How come I forget what I just wanted to do?

Have you ever had this experience: you are on the phone, but you look for the phone everywhere and forget what you just wanted to say; others read ten lines at a glance, but you have to read the same sentence three times. You set up multiple passwords, but you are always on guard against yourself...

Young but forgetful

The brain seems to be getting dumber

Could this be the legendary “brain fog”?

01

What is brain fog?

In fact, "brain fog" is not a medical term. The reason why it is frequently mentioned by everyone is mostly due to the following symptoms:

Poor concentration

Memory loss

· Easy fatigue

· Great mood swings

This state is similar to what we often call "being confused". In other words, the person is not doing anything, but the brain is down, the mind seems to be covered with a layer of fog, and everything is confused.

Image source: freepik

From a professional perspective, when the dopamine, serotonin, and cortisol in the human body are out of balance, the brain will be in a state of overwork, hunger, congestion, and confusion, leading to the above symptoms [1]. Among them, dopamine is more familiar to us, it is a reward hormone that makes people "feel good"; serotonin (pentahydrotryptamine) can make people optimistic and emotionally stable; cortisol is a stress hormone. For example, when a work deadline is approaching, the cortisol concentration will increase.

02

How did brain fog get to you? Could it develop into Alzheimer's?

As mentioned above, "brain fog" is caused by the imbalance of chemicals in the brain, which causes problems with people's thinking ability and emotions. The main cause of the imbalance is our unhealthy lifestyle.

Possible causes of brain fog:

Excessive intake of starch, caffeine, and alcohol

Excessive use of electronic devices

Continuously receive a large number of various tasks and information

Spend a lot of time doing aimless and meaningless things

Many people worry whether "brain fog" will further develop into other diseases. According to current research, although there is no direct causal relationship between "brain fog" and Alzheimer's disease, the long-term subtle influence of an unhealthy lifestyle may also lead to depression, anxiety, and a decline in cognitive level. Therefore, the appearance of "brain fog" is also an important reminder for us: it is time to pay attention to and improve our lifestyle.

Image source: freepik

03

How to improve brain fog at low cost?

1) Conscious and appropriate exercise

If you can’t muster the energy to complete a high-intensity exercise plan, you might as well try incorporating exercise into your life , for example, parking your car farther from work and walking, or downgrading your means of transportation , for example, taking the bus instead of driving, or riding a bicycle instead of taking the bus. Even short, light physical activities (such as walking or doing housework) can be beneficial in replacing long periods of sitting [2].

Image source: Photo Network

2) Wake up your sleeping smartwatch and pedometer

Studies have shown that using a smartwatch or exercise app can increase average daily physical activity by the equivalent of 1,850 steps per day [3]. In addition, using some reminder features in smartwatches, such as standing up every 30-60 minutes, can also help increase activity during workdays.

Image source: Photo Network

3) Mindfulness Meditation

Simply put, it means concentrating your attention and focusing on the present moment . Mindfulness can improve hyperventilation and reduce cortisol levels through meditation and relaxed breathing. It can also help you "detach" from the content of your anxiety and discover and change the cognitive chain reactions that accompany anxiety [4].

Image source: Photo Network

4) Get close to nature

Spending 20 minutes in a park or other natural environment can heal the body and mind. The natural environment can stimulate the brain to secrete endorphins, relieve negative emotions, make you happy, calm your mind, and help improve sleep quality.

Image source: Photo Network

5) Conscious relaxation training

Spend 10-20 minutes every day relaxing by following the instructions and listening to soothing music. You can practice this in the morning, during lunch break, and before going to bed.

Image source: Photo Network

6) Develop good sleeping habits

Create a comfortable sleeping environment for yourself and try to develop a regular schedule. If you can't fall asleep, don't force yourself to sleep. You can get up first and try to fall asleep when you feel sleepy. After all, healthy sleep is a happy thing. For those who have sleep disorders, they need to limit their intake of caffeine and tobacco, and try to avoid long naps.

Image source: Photo Network

If you also have symptoms of "brain fog", don't worry, adjust your life status in time, do things that make your brain relax and happy, and your brain will no longer be "confused"!

References

[1] Mike Dow. Brain Fog Repair[M]. Translated by Liu Yousong. Beijing: Science and Technology Literature Press. 2022.

[2] Beddhu S, Wei G, Marcus RL, et al. Light-intensity physical activities and mortality in the United States general population and CKD subpopulation[J]. Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, 2015, 10(7): 1145-1153.

[3] Laranjo L, Ding D, Heleno B, et al. Do smartphone applications and activity trackers increase physical activity in adults? Systematic review, meta-analysis and metaregression[J]. British journal of sports medicine, 2021, 55(8): 422-432.

[4] Clark D M. Anxiety disorders: Why they persist and how to treat them[J]. Behavior research and therapy, 1999, 37(1): S5.

Author: Wang Yiran, resident physician at Shanghai Mental Health Center, master’s degree from Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine

Planning & Editing: Tiara

Acknowledgements: Li Wei, attending physician at Shanghai Mental Health Center and PhD of Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, provided scientific guidance for this article.