Have you ever frantically looked for your glasses only to find out they were on your head the entire time? Or maybe you often walk into a room and forget what you went in there for? If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Many people experience this mental cloudiness. What’s behind it? Understanding the causes of brain fog can help you clear the haze and regain mental clarity.
Don’t worry! The key to reversing brain fog might be in a place you wouldn’t expect - your gut. However, brain fog isn’t exclusively tied to gut health. Lack of sleep or a diet high in sugar, alcohol, caffeine, and refined carbohydrates can all be causes of brain fog.
In this article, you’ll learn what brain fog is, the causes of brain fog, and how to get rid of it. Let’s dive in!
What Is Brain Fog?
So, what is brain fog, and what does it feel like? Imagine it feels like it takes hours to complete a 10-minute task or you’re struggling to listen and comprehend what is being said in a meeting. Or, you constantly second-guess yourself about locking the door or turning off the stove because you truly can’t remember if you did. These are signs of brain fog!
Brain fog is not a medical condition or a diagnosis. It’s simply a term to describe the inability to focus, remember things, use logic, or solve problems. (1) It’s important to note that brain fog is very different from dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. The primary difference is that dementia and Alzheimer’s disease affect more than your memory. These conditions affect your ability to do normal daily tasks and functions. (2)
Brain Fog Symptoms
Brain fog symptoms vary from person to person. However, many people experiencing brain fog report a general feeling of disorientation or apathy towards life. Here are some more brain fog symptoms: (3)
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Lack of energy or fatigue, including chronic fatigue syndrome (4)
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Inability to focus or concentrate
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Trouble remembering information
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Mild depression, low motivation, feeling hopeless
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Trouble sleeping or insomnia
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Irritability
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Confusion or feeling disoriented
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Diminished vision or inability to find words
Some memory loss or brain fog is natural as you get older. However, the causes of brain fog are common and can often occur in pairs or trios. Once you discover the root causes of brain fog, you can begin to eliminate it. I’ll discuss more about how you can get rid of brain fog later in this article.
Causes of Brain Fog
Anyone can experience brain fog symptoms. This is especially true if you aren’t getting enough sleep, are under high levels of stress, or after a huge meal full of refined carbohydrates and alcohol. However, the causes of brain fog can sometimes be symptoms of a medical condition such as autoimmune disease, digestive issues, or thyroid disease. (5)
Here are six common causes of brain fog:
Stress
We all experience some stress in our lives. A little bit of stress is natural and can come from internal or external factors. These include our physical environment, jobs, relationships, traffic, and unexpected events. High levels of stress, or chronic stress, can cause an array of health problems, including brain fog.
In The Autoimmune Solution, I give a long list of ways to relieve stress. Here are a few of my favorites:
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Breathing: Taking time out of your day for meditation and breathing exercises is a good way to calm your anxiety.
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Move your body: I like taking walks with my family and dogs. Just 30 minutes of movement can lower your health risks and reduce stress. (6)
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Finding “me time”: I like to take a warm bath with homemade lavender bath salts to unwind or sweat and detox in my infrared sauna.
Addressing your stress is just as big a part of your recovery from autoimmune disease as the first three pillars of The Myers Way®. Reducing stress can also help eliminate your brain fog.
Lack of Sleep
Sleep has an important role in supporting brain health, including memory. Yet, a restful night is not always easy to achieve. In fact, one in three Americans don’t get enough sleep. (7) It’s recommended that adults get seven or more hours of sleep each night. (8) If you’re getting less than that, it could cause brain fog. (9, 10)
If you’re struggling with getting enough sleep, try these three simple steps to promote optimal sleep:
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Eat foods rich in tryptophan, magnesium, and melatonin, and drink herbal teas.
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Eliminate fatty foods, foods rich in proteins, chocolate, caffeine, and over-the-counter medications.
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Get tired naturally with herbal supplements, a regular sleep schedule, waking up early and going to bed early, exercise, and creating a bedtime routine.
Menopause or Other Hormone Changes
Pregnancy, perimenopause, and menopause are natural parts of a woman’s life. All these times of drastic hormone changes can be causes of brain fog.
