Brain Fog: Causes and treatment

It's normal for everyone to experience 'brain fog', a kind of blunted, impaired cognition, from time to time. I'll explain what's normal, and some causes for it. 

Brain fog is a sort of mental sluggishness, lack of alertness, or dull thinking. Instead of being able to follow a train of thought, you might find yourself stuck with a blank mind. 

Common causes of this include:

• Fatigue/lack of sleep

• Drug or alcohol use

• Depression

• Cognitive load (sometimes called 'too much on your plate')

• Poor nutrition

• Physical pain or illness

These can cause temporary episodes of brain fog or dullness. Some of the solutions are obvious from the causes, like better quality sleep or refraining from alcohol use. If the cause is more diffuse, like several stressors or depression, you may need help sorting this out. 

Slowed cognition can be remarkably frustrating. If it is more than episodic, for example if it's daily, then you may want to seek professional help. A doctor can evaluate your sleep, diet, exercise, and any other factors that might contribute. 

If your cognitive slowing persists, you may want to work with a therapist. I can help you evaluate and dismiss some of the stressors in your life, and I can also evaluate you for depression to see if that is causing some of the trouble. I can teach mindfulness skills to help you focus and accomplish your work, and I can also help teach goal setting and effective time management.