Published on: 4/28/2025
Brain fog (feeling mentally slow or confused) and fatigue (feeling very tired) often happen at the same time and can share similar triggers. Both can be influenced by factors like poor sleep, diet, mood, and even infections like COVID-19.
Brain fog is when your mind feels fuzzy, and it has trouble thinking clearly. Fatigue is when you feel so tired that even simple tasks seem hard to do. Research shows that many of the same factors can cause both brain fog and fatigue. For example, not getting enough sleep, eating a poor diet, or feeling sad or stressed can contribute to both. Some studies have found that problems with your gut or changes in your body’s balance after infections such as COVID-19 can also lead to these symptoms. Both brain fog and fatigue may be signs that your body is dealing with stress, inflammation, or changes in your brain. This means that when someone experiences fatigue, they could also feel mentally slow or unfocused because the underlying causes affect both the body and the brain. Doctors and researchers believe that understanding all these factors is important to help people feel better.
(References)
McWhirter L, Smyth H, Hoeritzauer I, Couturier A, Stone J, Carson AJ. What is brain fog? J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2023 Apr;94(4):321-325. doi: 10.1136/jnnp-2022-329683. Epub 2022 Dec 6. PMID: 36600580.
Altinsoy C, Dikmen D. How Are Brain Fog Symptoms Related to Diet, Sleep, Mood and Gastrointestinal Health? A Cross-Sectional Study. Medicina (Kaunas). 2025 Feb 15;61(2):344. doi: 10.3390/medicina61020344. PMID: 40005460; PMCID: PMC11857395.
Ortelli P, Ferrazzoli D, Sebastianelli L, Maestri R, Dezi S, Spampinato D, Saltuari L, Alibardi A, Kofler M, Quartarone A, Koch G, Oliviero A, Versace V. Fatigue and “brain fog” in the aftermath of mild COVID-19: A neuropsychological and TMS study. J Neurol Sci. 2021 Oct;429:119854. doi: 10.1016/j.jns.2021.119854. Epub 2021 Oct 8. PMCID: PMC8498602.
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