Remember how easy it used to be to recall the name of that actress or restaurant you’re thinking of? When you were younger – or just kid-free and pandemic-free – you might not have noticed it, but as you get older, your brain may not be as quick as it used to be. And when you add in a less than healthy diet and mental overload with stress and anxiety, you may be feeling “brain fog.”
Mike Dow, brain health expert and the author of “The Brain Fog Fix” explains “it’s the brain’s way of telling you that something isn’t optimal” and it can unfold differently for different people. He says it could include having “trouble bringing words to mind, a gray mood, low energy or forgetfulness.” The good news? It’s usually just temporary and these lifestyle tweaks can clear away the brain fog.
- Change up your diet – Poor gut health is one of the leading brain fog causes, since sugar and processed foods feed the bad bacteria in the gut, which leads to inflammation in the body and brain. Eating more anti-inflammatory foods, loading up on fruits and veggies and taking prebiotics and probiotics can help.
- Relieve your stress – Our brains are overloaded with information from texts, news and social media, but research shows working in 90-minute intervals, then taking a break may help. Use the break to take a quick walk, get water or make a phone call and it can ease stress on the brain and improve brain power. And meditation can also help clear your head, Dow recommends doing it for 12 minutes a day.
- Improve sleep habits – A 2020 study from Stanford finds going outside early in the morning and again as the sun is going down can reset your natural sleep-wake cycle. Dow explains it lets the brain go into “self-clean” mode at night, cleaning out the brain-fog causing plaques.
- Play some brain games – Do a crossword, play a board game or solitaire, or learn something new, as long as it’s not stressful, Dow says it can give your brain a much-needed tune-up.
Source: Real Simple