All About Brain Fog: What Causes It & How to Find Relief

Brain fog or mental fog is a feeling of having difficulty concentrating or being alert or present. Several terms have been used to describe it such as: fibro fog (Fibromyalgia), clouding of consciousness, feeling “out of it”, cognitive dysfunction or impairment, and constipation of the brain being examples.

Brain Fog Symptoms

People experiencing brain fog can have difficulty focusing when performing tasks like paperwork, following conversations, performing mental arithmetic, or remembering why they came into a room. They may feel irritable or have difficulty relaxing. It may be difficult to follow or finish what you are reading even if it is a blog about brain fog.

In a June 2024 study in Frontiers of Human Neuroscience, 28.2% out of 25,796 individuals reported having brain fog. Brain fog was strongly associated with those experiencing long-COVID as well as those suffering from migraines and a history of concussions.

Brain fog can be just momentary experiences of mental difficulty or it can be felt all day everyday. For those with momentary mental lapses, it can be related to several factors like:

• Diet
• Hormone levels
• Stress
• Sleep quality

For those with longer, more consistent brain fog symptoms it can indicate the presence of underlying health problems which will be discussed below.

Brain fog can significantly affect daily function in terms of short-term memory loss, impaired decision making, reduced or slowed thinking, and difficulty with conversations.

Addressing brain fog with short-term, quick fix solutions can lead to frustration when the symptoms persist or worsen with time. In order to get to the root cause of brain fog it is essential to identify what is straining the brain beyond its current capacity to function as well as why the brain does not have enough energy and resources to maintain this capacity. Drawing from a blend of both chiropractic care that promotes healthy brain activation through alignment and movement, and functional medicine that provides lifestyle changes to remove toxins and provide required nutrients, this article will discuss natural, non-pharmaceutical ways to help you regain your brain clarity.

Causes of Brain Fog

Brain fog is simply poor brain function. Any situation that consistently strains the brain beyond its capacity to perform will eventually fatigue the brain if it is not allowed to rest and recover. Brain fog can be a consequence of taking certain medications, chemotherapy (often dubbed chemo brain), sleep deprivation, hangovers and grief. Lifestyle behaviors or health conditions that deny the brain the nutrients that it requires or overload it with toxins will lead to poor function. Here are some examples of those conditions

Chronic Stress

Stressful situations shift our body into high alert and prepare it for a fight or flight response. When our body’s stress response is activated it shifts blood away from the brain’s prefrontal cortex which is where focus and concentration occurs. In addition, chronic stress can lead to many factors related to brain fog such as impaired gut function and its effect on nutrition, toxin exposure, and energy production. Elevated stress patterns can simply cause mental fatigue due to mental strain. Even anxiously worrying about stressful topics can result in difficulty with focusing on work tasks or other daily responsibilities.

Poor Sleep Quality

A lack of sleep wreaks havoc on the brain and can produce the feeling of brain fog. Poor quality sleep can disrupt the ability of your brain cells to communicate with each other, process memory, repair, detoxify, and regulate the body’s circadian rhythm. This affects our hormone and energy levels, and consequently brain function.

Stimulants like caffeine can improve clarity by increasing the activity of brain cells; however, it comes with a cost. Caffeine also increases levels of adrenaline and cortisol, effectively activating the stress response. In small doses that coincide with the natural circadian rhythm, it can enhance productivity and focus for a short time. But for people who have difficulty processing caffeine, or those who are already highly stressed, caffeinated beverages can push their bodies too far into stress. This can disturb sleep, further affecting energy and brain function negatively. Moderation is key, and it’s important to listen to your body to prevent overuse.

The disruption of sleep, especially when combined with the overuse of stimulants or a misaligned circadian rhythm, can contribute significantly to brain fog. Without proper rest, the brain is unable to function at full capacity, leading to mental fatigue, impaired concentration, and memory lapses.

Spinal Alignment and Focus

Our body’s sense of where we are in space and how we are moving, called proprioception, has a significant impact on our ability to focus. Proprioception plays a role in body awareness, self-regulation, coordination, posture, and focus. Spinal alignment, the curvature of the cervical spine, and spinal joint movement stimulate the quality and quantity of proprioception and therefore our ability to focus. Studies have shown that the prefrontal cortex of the brain, the area responsible for focus and concentration, is activated with chiropractic adjustments to correct spinal misalignments.

Gut Health and Brain Function

Maintaining a healthy gut is important for those struggling with brain fog as an unhealthy gut can lead to a cascade of events ultimately affecting the brain. Due to factors beginning with: the inadequate breakdown of foods, an imbalanced gut microbiome, gut inflammation, the ingestion of toxins like the herbicide glyphosate, and even after concussions the gut can become damaged and eventually become “leaky”. 