During pregnancy, women experience increased levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. The spike in these hormones can be a cause of brain fog. Similarly, women in perimenopause and after menopause produce significantly abnormal levels of these hormones, causing brain fog, sleep problems, and hot flashes. (11)
The connection between hormone fluctuations, brain fog, and memory isn’t fully understood. However, some researchers believe estrogen plays a role in communication between brain regions involved in memory and information processing.
(12) Estrogen could also promote the growth and survival of the neurons that send the messages to your brain so it can work effectively. This would explain why, during major hormone changes such as pregnancy and menopause, brain fog occurs more often.
If you’re experiencing symptoms, I recommend discussing non-synthetic hormone therapy with your functional medicine doctor or considering natural solutions.
Diet and Vitamin Deficiencies
Certain foods and vitamin deficiencies play a role in brain function and can be one of the causes of your brain fog symptoms. Some brain fog causing foods are obvious, such as alcohol and caffeine. Alcohol and caffeine exacerbate symptoms of anxiety and stress, which are also causes of brain fog, as I mentioned earlier. However, other foods that cause brain fog are more subtle.
Common foods that cause brain fog include:
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Foods high in MSG, including fast food, chips, frozen meals, and processed meats
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Aspartame which is commonly found in diet soda
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Peanuts
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Dairy products such as cow’s milk, cheese, and ice cream made from dairy milk
I recommend you remove these foods from your diet due to their connection to brain fog and other health issues, such as leaky gut and autoimmunity.
Brain fog can also be a temporary problem if you are on a specialized high-fat diet such as the keto diet as your body shifts to ketosis. However, it typically only lasts for a few days. (13)
Vitamin deficiencies, particularly a vitamin B12 deficiency, can cause brain fog symptoms. Vitamin B12 supports nervous system function and healthy red blood cell production. People with B12 deficiency are more likely to score lower on cognitive tests and have a smaller brain volume than those with optimal B12 levels. (14)
If you think you have a vitamin B12 deficiency, your doctor can order a blood test. You can also test B12 levels in the privacy of your home through a service such as My Labs For Life.
Medications and Cancer Treatments
It’s probably no surprise that some medications can be a cause of brain fog symptoms. Anticholinergics, including allergy medications that contain diphenhydramine such as Benadryl, Ditropan for an overactive bladder, and Elavil for depression, are common causes of brain fog. This is because they block neurotransmitters in the brain.
Similarly, cancer treatments, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, and a bone marrow transplant, can also cause brain fog. This is called “chemo brain.” (15)
Underactive Thyroid
Your thyroid regulates all of your metabolic processes. So, if it’s underactive, as is the case with hypothyroidism, all of the body’s processes slow down. This includes digestion and brain function.
Thyroid disease is a topic particularly near and dear to my heart. I battled thyroid disease in medical school after being diagnosed with Graves’ disease. An estimated 27 million Americans have some form of thyroid dysfunction. Hypothyroidism (an under-active thyroid) is the most common form of thyroid dysfunction, and 90% of hypothyroidism patients have Hashimoto’s.
Hypothyroidism causes a general slowing down of your metabolic processes and can cause brain fog, among other symptoms. Testing for thyroid dysfunction and seeing a doctor who can interpret the results correctly is crucial.
You may be at risk of developing thyroid disease if you lack vital nutrients such as iodine, selenium, zinc, iron, and vitamins D and B. Luckily, these deficiencies can all be corrected fairly easily. That’s why I recommend everyone take a high-quality multivitamin.
The Gut and Brain Connection
Conventional medicine views psychological stressors as independent from the rest of the body. In reality, our brains are inextricably tied to our gastrointestinal tract.
That’s because 90-95% of our serotonin, the key neurotransmitter responsible for regulating mood, is made in our gut. Serotonin and other vital neurotransmitters travel from the gut to the brain via the vagus nerve.
Chemical signals travel both from the gut to the brain and vice versa. Because of this, those with gastrointestinal problems such as Candida overgrowth and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) are at a higher risk of experiencing brain fog, mood imbalances, anxiety, and depression.
To solve the problem and prevent future brain fog symptoms, you must address the root cause. Something is happening in the gut that is causing your brain fog.
How SIBO Causes Brain Fog
Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) occurs when the trillions of bacteria in our gut get out of balance and overgrow. This happens for many different reasons. However, the most common cause I see is from a diet high in sugar, refined carbohydrates, and alcohol.
