):404-418.Dass R, Kalia M, Harris J, Packham T.Understanding the experience and impacts of brain fog in chronic pain: a scoping review.Can J Pain. 7(1):2217865.Conde DM, Verdade RC, Valadares ALR, Mella LFB, Pedro AO, Costa-Paiva L.Menopause and cognitive impairment: A narrative review of current knowledge.World J Psychiatry. 2021;11(8):412-428.Orchard TS, Gaudier-Diaz MM, Weinhold KR, DeVries AC.Clearing the fog: a review of the effects of dietary omega-3 fatty acids and added sugars on chemotherapy-induced cognitive deficits.Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2017;161(3):391-398.

6 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.Fadó R, Molins A, Rojas R, Casals N.Feeding the brain: effect of nutrients on cognition, synaptic function, and ampa receptors.Nutrients. 2022;14(19):4137.Kelly PAT.Does recreational ecstasy use cause long-term cognitive problems?West J Med. 2000;173(2):129-130.Krause AJ, Ben Simon E, Mander BA, et al.The sleep-deprived human brain.Nat Rev Neurosci. 2017;18(7):404-418.Dass R, Kalia M, Harris J, Packham T.Understanding the experience and impacts of brain fog in chronic pain: a scoping review.Can J Pain. 7(1):2217865.Conde DM, Verdade RC, Valadares ALR, Mella LFB, Pedro AO, Costa-Paiva L.Menopause and cognitive impairment: A narrative review of current knowledge.World J Psychiatry. 2021;11(8):412-428.Orchard TS, Gaudier-Diaz MM, Weinhold KR, DeVries AC.Clearing the fog: a review of the effects of dietary omega-3 fatty acids and added sugars on chemotherapy-induced cognitive deficits.Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2017;161(3):391-398.

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.

Fadó R, Molins A, Rojas R, Casals N.Feeding the brain: effect of nutrients on cognition, synaptic function, and ampa receptors.Nutrients. 2022;14(19):4137.Kelly PAT.Does recreational ecstasy use cause long-term cognitive problems?West J Med. 2000;173(2):129-130.Krause AJ, Ben Simon E, Mander BA, et al.The sleep-deprived human brain.Nat Rev Neurosci. 2017;18(7):404-418.Dass R, Kalia M, Harris J, Packham T.Understanding the experience and impacts of brain fog in chronic pain: a scoping review.Can J Pain. 7(1):2217865.Conde DM, Verdade RC, Valadares ALR, Mella LFB, Pedro AO, Costa-Paiva L.Menopause and cognitive impairment: A narrative review of current knowledge.World J Psychiatry. 2021;11(8):412-428.Orchard TS, Gaudier-Diaz MM, Weinhold KR, DeVries AC.Clearing the fog: a review of the effects of dietary omega-3 fatty acids and added sugars on chemotherapy-induced cognitive deficits.Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2017;161(3):391-398.

Fadó R, Molins A, Rojas R, Casals N.Feeding the brain: effect of nutrients on cognition, synaptic function, and ampa receptors.Nutrients. 2022;14(19):4137.

Kelly PAT.Does recreational ecstasy use cause long-term cognitive problems?West J Med. 2000;173(2):129-130.

Krause AJ, Ben Simon E, Mander BA, et al.The sleep-deprived human brain.Nat Rev Neurosci. 2017;18(7):404-418.

Dass R, Kalia M, Harris J, Packham T.Understanding the experience and impacts of brain fog in chronic pain: a scoping review.Can J Pain. 7(1):2217865.

Conde DM, Verdade RC, Valadares ALR, Mella LFB, Pedro AO, Costa-Paiva L.Menopause and cognitive impairment: A narrative review of current knowledge.World J Psychiatry. 2021;11(8):412-428.

Orchard TS, Gaudier-Diaz MM, Weinhold KR, DeVries AC.Clearing the fog: a review of the effects of dietary omega-3 fatty acids and added sugars on chemotherapy-induced cognitive deficits.Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2017;161(3):391-398.

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