Lowenstein describes a range of short-term memory issues that wreaked havoc on daily life: walking to the cabinet to get detergent while doing laundry and then forgetting why, or staring at the computer trying to write, sometimes not recalling the topic, and other times grasping for the proper word. The ongoing issues she experienced led Lowenstein to cofound the COVID-19 support group Body Politic, which now has close to 11,000 members. One person who experienced this kind of brain fog is Fiona Lowenstein, a New York City–based TV producer and writer, who developed a case of COVID-19 in March 2020 that was severe enough to require hospitalization. Each person exhibits a different combination of issues that can make it hard to get through a normal day, such as confusion, memory loss, difficulty recalling words, slow thinking, trouble focusing, and easy distractibility. Other symptoms of long COVID include exhaustion, shortness of breath, headaches, sleep problems, coughing, lightheadedness, and changes in taste and smell, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Ĭognitive slowing and mood problems after a person is infected with the coronavirus seem to be much more prevalent than with most other viral infections, says Serena Spudich, MD, a professor of neurology at the Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut, who has treated patients at Yale’s neuroCOVID-19 clinic.īrain fog isn’t a technical term, but a shorthand way to describe thinking that is sluggish or fuzzy. One common and especially troublesome issue with long COVID is cognitive impairment, or brain fog. But public health experts feel there may be reason for concern. This condition, commonly referred to as long COVID, can debilitate people across the spectrum of illness, including those who initially had a relatively uncomplicated bout of COVID-19.Īs yet, there isn’t enough data on whether the omicron variant, which tends to cause less severe COVID-19 than the delta variant, can have lasting aftereffects. And absolutely, try to put the phone down for a few hours a day to prevent information overload.Many people who get COVID-19 recover with no lingering aftereffects, but as many as 1 in 3 continue to suffer for weeks or even months with a variety of symptoms, according to a study published in September 2021 in PLoS Medicine. Dow recommends meditating for 12 minutes every day (although even a few minutes will help). Meditation can also help clear your head. "By minimizing those stretches of work time, you alleviate the stress on your brain." According to Bridges, research suggests that working in 90-minute intervals, and then taking a break to get water, take a short walk, or make a phone call, can help improve your brain power. "It's too much for our brains."Īccording to experts, we have something called ultradian rhythms, which are cycles that play out during our waking hours. "When you have too much of a cognitive load-meaning you're doing too many things at once, or have too much on your mind-it taxes our mental reserves," says Bridges. These days, our brains are inundated with information from the news, social media, and the constant influx of texts and emails flooding our smartphones. By giving your body a break from digesting, you're actually giving your brain a break as well," Bridges says. "Intermittent fasting causes new brain cell growth, called neurogenesis. Intermittent fasting-limiting your eating window to window of time such as eight or 10 hours per day-may also improve brain function. "You'll also want to make sure you're getting enough omega-3s, either from clean seafood or supplements, which can also remedy brain fog." "Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables every day, and taking prebiotics and probiotics, can introduce healthy bacteria into the gut, which helps your body better produce those brain-boosting neurotransmitters," explains Dow. While you may not want to skip your favorite goodies entirely, experts recommend incorporating more anti-inflammatory foods or brain-boosting drinks into your diet. In fact, about 95 percent of dopamine and serotonin (the feel-good neurotransmitters) are produced in your intestinal tract. That "crash" is not only physical, but mental as well. It's why you may often feel sleepy after a sugary treat or carb-heavy meal. "There is a ton of emerging research suggesting that the sugar and processed foods, which feed the bad bacteria in our gut, lead to inflammation not only in the body, but in the brain," explains Sarah Bridges, PhD, a Minnesota-based psychologist. Oddly enough, poor gut health is one of the leading brain fog causes.
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