This results in tiny gaps opening up in the gut lining allowing undigested foods, toxins, or even microbes to enter the bloodstream. The rise in systemic inflammation in the body can contribute to a “leaky brain” which is when the protective barrier surrounding the brain allows unwanted substances to enter the brain’s circulation. The entry of these inflammation-provoking substances contribute to brain inflammation and according to an article titled “The Blood-Brain Barrier in Aging and Neurodegeneration” in Molecular Psychiatry, from March 31, 2022, the disruption of this blood brain barrier is a hallmark sign of neurodegeneration. This can lead to any number of brain-related symptoms including brain fog, poor memory, focus problems, and brain fatigue.

Autoimmunity and Cognitive Dysfunction

Whether by directly damaging neurons and nerve pathways as occurs with Multiple Sclerosis or with the chronic inflammatory activation from other diseases like Lupus or Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, autoimmune diseases can cause significant harm to brain function. The constant activation of the immune system alone is a drain to the body’s energy supply which can deny the brain what it needs to function properly. Most notable to those suffering from an autoimmune disease is the periodic flare ups due to any number of triggers. During these inflammatory episodes the individual will most commonly also experience some degree of brain fog in addition to their typical symptoms.

Hormonal Imbalances

Whether high or low, levels of the hormones progesterone, estrogen, or testosterone can contribute to cloudy thinking. Progesterone has a calming effect on the brain and protects it from injury and promotes its repair. Progesterone levels increase during the second half of the menstrual cycle and progressively increase during pregnancy leading to more brain calming and protective effects at these times. Low Estrogen can lead to difficulty concentrating and its levels naturally decrease during menopause. Testosterone contributes to mental sharpness and helps to strengthen nerves. Testosterone levels naturally decrease in men with age which affects memory. This change can also cause short-term cognitive impairment and mental fatigue. Thyroid hormone is responsible for regulating the energy levels in every cell of the body and when low, as in those suffering from the autoimmune condition Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, it can have a significant impact on brain function due to the lack of adequate energy production.

Chronic Inflammation

Whether from exposure to toxins, autoimmunity, chronic infections, or chronic stress, the resulting increased inflammation can lead to inflamed brain cells and contribute to brain fog. When brain cells become inflamed their function becomes impaired, ultimately causing these cells to degenerate prematurely.

Head Injuries

Traumatic brain injuries can lead to brain fog for many reasons. Concussions from head trauma can cause permeability in the blood-brain barrier or “leaky brain” due to the inflammatory response from the injury. The damage to the brain and the inflammation caused by the injury itself can lead to brain fog, but the ongoing effect of leaky brain can allow unwanted toxins access to the brain’s normally protected circulation leading to more chronic inflammatory consequences.

It is key to reduce the brain’s burden after concussions and allow it time to heal. Water fasting (1-3 days or even longer) can help the brain recover from more severe brain injuries by eliminating the exposure to potentially inflammatory foods or the burden of digestion. Following a fast, a specific diet and nutrient regimen should be coordinated with your functional medicine doctor or other health care provider.

Blood Sugar Imbalances

The brain consumes roughly 20% of the body’s total energy expenditure. Its preferred fuel type is glucose and it functions best when blood sugar is maintained within a specific range. Decreases in blood sugar levels such as from hypoglycemia deny the brain the fuel that it needs. Those individuals with insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, or diabetes have fluctuating and usually higher levels of blood sugar which also negatively affects cognitive abilities.

Related Health Problems

Other health problems that cause inflammation, fatigue, or changes in blood sugar levels can contribute to brain fog such as:

• Anemia
• Depression
• Viral infections (such as colds, the flu, or COVID-19)
• Dehydration
• Fibromyalgia
• Chronic fatigue syndrome
• Autoimmune diseases like Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Multiple Sclerosis, and Lupus
• Lyme disease
• Hypoglycemia
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
• Mitochondrial diseases
• Cardiovascular issues

When to Seek Professional Help

When brain fog symptoms become constant and unrelenting, and not just episodic in a way that is explainable due to a rough night’s sleep, for example, then it is time to get evaluated by a trained health professional. For a more holistic approach to identifying the root cause of brain fog, a functional medicine doctor can look at the overall health and lifestyle context as well as order diagnostic tests to determine the best path forward.

Signs that may point to more serious conditions like dementia. The key difference between brain fog and neurodegenerative conditions like dementia is that brain fog just affects one’s memory or ability to focus while dementia affects the ability to function in daily life.

If the underlying cause of brain fog is left untreated and if it is contributing to neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration, it can worsen and cause increasingly more debilitating symptoms and nerve cell damage.

There aren’t any specific medical treatments for brain fog beyond lifestyle modifications to help the brain rest and recover. If these do not result in improvement, some medical providers may recommend antidepressants, NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), cognitive behavioral therapy, or psychotherapy to treat the symptoms of brain fog.

