Ep 23 - 5 Strategies for Managing Brain Fog

Welcome to the Women's Success Coach Podcast. A podcast created to inspire growth and to help you learn, achieve, and evolve in your life ongoing regardless of your age. I'm your host, certified coach, and licensed therapist Karen Vincent, and I'm here to guide you and provide you with concrete tips and strategies you can implement in your life. I'm also here to inspire you, challenge you, and cheer you on so that you can create the life of your dreams and beyond. In today's episode of the Women's Success Coach podcast, I'm talking about brain fog, which is also sometimes referred to as cognitive fog or mental fog. If you've ever experienced brain fog, you may have experienced difficulty concentrating, you may have had trouble thinking clearly, or maybe you had challenges in remembering things. You may have also felt like your brain was running slow and that it was harder to get things done or even to make decisions. Brain fog is a term used to define these symptoms because it's a real thing that many of us have experienced or do experience ongoing. I'm talking about this topic because understanding what's happening can feel more empowering than just accepting that this is how you're going to feel some days or even most days. In this episode, I break down some of the potential causes of brain fog, as well as some specific things you can do to reduce it or even eliminate it completely. Imagine if you woke up every day feeling refreshed and with mental clarity that allowed you to make decisions, get things done, and feel like you're on top of absolutely everything. That'd be pretty amazing, right? So keep on listening to this episode to get ideas of what you can try to start to do to lift that fog and gain that clarity, starting today. Hey there, thank you for listening to the Women's Success Coach Podcast. It means a lot to me that you're taking time out of your day to listen, which is why I always try to bring you as much value as possible, including practical tips and strategies you can start to implement right away. And as you heard in the introduction for today's episode, I'm talking about brain fog, which I have personally experienced. I've also worked with quite a few clients who find brain fog to be really problematic. I've been able to implement some strategies that have helped me to mostly eliminate brain fog, and I hope that some of what I will share will work for you too. So first off, and just to kind of level set, what the heck is brain fog? I describe it as feeling like my thoughts are walking through mud. They're moving forward, but at a pace that feels really slow and without clarity. I know many people describe it like there's a cloud or a haze over their thoughts, which makes it challenging to process information, make decisions, or engage in any kind of mental tasks. Some of the symptoms I've experienced, or my clients have described experiencing, are difficulty concentrating or staying focused on tasks, experiencing slower thinking and processing speeds, forgetfulness and trouble remembering details or instructions, confusion or feeling mentally disorganized, trouble finding the right words when speaking or trouble expressing oneself, feeling mentally drained or fatigued even after rest, and reduced alertness and mental clarity. Now these symptoms can range from mild to severe, and they can be experienced short term or ongoing. For some people, they come and go, and for some people, it feels like there's no end in sight. I've worked with individuals who were really struggling with their work performance or with staying on top of day to day chores and tasks due to their brain fog. I've also heard from individuals who have struggled with interactions with others because their brain was just not working fast enough to stay fully engaged in a conversation. All of this can be emotionally frustrating and even distressing. And I share this so that you know that if you're experiencing anything similar, you're not alone. So before we jump into tips and strategies to help you manage your brain fog, let's look at what might be causing it. One of the biggest causes of brain fog, in my opinion, is sleep deprivation. Poor sleep quality, insomnia, or disrupted sleep does not allow your brain to fully recover throughout the night. Some studies have shown that people who operate without enough sleep experience cognitive impairment similar to someone who's had a couple of drinks of alcohol. Yikes, that's not good, right? Another cause of brain fog, which I see second to a lack of sleep, but also which is exacerbated by a lack of sleep is stress and anxiety. When you are living day to day, worried about what's happening in the present moment, worried about and replaying things from the past, and or worried about all the"what ifs" and potential worst case scenarios that could happen in the future, your brain is on overdrive. It becomes very difficult to focus, make decisions, and stay mentally organized. Diet and nutrition can also contribute to brain fog. Eating lots of unhealthy food, not drinking enough water, and not getting proper nutrients can be at the root of your brain fog. Food allergies and sensitivities, such as a sensitivity to gluten, can also play a role in brain fog. Lifestyle is another factor to consider with brain fog. A lack of physical activity and or spending lots of time engaged in mind numbing activities, such as scrolling social media or vegging out in front of the television, can contribute to brain fog because those activities don't require a lot of mental work or focus. So numbing out in front of screens can then make it harder when you try to shift and engage in tasks that do require increased focus and brain power. Other lifestyle