Brain Fog: What Is It & What Causes It?

Brain fog is a frequent topic of discussion in our practice. Sometimes concerns about cognitive dysfunction — and the fear of Alzheimer’s or dementia — are the reason a patient comes in, while other times a consultation for a seemingly unrelated issue reveals increasingly frequent difficulty with mental processes like memory, concentration and cognition.

Brain fog is often described as thinking through sludge, or thinking in a haze of disorganization, where responses are slow, and recall is difficult. Whether it’s routinely forgetting where you parked the car, trouble remembering the names of people you meet or things they’ve said, not being able to come up with that one word, or having to re-read something multiple times before the information sticks, it’s not only very frustrating, it can be more than a little concerning.

Depending on the severity, brain fog can dramatically interfere with a person’s ability to perform everyday tasks and interact with other people.

Contrary to what some think, brain fog isn’t necessarily a normal part of the aging process, nor is it always a sign of a potential dementia or Alzheimer’s diagnosis — in fact, it often is not. However brain fog is very rarely a condition unto itself. Rather, it’s a telling symptom of dysfunction elsewhere in the body that affects the way the brain processes information.

There are a variety of conditions that can affect cognitive performance and cause brain fog. Some of the most common are:

*Chronic Fatigues Syndrome and Fibromyalgia *Autoimmunity *Hormonal imbalances (sex hormones, adrenal fatigue and thyroid disorders, as well as those due to perimenopause and menopause) *Leaky Gut Syndrome *Inflammation *ADHD *Mood disorders

Sometimes, brain fog can be explained by lifestyle factors that don’t support healthy brain function. Too much stress and too little sleep, a diet full of sugar and processed carbs, food sensitivities to dairy or gluten, as well as reactions to medications can all affect cognitive processes. Changes to negative lifestyle habits are often the most obvious ones to make first, but they’re not always easy if you don’t know where or how to start.

The treatment for your brain fog is dependent on its cause. At Infinity Wellness Center, we not only have highly advanced testing to identify the many reasons you could be experiencing a lack of mental clarity, we can formulate holistic nutrition plans to correct nutrient deficiencies or address food sensitivities, as well as evaluate other lifestyle modifications you could make to support healthy brain function.

Relief for brain fog is possible. If brain fog is causing you concern and/or interfering with your quality of life, please contact us soon for a consultation.