SOAR TO SUCCESS / Personal Growth Strategies liken it to a radio station that’s not quite static free or a spotty internet connection. And, while brain fog isn’t a clinical term, it speaks volume to the impact that anxiety, depression or stress plays in our bodies and minds. “Diminished ability to think, concentrate or make decisions” is listed as one of the nine symptoms of depression in the fifth version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V). Brain fog might occur with depression because this condition is thought to be caused by low levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that’s central to many functions of the brain, including cognition, memory, comprehension, and concentration. “When we experience serotonin depletion— the very mechanism that [is thought to] cause a depressive mood—it is also going to impact the ability to think…and make decisions,” according to Emily Green, Psy.D., a psychologist based in Washington D.C. What does it look like? It may look and feel like the inability to make a simple decision. Or just taking longer than usual to write an email, report, return a phone call or remember what you’d promised to bring to a friend’s dinner party on Saturday. Surprisingly, this response is our brains defense mechanism and may be a way for our brains to keep functioning…while sacrificing the sharpness needed for higherlevel cognitive tasks,” Green says. What can you do to manage brain fog? Exercise, especially yoga, improves thinking ability, concentration and attention. However, anything that gets your body moving and allows you to fully mentally engage in the activity is a good option. Take a walk. Meditating, the practice of experiencing and cultivating a quality of mindfulness by focusing on the present moment has demonstrated to be effective in reducing stress hormones. Switch to writing in long hand. 2014 Psychological Science series of studies found that students who took notes longhand performed better when answering conceptual questions because writing by hand makes it easier to actually synthesize and understand the material, instead of merely transcribing it verbatim. But even if you’re not in a classroom or trying to learn new information, there’s a lot to be said for how writing by hand helps us be intentional and organize our thoughts. Even a simple handwritten list of to dos can help. Reduce multi-tasking. When our attention is pulled into multiple directions, it makes it impossible to focus on anything. Focus on doing a little at a time rather than in one fell swoop. Use these tips to help fight brain fog. Your brain will thank you.
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