These bad bacteria release a compound called histamine. Histamine is a neurotransmitter that communicates important messages from your body to your brain. Its primary role in the body is to cause an immediate inflammatory response against potential attackers.
When you have autoimmunity, your body is in a constant state of inflammation. Symptoms of that inflammation include feelings of anxiety, panic, and brain fog.
By eliminating toxic and inflammatory foods, you can help prevent the overgrowth of histamine-producing bad bacteria in your gut and reduce brain fog symptoms.
How Candida Overgrowth Causes Brain Fog
Candida is a form of yeast that lives in your mouth and intestines in small amounts. Its job is to aid with digestion and nutrient absorption. However, the good bacteria that keep yeast levels in check can get out of balance, allowing yeast to overgrow.
This can happen by taking a round of antibiotics or drinking too much alcohol. Eating a diet high in refined carbohydrates or using birth control pills over a long term can also have an impact.
The yeast then coats the lining of your intestinal tract and suppresses your ability to make or secrete serotonin. Candida or yeast also affects your brain and mood function by producing chemicals that are directly toxic to the brain. This is why so many of my patients who have Candida overgrowth complain of brain fog symptoms such as poor memory, fatigue, depression, or anxiety.
How to Get Rid of Brain Fog
If you’re wondering how to get rid of brain fog, I have good news: you CAN reverse it by making a few lifestyle changes. Here are five ways you can naturally support your brain function and get rid of brain fog.
1. Change Your Diet
If you are experiencing brain fog there is a good chance your diet is the cause of your brain fog. Fast foods, refined carbohydrates, artificial sweeteners, caffeine, and alcohol have all been linked to brain fog. I recommend following an autoimmune diet, or AIP diet, to eliminate toxic and inflammatory foods. Then, replace them with foods rich in essential nutrients, including vitamin B12. I also recommend everyone take a high-quality multivitamin.
2. Remove Candida and SIBO
The key to overcoming brain fog is recognizing that most psychological symptoms are rooted in the gut, not the brain. The goal should be to restore the balance of your intestinal flora by treating bacterial infections and avoiding problematic foods such as gluten and dairy. Try an elimination diet to identify which foods are a problem for you.
3. Relieve Your Stress
It’s not easy to get away from stress these days, so it’s important to make time every day for doing activities you love to get away from the stress. Doing something you enjoy releases dopamine, the “happy hormone” in your brain.
4. Get Enough Sleep
Studies show that quality sleep can make you eat more healthily and get rid of your brain fog. Sleeping well can also lower your risk for diabetes and heart disease. As I said earlier, adults need 7 hours or more sleep every night. When you get optimal sleep, the hormones in your brain stay in balance. If you’re finding it hard to pay attention at work, stay focused when talking with someone, or remember something from seconds ago, you’re probably not getting enough sleep.
5. See a Functional Medicine Doctor
Whether you are pregnant or entering perimenopause or you’re being treated for cancer, depression, or hormone imbalances such as a thyroid disorder, it’s important to be aware of how your treatments are affecting your health. As I discussed earlier, medications and cancer treatments can disrupt your healthy brain function.
Seek help from a functional medicine doctor. They’ll get to the root cause of your brain fog and not just give you a pill. This is key to ensuring total body health and brain fog.
6. Support Your Brain Health
Just like the rest of your body, your brain thrives when it’s properly nourished. That’s why I formulated NeuroLive™ with a unique combination of nutrients and botanicals to support the control center of your body – your brain! NeuroLive™ was formulated to help maintain healthy memory and focus and support cognitive function. Packed with ideal levels of essential B vitamins, NeuroLive™ is the ultimate foundation for optimal brain health and cognitive function.
The Final Word on Brain Fog
It can be incredibly frustrating and even frightening to feel as if you’re losing your edge. By supporting your brain function, eating a diet rich in organic foods and leafy green vegetables, getting optimal sleep, and reducing your stress, you can eliminate your brain fog for good!
In addition, you should nourish your brain with the right nutrients. To that end, NeuroLive™ is packed with key vitamins and botanicals to support memory, focus, and overall cognitive function. Pair it with a high-quality multivitamin to give your body the foundation it needs for optimal brain health.
Your brain is capable of incredible things, and with the right support, you can think clearer, feel sharper, and confidently step into each day!
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