Is Anybody Home up There? 5 Ways to Get Rid of "Brain Fog"
- SAB.
- Mar 11, 2021
- 3 min read
Brain fog sucks!! You know that feeling when you get trapped in an anxious thought-cycle, or you keep procrastinating, or you just can't think straight? Well I've got news for you- you might just need a good brain dump ;)
What's that? Brain Fog is defined as: "a usually temporary state of diminished mental capacity marked by inability to concentrate or to think or reason clearly."
Some Common Causes of "Brain Fog"
1. Academic Stress: One study showed "academic stress has been linked to higher stress in other areas of life (Misra, Crist, & Burant, 2003) and a weakened immune system (Dyrbye, Thomas, & Shanafelt, 2006)." This stress can cloud your thinking and make it hard to function. Duh!
2.General Anxiety: Even if you don't have a diagnosed anxiety disorder, we all have thoughts that are hard to shake, or we get stomachaches when we're nervous. These constant worries, otherwise known as anxiety, can make you more tired, and lead to a cloudy head.
3. Relationship Stress:
Same as with regular anxiety, being worried about a relationship can put you in a negative thought cycle. You know breaking up isn't the answer, but maybe your partner just isn't hearing you. Or, you and your parents can't seem to agree. Maybe you're having roommate issues. Whatever the reason, we interact with people every day and when those people don't always understand us, it can lead to an all consuming brain block.
How do I get rid of it?
Brain fog may just be one of those things you end up clearing up on a case-by-case basis. What I mean is, when you feel it, then you deal. Here are some ways to cope when you can't go to therapy:)
1. Observe: First, jot down what you feel when brain fog starts to settle in. This could help you start to become familiar with your own symptoms. Personally, I start to get grumpy, stare into space, and forget what I'm doing a lot. I even have trouble communicating what I'm thinking, or just feel straight out exhausted.
2. Journal: Make a habit! I like journals with prompts, like Michelle Obama's Becoming: A Guided Journal for Discovering Your Voice (click to check it out.) They help me to think about what's really on my mind. In the beginning pages of the journal she recalls "I remember most the feeling of grasping at memories that were just barely out of my reach." It's true, when you have great ideas or just feel like writing something down for your future self do it. You'll always have it.
3. Brain Dump: This one's my favorite! Every morning, or whatever time of day you feel most anxious, and slightly different from a typical journal entry, do stream of consciousness writing. Typing in my notes app is easiest, but you can write on paper too. Literally write EVERYTHING that comes to your head! The key is, don't filter, don't hesitate, just spill out that internal dialogue. I wrote for 30 minutes the other morning and felt completely different by the end. Angry at someone and want to yell at them? WRITE IT DOWN! Super excited but don't want to rub it in your roommate's face? WRITE IT DOWN! I promise you'll feel better ;)
4. Make Some Art:
The same study that explained that academic stress can impact all other areas of your life also showed that drawing, then journaling about your drawing, can release stress. Paint, draw, color, whatever makes you feel like you're expressing your inner chaos.
5.Sleep: I don't mean just go to bed at your usual time and take a random nap during the day. I mean give your body a total reset. Start by going to bed 30 minutes earlier each night until you start waking up feeling alive! Your friends won't even recognize you because you'll be so much nicer:) "There are no shortcuts for counteracting sleep deficiency,” according to Dr. Chunbai Zhang, a sleep specialist at UW Medicine/Valley Medical Center. Research shows that lack of sleep interferes with "neurons’ ability to encode information and translate visual input into conscious thought." Put in normal talk, that means your brain is bound to be foggy and your communication is impaired when you don't sleep 8 hours.
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Sources and more reading:
1. Mercer, A., Warson, E., & Zhao, J. (2010). Visual journaling: An intervention to influence stress, anxiety and affect levels in medical students. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 37(2), 143–148. https://doi-org.holycross.idm.oclc.org/10.1016/j.aip.2009.12.003
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