Brain fog may not be a formal medical term, but it’s a description that we all recognise. Brain fog can cause feelings of confusion and forgetfulness, or a lack of clarity and focus. But make no mistake about it, brain fog is not just part of the ageing process that you must manage. Nor is it an imagined condition. Says Dr Dow, “Almost all brain fog can be associated with nutritional, hormonal or biochemical factors. Once you get them back in balance – especially the brain chemicals associated with thinking and feeling like serotonin and cortisol – you feel better.”

Brain fog problems linked to swinging oestrogen levels may be due to the role that hormones have on brain function. Oestrogen acts on the hippocampus, a complex part of the brain that plays a major role in learning and memory. “One simple way to support your brain health is to consume enough omega-3 fatty acids, because they are vital for brain function,” says Dr Dow. “One type is associated with brain function. Another type is linked to balancing moods.”

Omega 3 Fatty acids are found in oily fish and shellfish. They’re also in flaxseeds and chia seeds, eggs and dairy.

Brain fog in women is often felt most acutely at times of hormonal change, like pregnancy or peri menopause and menopause. Research on the existence of “baby brain” is mixed. The term refers to the memory problems, poor concentration and absent-mindedness reported by many women during pregnancy. To find out if “baby brain” is real, researchers at Melbourne’s Deakin University looked at the results of 20 studies (known as a ‘meta-analysis’) that examined cognitive function in 709 pregnant women and 521 non-pregnant women. Their analysis has been published in the Medical Journal of Australia.

The studies showed that “Memory and the ability to plan, focus, remember instructions was much less in pregnant women… particularly during the third trimester of pregnancy,” says researcher Associate Professor Linda Byrne, a psychologist and neuroscientist in Deakin’s School of Psychology.

But she added that baby brain is partly about changes in hormones – but more about changes in lifestyle. Expectant mothers have a lot of new things to think about, so sometimes they’re too distracted and tired to focus. ”But the research showed that when pregnant women really need to focus, they can. Then they behaved at normal levels of cognitive function,” says Associate Professor Byrne.

Mid-morning and mid-afternoon slumps in energy and concentration can be related to eating too little or not eating the right foods. Brain fog is your brain’s way of saying “feed me correctly”. Too much sugar or processed carbs will also leave you feeling sluggish. So will a lack of protein and healthy fats.

The ideal brain-fog-banishing diet includes:

• A palm-sized serve of protein two to three times a week.
• A cup of leafy green vegetables every day because they are high in magnesium.
• A thumb-sized portion of healthy fats, such as olive oil
• Seeds such as flaxseeds or chia seeds

“Don’t forget to add fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C, because this vitamin helps your body to absorb iron from food. Iron absorption helps with blood flow and getting oxygen to the brain,” says Dr Dow.

Brain fog can also be caused by not regularly getting a good night’s sleep. “Your body functions better when you support your natural circadian rhythm or body clock,” explains Dr Dow.

Your Circadian rhythms are physical, mental, and behavioural changes that follow a 24-hour cycle. One example of a light-related circadian rhythm is feeling sleepy at night and being awake during the day.

So as you prepare yourself for sleep, put your phone and laptop away 30 minutes before bedtime, and switch off the TV to give your body time to wind down.

In the morning get up and do 10 minutes of exercise or stretching to elevate your heart rate. If you are feeling foggy during the day, head outside for some fresh air and sunlight. Don’t just sit there at your desk yawning – because yawns are your body’s way of saying that your body needs more oxygen.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia. Symptoms include forgetfulness and brain fog. But even long term or repeated episodes of brain fog are not necessarily linked to dementia.

“If you forget something, but you can remember it sometime later, it’s more likely to be a brain fog moment, rather than anything serious.” Says Dr Dow. ”But if you are concerned about a memory issue, you can see a specialist.”

There are some key differences to note.

With Alzheimer’s, one may forget memories entirely and cannot be prompted to recall them, and may not even have awareness that they are forgetting things. Someone experiencing brain fog, on the other hand, may forget an experience or memory but it can be triggered with a reminder. They can also follow clear written or spoken instructions. They may need a note or list to remember things to do, but are not entirely dependent on it for memory recall.

Text: Bauer Syndication/ARE Media. Updated by The Singapore Women’s Weekly on 6 September, 2023.

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