factors such as drinking excessive alcohol, or using other mind altering drugs, can contribute to brain fog, not only when you're actively using them, but ongoing as well. And finally, there are illnesses and medications that can cause, or contribute to brain fog. Chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, autoimmune disorders, hormone imbalances, depression, and other mental health conditions can have a big impact on brain fog. In addition, there are medications that have cognitive impairment as a side effect. So if you believe you either have a medical condition, or a medication that's contributing to brain fog, I strongly recommend you speak with a medical professional who can advise you of options to both treat the concern and also alleviate your brain fog. Okay, so now that you may be thinking about what's contributing to your brain fog, if you didn't already know, let's try to do something about it. As I mentioned, if you have a medical condition contributing to your brain fog, you should consult a healthcare professional who will be able to clarify what may be going on medically, and who can also walk you through your options by running tests, administering questionnaires and or conducting a medication review. The solutions I'm going to walk you through are focused on lifestyle changes and daily habits that can support your overall cognitive health. So let's get to it. Solution#1: Examine and change your sleep patterns, if needed. This is the most common cause of brain fog that I see, so I'm starting with it as the first potential solution. Are you getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night? If not, and you're not the parent of a small child who doesn't have this option right now, consider how you can prioritize this. Remember, not getting enough sleep can be like operating after having a few drinks. Without the proper amount of time to restore while sleeping, your brain can't function properly. I know that it can seem like there's not enough hours in the day to get proper sleep. However, if you are able to do this, you'll be more effective, productive, and efficient throughout your day. Creating a relaxing bedtime routine and a comfortable sleep environment will help with this. If you want more information about how to do this, check out episode 19 of this podcast, where I walk you through 10 strategies for improving your sleep. And one additional tip to those that I have when it comes to sleep, don't the snooze button. And I know you probably want to shut this podcast off right now, but stick with me because there is science that backs up why the snooze button is a bad idea. The short version, is that when you hit the snooze button, you start to go into a new sleep cycle and then get pulled out of it 10ish minutes later, s o your brain is moving towards sleep, and then you jolt it out of sleep without allowing it to work through its full cycle. This results in you waking up even groggier than if you got up when the alarm first went off. And I know that the snooze button may feel good in the moment, we've all been there, but maybe try just not using it for a week or so and see if you feel any different. Solution#2: Manage your stress. Now, this will require you to focus and be intentional about doing things that will help you keep your stress levels down. When you're stressed out, your nervous system is revved up and your brain may have many more thoughts swirling around, which in and of itself is exhausting. When you're overthinking and worrying, you can't focus and you have too many competing thoughts, which can cause mental confusion and exhaustion. One thing that can help you manage your stress is practicing deep breathing. This strategy sounds simple, however, for many of my clients, it's their number one tool. The reason that it's so effective is it allows you to slow down your nervous system, and when you do this, you're able to think more clearly. The other reason, is that it's something you can practice anywhere, and nobody even knows you're doing it. What I would recommend is try scheduling a couple of minutes in the morning, in the middle of the day, and at night before bed, and just breathe in slowly for a count of four, and out slowly for a count of five, and repeat this about ten times. More is great, but ten is sufficient. And see how you feel. When you do this, you're proactively slowing your nervous system down multiple times throughout the day, which will help you manage your stress. If you want to learn other breathing strategies to help you manage stress, check out episode 13 of this podcast, where I walk you through how to do five breathing exercises for stress and anxiety. You can also grab my free guide by going to www.KarenVincentSolutions.com/breathing. That's www.KarenVincentSolutions.com/breathing. Now, another thing that can help you manage your stress is practicing mindfulness or meditation. And both of these are not as challenging as you may initially think, if you're not already familiar with them. Remember, when you're experiencing increased stress, your mind is likely racing and you're not able to focus clearly on the present moment. Whether you take three to five minutes and focus on your natural breathing, or you take three to five minutes and focus on a routine daily task such as brushing your teeth, you can improve your ability to be present in the moment, rather than having lots of those worry thoughts running through your mind. Instead of thinking about all of the things that you need to do on a given day when brushing your teeth in the morning, focus on the act itself. What does it feel like on your teeth? What does it smell like? What does it taste like? How does it sound? Are you evenly brushing all four quadrants