What Underlying Issues Could Make My Brain Feel Foggy?

Reviewed by Suo Lee, MD

Internal Medicine

Brain fog can be linked to several issues like chronic pain, fatigue, stress, sleep problems, and even changes in our body’s hormonal or inflammatory responses. These issues can work together to make it harder for your brain to stay sharp.

Explanation

When people say they feel “brain fog,” they are describing a situation where their thinking feels slow or cloudy. Recent studies show that people with long-lasting pain sometimes feel this way because the constant pain can change how the brain works. Feeling very tired or not getting enough sleep can add to this problem too. Stress, worry, and feeling down are other common causes that can keep your mind from working smoothly. Other factors include a poor diet, side effects from medicines, or changes in your body’s hormones and immune system. In other words, the causes of brain fog are often multifactorial. To feel better, focusing on healthy sleep, finding ways to manage pain, reducing stress, and eating right can be a good start. However, talking with a doctor about these feelings is very important to find the right path to clear the fog.

(References)

Dass R, Kalia M, Harris J, Packham T. Understanding the Experience and Impacts of Brain Fog in Chronic Pain: A Scoping Review. Can J Pain. 2023 Jul 10;7(1):2217865. doi: 10.1080/24740527.2023.2217865. PMID: 37441085; PMCID: PMC10334862.
Elliott TR, Hsiao YY, Randolph K, Urban RJ, Sheffield-Moore M, Pyles RB, Masel BE, Wexler T, Wright TJ. Efficient assessment of brain fog and fatigue: Development of the Fatigue and Altered Cognition Scale (FACs). PLoS One. 2023 Dec 11;18(12):e0295593. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0295593. PMID: 38079429; PMCID: PMC10712873.
Sukel K. Lifting the fog. New Sci. 2022 Jun 11;254(3390):38-41. doi: 10.1016/S0262-4079(22)01024-7. Epub 2022 Jun 10. PMID: 35722453; PMCID: PMC9187342.
Kverno K. Brain Fog: A Bit of Clarity Regarding Etiology, Prognosis, and Treatment. J Psychosoc Nurs Ment Health Serv. 2021 Nov;59(11):9-13. doi: 10.3928/02793695-20211013-01. Epub 2021 Nov 1. PMID: 34714198.

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