Functional Medicine Testing for Brain Fog

Food and chemical sensitivity testing can be ordered which will identify immune reactions to foods or chemicals that may be leading to inflammatory activity in the body. These inflammatory reactions can contribute to brain fog. Additional testing that can be performed include tests for: 

• Intestinal permeability (leaky gut)
• Autoimmunity
• Microbiome health
• Blood sugar handling
• Thyroid and other hormone levels
• Inflammation
• And many others

Holistic Care and Prevention for Brain Fog

There are many things you can do to reduce brain fog and regain healthy brain function. Since there are many possible factors contributing to why someone experiences brain fog, the best approach to addressing it should consider lifestyle, environmental, and systemic causes.

One place to start when dealing with brain fog is providing key nutrients and making healthy dietary choices. Adequate levels of vitamin B12, omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin D, for example, are important as well as vitamin C and Magnesium. Eating regular meals provides the brain the fuel it needs. It is also important to avoid inflammatory foods as well due to their impact on brain fog. Try incorporating some of these foods into your diet:

• Wild caught, fatty fish like salmon and sardine
• Berries
• Dark leafy greens
• Low starchy vegetables
• Green tea 
• Coffee
• Walnuts

Establish a consistent dietary pattern as well. Practicing intermittent fasting by reducing your eating window to an 8 hour period each day is helpful to allow the body a chance to focus on healing and repair the other 16 hours. This period can be from noon until 8pm, for example.

Supplements to Help with Brain Fog

While a healthy diet should provide most of the nutrients we need, nutritional supplements should be taken to provide needed nutrients that our diet does not provide. Some key nutrients for brain health include: 

• Vitamin D
• Omega 3 fatty acids
• B complex
• Magnesium

Detoxing Brain Fog

Due to a poorly functioning or overloaded detoxification system in the body or from excessive exposure to environmental or foodborne toxins, many people become progressively more and more sensitive to toxin exposure. Look up the Clean Fifteen and the Dirty Dozen on the Environmental Working Group’s website, ewg.org and make sure to buy only organic when shopping for the Dirty Dozen. Their website is also helpful for identifying personal care products that are low in toxicity.

Detoxification programs are very effective at lowering the accumulated toxic burden in the body. The process of detoxing the brain is an involved one requiring a separate article. The key is to reduce incoming toxins and to support your body’s natural detoxification pathways to allow neutralization and elimination of those toxins.

Lowering Inflammation

Ways to reduce inflammation include identifying and avoiding exposure to foods, chemicals and pathogens that promote an inflammatory response. Chronic infections and autoimmune flare ups can also contribute to brain fog as they require energy that the brain would otherwise use and they lead to inflammation of the brain cells themselves.

Fixing Your Sleep Schedule

Lowering the burden on the brain while providing it adequate time for rest and repair is essential to helping with brain fog. Keeping a consistent sleep and waking cycle is important to establish a good circadian rhythm. Practice good sleep hygiene and sleep in a dark and cool room. During stressful times and certainly before bedtime, practice meditation or engage in prayer to focus on gratitude and calming thoughts to lower brain stress.

Exercise

The brain requires stimulation from body movement every day in order to function properly. Engage in preferably outdoor activities or exercise that you enjoy so that you will want to repeat it regularly. Exercise routines can be as simple as a daily walk of 20-30 minutes, riding a bike or swimming. You can also participate in organized sports like pickle ball or tennis, group classes like Zumba or yoga; whatever gets your whole body into motion on a regular basis. We can help you develop more specific recommendations about strength training and high intensity interval training.

Chiropractic Care for Brain Fog

Since the brain requires stimulation from body movement every day, healthy movement of every joint in the spine is essential to providing that stimulation. There are 24 moveable bones in the spine each with joints between each other. These joints have nerve sensors called mechanoreceptors that detect movement and when they become misaligned and stuck, they do not send adequate stimulating signals to the brain. The brain then lacks this nutrient of proper body movement, aka mechanoreception, due to misalignments and restrictions in the spine. 

Chiropractic care focuses on finding, analyzing, and precisely correcting spinal misalignments. Research studies have shown that chiropractic adjustments given to correct those misaligned vertebrae increases the activity of the prefrontal cortex of the brain which is the area that controls focus and concentration. 

Chiropractic adjustments can help with brain fog for other reasons as well including: improving sleep, decreasing pain and inflammation, decreasing cortisol levels and the fight or flight response, improving blood flow to the brain, improving digestive health, and improving posture and making movement less energy draining.

In addition to chiropractic care, we take a holistic approach incorporating functional medicine principles. By addressing lifestyle stressors, such as toxic behaviors and nutrient deficiencies, we can optimize your body’s ability to heal and thrive.

Our comprehensive approach considers how you eat, move, and think, ensuring that every aspect of your lifestyle supports your health and vitality. Experience the benefits of chiropractic care and functional medicine for yourself by scheduling an appointment with us today.

You can also call us at (571) 378-0108 or reach out to us via email. We’re located at 8391 Old Courthouse Road, #350, Vienna, VA 22182.

Frequently Asked Questions About Brain Fog