We’ve all experienced it at one time or another. Disorientation, the inability to focus, and the lack of mental clarity, Brain Fog. A mild, but decidedly annoying situation, brain fog is a neuropsychiatric condition that seems to be a result of inflammation in the brain (among other things — there’s still not a ton of dedicated research on the condition). Read on for some of my favorite one-step tips for beating, and staving off, brain fog.
1. Move It
The relationship is simple: Physical activity enhances brain activity. Some studies have even gone as far as classifying exercise as brain food. Whether you decide to adhere to an exercise regimen, or take 4 minutes out of your day to do tabata burpees, exercising is an easy and efficient way to fight brain fog.
2. Stop Bingeing on Sugar and Carbs
Want a perfect recipe for brain fog? Combine skipping meals with bingeing on sugar, and you’ve got it. If you find yourself struggling with brain fog, and this eating pattern sounds familiar to you, it is time to make a shift. The combination of skipped meals and a sugar binge can spike your blood sugar, and signal your body to release stress, and pro-inflammatory hormones, both known culprits of causing brain fog.
3. Get a Good Night’s Sleep
Sleep deprivation and poor quality sleep, are some of the more common causes of brain fog. If sleep keeps evading you, or if you wake up feeling unrested, consider a sleep supplement. Two of my favorite nootropic companies, Nootrobox and Lumonol, also manufacture some really potent, but not disruptive, sleep supplements.
4. Take a Nootropic
This one is pretty obvious. If you’ve been fighting brain fog for a while, take a look at our research, and find a nootropic to help you fight it. If you don’t know where to start, take a look at our Beginner’s Guide to Nootropics to learn more about what may work for you.
5. Mind the Stress
While this may not be a one-step tip, managing stress can have a huge impact on your brain fog. Of course there is a bit of a chicken-and-egg problem here, are you stressed because you have brain fog and can’t accomplish as much as you would like to; or is the stress fueling your brain fog?
Rather than trying to answer the questions, take some steps toward managing the stress. Whether it is meditating, practicing some relaxation techniques, or making better use of your time, or taking advantage of some brain hacks, make an effort to keep the stress to a minimum.
What do you do to combat brain fog? I’m always looking for ways to feel and think better, so leave your comments below!