Don’t ignore fuzzy thinking
If you’ve ever felt spaced out, absent-minded, cognitively “off,” or unable to focus for an extended period of time, you’ve probably experienced the kind of mental fatigue known as brain fog. Medical professionals warn that brain fog could indicate a more serious underlying health issue – so instead of simply tolerating your fuzzy thinking, consult a doctor to either rule out or address these common causes.
You might have depression
Clinical depression is a familiar trigger for the cognitive dysfunction associated with brain fog. Depression can compromise your mental clarity, reaction time, and mood. According to the World Health Organization, 300 million people around the world live with clinical depression. If you have a hunch you might be one of them, make an appointment with your general practitioner to get screened. Your GP will run blood tests and other laboratory tests and refer you to a specialist, including a psychiatrist, if necessary. If you’ve already been diagnosed with the condition and prescribed an antidepressant to treat it, ask your doctor whether brain fog could actually be a side effect from the medication.
Your sleep could be suffering
Burning the midnight oil? Adults require between seven and nine hours of shut-eye, so if you’re not getting enough because you suffer from a disruptive sleep disorder, like insomnia or sleep apnoea then sleep deprivation could be the culprit of your brain fog. Overnight, your brain restores itself – and scientists have discovered that not getting enough sleep literally impedes your brain’s ability to fire neurons the way it’s supposed to. It can leave you scatterbrained and moody and limit your attention span. To upgrade the quality of your snooze, the Better Sleep Council suggests adopting and being consistent with healthy habits like banning personal electronics from your bedroom, keeping the room temperature between 18˚C and 20˚C, and hanging onto your mattress for no longer than seven years before replacing it.