Brain Fog: Potential Causes & How To Avoid Them

What we call brain fog in the medical/psychological community is a long-term, poor “cognitive function”. Having emerged from the symptoms of long-covid, brain fog is the cognitive equivalent of feeling emotionally distressed – it’s almost the way the brain expresses sadness, beyond emotion” (Pariante, 2021) and covers everything from our memory, our attention, and our ability to problem-solve to our capacity to be creative. And given our isolation and inactivity, experts aren’t surprised that people are experiencing this more. Brain fog can be measured through the use of surveys and scales and compared to peers experiencing the same.  

Scientists are unsure on the exact cause of brain for in individuals affected by brain fog; both in those who are experiencing it as a result of long-covid and those not.  In cases of individuals with long-covid, it could be one of three things: the SARS-CoV-2 virus is believed to attack specific cells in the brain called “astrocytes”, it can affect the brain by reducing blood flow to it and thereby reducing it functions or even killing them or it could be the result of our immune systems overreacting. In cases of individuals who are not experiencing long-covid, it may be that brain fog is mimicking symptoms of depression or anxiety. The consequence of chronic depression, anxiety and stress due to the pandemic can cause lack of sleep, poor diet, unregulated stress, and hormonal and biochemical imbalances – all of which result in the symptoms experienced by brain fog.  

There are some things you can do to help manage your symptoms of brain fog and these are as follows:  

• stay hydrated
• get enough sleep 
• take regular exercise, ideally outside 
• eat a healthy, balanced diet 
• keep to a healthy weight 
• try meditation 
• take regular breaks 
• do things you enjoy – for example socialising with friends and family 
• stick within low-risk alcohol drinking guidelines 
• stop smoking if you smoke 

Should you present with these feelings or symptoms there are 2 options you can take, either call your gp and let them know of your brain fog so that your long-covid can be recognised and methods for improvement can be decided upon with your gp’s advice. Secondly, you can tell your gp the symptoms you are experiencing, and they can put you in touch with the relevant IAPT/counselling/ psychological services should you be experiencing these symptoms and they are not a result of long-covid.