Whether you describe it as mental fatigue, memory problems or lack of ability to concentrate, brain fog, as it is otherwise known, is a common condition that effects many people at various points in their lives. There are many causes of brain fog, but there are some that are more common than others.

1. Chronic stress will increase blood pressure, weaken your immune system, cause depression and cause mental fatigue. Reducing stress will help with this, as well as adding physical activity to your routine.
2. Poor sleep commonly leads to poor concentration and mental ability. It’s recommended that you try for a minimum of 7-8 hours of sleep per night.
3. Hormonal changes caused by things such as pregnancy, menopause, low testosterone and puberty will effect cognition in both long term and short term situations.
4. Poor diet, lacking in vitamins such as B-12 can also lead to mental fog and is worth supplementing. Underlying food allergies can also produce fogginess and decrease your mental capacity.
5. A common side effect of most medicines is poor concentration. Check your medications and speak with your doctor if you experience brain fog as lowering the dose or switching to another drug can significantly reduce symptoms.
6. General health problems such as inflammation, diabetes and chronic fatigue can also cause mental fatigue. There are a wide range of diseases which can also cause mental fog as a side effect.

If you feel that you may have impaired cognitive abilities, speak with your doctor as they can help diagnose it properly. Treatment can occur once you’ve discovered the root cause of the mental fog, and by addressing life style changes mentioned earlier.

Brain fog can be a sign of more than stress or boredom; you could have a health problem #HealthStatus

Key Points:

• 1Brain fog refers to cognitive symptoms that could impair your memory and functioning.
• 2Some illnesses can cause brain fog, but it could also be simple lifestyle factors such as stress and sleep.
• 3There is no one treatment for brain fog, so you and your doctor need to diagnose the underlying issue.

Depending on the severity of the brain fog, it may interfere with work or adversely affect school performance.