Have you suffered from Brain Fog?
Brain fog is REAL and for me personally, it has been one of the most embarrassing symptoms of my illness.
My brain fog was so bad at one point that I could hardly read! I would have to read the same paragraph over and over in order to comprehend it. If I had to read out loud, well, I stumbled over words and was totally embarrassed.
When I started a new job and was dealing with brain fog I had post-it notes everywhere. The trainer would teach me something new and I would immediately forget it, so I had to make notes. It was ROUGH!
I’m happy to report, though, that my brain fog has come a loooong way! My brain may not have clear skies every day but I’m so much better than I used to be and I no longer have issues with reading or comprehension.
I know each person is different and what may work for one may not work for another, but I’m going to share with you 5 tips for managing brain fog that have worked for me, and hopefully, it will be helpful for you too!
1) Natural Supplements
By far the biggest improvements I have noticed are a result of taking some vitamins to help my brain function better. There are two in particular that I take and one of them has made the most dramatic difference. I take a Vitamin D3 spray and a B complex pill that is super high quality and actually crosses the blood/brain barrier. The B complex is the big winner for me. I notice a decrease in energy and mental clarity if I forget to take it.
2) Decluttering
I know that isn’t your typical advice for dealing with brain fog, but for me, it was a huge help. Visual clutter= mental clutter. By reducing the things around me and keeping my area neat and tidy, my brain operates much better and is not so distracted by clutter.
3) Planning System
Since brain fog can move in at any time, I don’t rely solely on my memory. I always have a backup plan for important information. I use a hybrid of paper planning and digital planning. Having a system where I can track everything and know where to find specific information, with little effort, has really helped me to still feel in control of my life.
I’ve become a bit of a planner geek as a result. For my digital system, I use Trello. I love setting up systems and frameworks for Trello boards.
For my paper planning, I tried several different planners but I couldn’t find the perfect one. Recently I started designing my own planner pages so I could get them to be spoonie appropriate. (You can use the coupon code RALIFEHACKS to save 20% off anything in my Etsy shops)
4) Deep Breathing
There are many health benefits from deep breathing, but one benefit in connection with brain fog is the increased oxygen to the brain. When I’m trying to concentrate and my head feels foggy, I take a few minutes to do some deep breathing. I like to use the app Breathwrk. The free version offers great guided breathing exercises, with visual prompts. (Once you get the hang of it you don’t need to always use an app to do it, you can do it anytime you like. I enjoy using the app regularly though as I find I concentrate better with it.)
5) Get Outdoors (or fake it)
Fresh air, sunshine, and exercise are great ways to reset the brain. If my head is feeling particularly foggy, I try to take a short walk outdoors. If the weather is not cooperating (which, where I live in the Arctic, happens often) then I “fake it” by opening the window for a few moments, dancing to my favorite song, and using light therapy to give my brain a boost.
I’ve tried several different SAD lights over the years but this one from Kala Therapy is my favorite. It’s the first one we’ve owned that not only is practical and effective, it’s also esthetically pleasing. I love the modern design and that it can easily become part of our decor and not something that we have to hide away because it’s ugly. š
If you would like to try out one of their lights (they offer a 30-day money-back satisfaction guarantee) you can use the code RALIFEHACKS10 to save 10% off your purchase.
There you have it!
My top 5 medication-free ways of managing brain fog. I hope you found these tips helpful!
Do you have a tip for managing brain fog? I would love to hear them!
Deep cleaning is huge for me! Clutter causes me to have excess anxiety and it causes me anxiety paralysis. Iām so glad to see someone else does this too!!
YES!!! I literally cannot function in a messy room, especially if it requires brain power. I’m happy to know this method helps you too. Thank you for sharing!
This was/is one of my hardest symptoms to handle. As a reading teacher, I, too, got to where I couldn’t focus to even read, not to mention express a coherent lesson. These are all great steps that I’ve used, too. I have found doing a guided meditation, lying down for about twenty minutes often clears the fog. My best help, though, has been Low Dose Naltrexone.
Thanks so much for sharing that. I take LDN as well but never thought about the possible connection with eliminating brain fog! It wasn’t even something I was looking for but I will in the future for sure if my dosage changes at all. Thanks for making me aware of that. š