of your teeth? Really tune in to the full experience of brushing your teeth. And why this helps is when you're focusing only on brushing your teeth, you're strengthening that focus muscle. And when you get good at this, you're able to do it throughout your day, because you'll notice all of those unhelpful thoughts as they're happening, and you'll be able to stop them and choose what and where you want to put your mental energy on at any given time. Practicing yoga, or even focusing on stretching are additional ways of managing stress and learning to tune in and focus, while also moving your body. As you've probably heard hundreds, if not thousands of times, regular physical activity helps in all areas of your life. It helps improve circulation, boost mood and improve cognitive function. Exercise also helps with sleep and stress management. So you can't go wrong with increasing your physical activity to the extent that you are physically able to do so. Solution#3: Engage in cognitive exercises. These are activities that challenge your brain, such as puzzles, games, reading, and learning new skills. When you challenge your brain in a way that's new, you build new circuitry, improve cognitive function and gain mental clarity. Your brain's no different than any other muscle in your body. If you don't use it, you start to lose it. Solution#4: Hydrate and eat a balanced diet. And I know, you've also heard this thousands of times, but it does matter. The mind and body are deeply connected. So if you feed your body crap, you're feeding your mind crap, which usually results in both the mind and the body feeling like crap. So hearing that you need to drink a certain amount of water can sound so simple and silly at times, but it can make a really big difference in how you feel overall. If you struggle with drinking enough water, try drinking it at room temperature, where it can feel a little easier to drink a glass faster. Also, try drinking a big glass of water right when you wake up. And also, as you're eating or drinking anything, ask yourself if what you're putting in your body is going to help you physically and mentally, or harm you physically and mentally. If you notice you're saying harm more than you'd like, start to make slow changes by introducing more healthy things and crowding out unhealthy or harmful things. Solution#5: Make sure your lifestyle is healthy overall. Limit the use of alcohol, practice self care, be kind to yourself, Manage clutter and stay organized, use lists and a planner, and get support if you need it. There you have it, five potential solutions for brain fog. So, as I say in all my episodes, I don't want you to listen to this and think, oh, that was helpful, and then not do anything. If you experience brain fog, try implementing one change at a time so that you can start to notice what makes a difference for you. You don't need to accept that this is just the way it's going to be ongoing, and you are worth it, my friend. So let's take some action, okay? I will first review the strategies again, and I want you to consider which one you think may have the biggest impact for you. And then, I want you to commit to start taking action with that one strategy within the next 24 hours. So as a review, Solution#1: Sleep. If you think that sleep... in any way could be the problem, please start here. Getting seven to nine hours of sleep per night will not only help you with brain fog. It will support your health in so many ways. So again, start here if at all possible. Solution#2: Manage your stress. As I mentioned, there are several ways of doing this, including deep breathing, mindfulness and meditation, yoga, stretching, and physical movement. If you're starting here, pick one or two strategies to start. And even just a short amount of time can make a big difference. It doesn't need to be a commitment that takes you a long time each day. Solution#3: Cognitive exercise. Be intentional each day or most days about doing things like word puzzles, games, reading, or learning something new. Solution#4: Hydrate and eat a balanced diet. Pick just one change you want to start to make. Maybe it's to drink more water. Perhaps you'll not eat lunch out for a whole week. Or maybe you'll commit to eating a vegetable with each meal. Whatever it is, start small, notice any positive changes, and then build from there. Solution#5: Make any other necessary lifestyle changes. Maybe you want to take a little time on Sundays to organize your upcoming week, to declutter a closet or your office, to schedule time to take a bath or to find a nice decaffeinated herbal tea to drink at night, instead of a glass of wine. Maybe you want to ask a family member for support in managing some household chores so that you don't have to carry the full mental load of running your home alone. Or maybe you decide to reach out for support from a coach or a therapist to help you create an individualized plan that helps you reduce or eliminate brain fog, and feel better overall. So now, as I mentioned, I want you to write down the one thing you came up with and commit to taking action within the next 24 hours. I promise you, you don't have to accept that brain fog is just going to be part of your life ongoing. And you've got this, my friend. That's a wrap. You should be proud of yourself for investing time in you, which is so critical for success and for overall life fulfillment. I look forward to having you join me for my next episode. And in the meantime, go click that subscribe button so you'll know when it's released, and you can also follow me on Instagram at Best Boss Lady Life that's at Best Boss Lady Life on Instagram. Also, remember that whatever it is that you're working on, you've got this and I'm here cheering you on.