Brain Fog is a Complicating Effect of Stress and Increased Cortisol Levels in the Brain
We all experience fatigue from time to time. And most of us are aware that this fatigue will result in us not be on top of our game. But, Brain Fog can be a complicating result of ongoing stress and increased levels of cortisol in our brain.
Brain fog, professionally referred to as a form of cognitive dysfunction, is a state of mental fuzziness or confusion. While it may not seem mild, it is in fact a state of mild cognitive impairment. It is caused by ongoing prolonged stress, an underlying health issue or impaired wellness. This article will focus primarily on persistent stress as a cause of brain fog.
What happens when we have a cloudy brain from fog caused by stress? Well, the brain does not function well in our day-to-day activities. Brain fog is accompanied by inability to focus on tasks or to remember small details.
Brain Fog Affects Performance
Why is this problem? Concentration levels can be reduced to the point that operating machinery or driving a motor vehicle can be hazardous to your health and safety. People with brain fog are easily distracted. Everyday tasks become more difficult. The distractibility can actually be quite embarrassing and frustrating. One person might be looking for their wallet and find it in the freezer. This can happen due brain fog’s effect on functional abilities and activities of daily living or ADLs.
How Common is Brain Fog?
Brain fog affects millions of people, including small children, adolescents and adults of any age. It leads to daily setbacks, poor functional capacity, impaired activities of daily living, decreased work performance and unhappy relationships. Relationships can suffer because [people get into squabbles about what was said or agreed upon which may have been forgotten or misunderstood due to a foggy brain.
Poor cognitive efficiency often results in severe frustration and inability to function properly in society. This frustration can result in more brain fog. Thus, we can develop a vicious cycle of poor concentration, increased frustration, impaired attention, poor freedom from distractibility, diminished short-term memory and more brain fog.
Five Major Causes of Brain Fog
Stress. This is the number one cause of brain fog. Chronic stress overstimulates the brain and can damage the nerve cells leading to brain fog. Increased levels of cortisol in the brain affect mental clarity. Cortisol is a natural hormone produced to reduce inflammation when we are stressed. It can be a helpful hormone because it increases blood sugar, improves the brain’s use of sugar or glucose and makes it more available to repair damaged body tissue. It diminishes functions that would be unimportant when we are confronted with danger, such as when we activate the fight-flight or freeze function to protect us from that perceived danger.
But, stress research has informed us that when we have ongoing daily stress without methods to reduce the stress, the buildup of cortisol can lead to ongoing brain fog and impaired neurocognitive functioning.
Fatigue. Fatigue also affects the gray matter in the brain and may contribute to behavioral health problems such as depression. Fatigue is caused by excessive physical activity, lack of sleep or poor sleep quality and prolonged emotional distress as noted above. Boredom or lack of mental stimulation can contribute to fatigue. Obesity can be a factor in fatigue contributing to lack of mental clarity and bran fog. Chronic pain and use of certain medications may result in fatigue and poor cognitive efficiency. Research by Ocon, 2013 has described this factor in brain fog in some detail.
People experiencing difficulty focusing, poor concentration, mild memory loss, slowed thinking or general haziness in though processing may be suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFC). This persistent state of physical and mental fatigue is diagnosed if symptoms persist about 6 months or more without other identifiable cause.
Nutritional Deficiencies. Our brain requires all the proper nutrients to function properly. A diet deficient in essential nutrients such as vitamin B-12, magnesium and amino acids hamper the normal brain functioning and deprive oxygen supply to the brain leading to brain fog.
Depression. As noted above depression may cause fatigue. But it may be an independent factor in the experience of brain fog. People who are depressed sleep poorly and their cognitive efficiency is diminished. A larger number of people around the world suffer from depression. Depression causes difficulty in attention, concentrating and decision-making abilities which are nothing but the symptoms of brain fog.
Common Symptoms of Brain Fog
Due to the subtle nature of brain fog, it is often difficult to recognize the symptoms. A person suffering from brain fog often knows that they are not well and their mind seems foggy. But, they may be confused as to why they feel the way they do. To summarize, the following are some of the most common symptoms observed in a person suffering from brain fog.
Lack of mental clarity and inability to concentrate or focus. A feeling of mental fuzziness and decreased attention span. Difficulty in remembering events, things, names and details. Early daytime mental fatigue.
These were some of the common symptoms of brain fog. However, it is important to note that these symptoms could be caused by other factors. That’s why it is critical that you always consult your family doctor if lack of mental clarity seems to persist more than two weeks without easily identifiable cause. Studies have pointed out the importance of early identification of the potential causes of brain fog by primary care physicians. (Hulme, K. et. al 2019) Laboratory tests may reveal other causes. Apart from the symptoms listed above, a person suffering from brain fog may also suffer feelings of despair.
Many other articles within this blog address the issues of anxiety, depression, sleep disturbance, and habits that may lead to brain fog. If you have been cleared by your family physician for a medical reason for your fatigue and lack of mental fitness, you may be experiencing a psychological factor causing your brain fog. Reach out, we are here to help.
References
Hulme, K. Little, P., Burrows, A., Julia, A. and Morris, R. (2019). Subacute fatigue in primary care-two sides of the story. British Journal of Health Psychology, 24(2) 419-442.
Ocon, A. J. (2013). Caught in the thickness of brain fog: Exploring the cognitive symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome. Frontiers in Physiology, 4, 63 10.3389/fphys.2013.00063
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