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How To Deal With Brain Fog

23rd March 2023

23rd March 2023

By Vikki Rich

Do you find yourself struggling to get the right words?  You might be juggling a busy schedule and need to think quickly and on the spot. Instead of thinking clearly, it feels like you’ve stuck your head in a cloud. There’s nothing worse than feeling like you’re living in slow-mo, or even on pause. The great joys of brain fog, it’s super common and incredibly frustrating. You might find that you are struggling at work, or even to keep your personal relationships up as you tackle your inner struggles.

If this all sounds familiar, you're in the right place. Today, we’re here to talk about feeling foggy and how you can manage brain fog. So pop a couple of The Focus Capsules and get ready to clear that head...

What is brain fog?

Brain fog is such a throw-around term, that isn’t actually a medical diagnosis. It comes from the brain fog symptoms that describe the feeling of being mentally fuzzy, having a lack of concentration, and becoming increasingly forgetful. The term brain fog can quite literally cover any cognitive trouble. Ever since the breakout of covid, there has been an increase in people experiencing some level of brain fog. It is thought that around 69% of people that caught COVID-19 have experienced brain fog since. Perhaps you have noticed that you have felt like your struggling to think, almost like you’re stuck in syrup and getting nowhere fast, you might be experiencing brain fog too!

What causes brain fog?

If you think you’ve been tackling this pesky brain fog, you might be wondering what on earth is causing it. Perhaps you’ve recently had COVID-19 or, your partner has taken up the whole bed and deprived you of your much-needed deep sleep. There isn’t just one cause of brain fog that can be solved straight away. You didn’t think it would be an easy fix, did you? There is a huge range of things that can lead to you feeling completely dazed and full of fog. Underlying conditions can be a root cause of brain fog, such as diabetes, anaemia, and depression. However, there are lots of day-to-day causes such as lack of sleep, anxiety, stress, and long covid.

Brain fog causes can also be from lifestyle choices, such as your diet, your weight, and if you smoke or not. Anything unhealthy, as you can imagine, causes a negative impact on your cognitive performance.

How to get rid of brain fog

Just like the many causes of the symptoms, there are many different ways to clear brain fog. If you are noticing that you are feeling more stressed recently, perhaps you’ve just moved house or work is being particularly challenging. Take the time to sit down and write everything you could be stressing about down so you know where to tackle. You can make a plan to improve these areas in your life in any way you can to relieve some of the stress.

Another way to combat stress and ultimately brain fog, is to take 5-10 minutes out of your day to try some light meditation. If you've not done this before and are not sure where to start, there are some incredible apps that can help get you going. The calm app helps to reduce stress and anxiety and, improves focus. Everything you need to battle your brain fog, why not try it out?

You could be struggling to sleep. This can be a big factor in why you are feeling particularly foggy and out of it. You can improve your sleep by cutting out any caffeinated drinks before 12 in the afternoon, and if you are an avid scroller before bed, try turning off your phone an hour before you go to sleep, so you can reduce the blue light stimulation from your screen.

Inflammation is a process that can cause a range of underlying illnesses. This can ultimately be the cause of brain fog. By reducing your inflammation, you can lower your risk of developing conditions such as diabetes. To do this, try and regulate your blood sugar. This is done by keeping a healthy balanced diet, making sure you are eating foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals. If you struggle to add these to your diet, try The Focus Capsules which boost your cognitive performance and help to increase your focus and concentration. They are filled with nootropics and adaptogens which aim to enhance your brain health and reduce your mental and physical stress.

Challenge your brain

Just like your body needs exercise, your brain does too, and by challenging it daily you can improve your memory and help improve your concentration. Giving your powerhouse a challenge now and again helps to keep you on form. Why not set yourself some goals, whether that’s reading a challenging book before bed, or playing a bit of wordle on your lunch break?

It’s important to know that you are not alone in feeling a bit foggy. There are many people who experience the same symptoms and tackle the same day-to-day struggles. Don’t be afraid to talk to people about your symptoms so you don’t feel alone. As long as you’re keeping yourself well rested, nutritionally rich, hydrated, and mentally active you should start to feel much clearer and defogged. Of course, if you are still experiencing these symptoms you may need to visit your GP to check for anything more serious.

Need Expert Advice?

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On the other hand, thanks to neuroplasticity, you can reprogram your brain to embrace more positive thoughts and, in turn, boost your confidence.” Shift to a growth mindset Beating imposter syndrome is all about shifting your mindset from striving for perfectionism to embracing growth. “If you are ready to stop self-sabotaging and stop letting your internal dialogue make you feel like an imposter you are going to have to let yourself be imperfect,” says Chrsitna. She adds: “Understand that mistakes and failures are part of life and a fundamental part of the learning process. Remember, courage comes first, confidence follows.” Read more
From the Bedroom to the Gym: Is Your Sex Life Affecting Your Workout Performance?
The relationship between sex and workout performance is one that’s long been debated by scientists and fitness fanatics alike. It’s complicated and multifaceted, so answering the question of whether your sex life is affecting your training is difficult. That said, today we’re going to take a look at a variety of evidence, both academic and anecdotal, as well as several different scenarios and at least try to reduce some of the mystery around the subject. First, it helps to understand what’s actually happening to the body, both physically and psychologically, during both activities.   The Effects of Sex on the Body Sexual activity causes several changes to occur in the body:   Physical Changes That Occur During Sex During sexual activity and the lead up to it, the human body undergoes a process known as the sexual response cycle. This is the case for both males and females, though the cycle can be highly individual and may not be the same each time for each person. 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So, whilst it is unclear whether sex itself affects workout performance, the reduction in stress levels it may bring is definitely beneficial for preserving our results!   The Effects of Exercise and Training on the Body Exercise and training also cause the body to undergo a number of changes. These occur both during and after the physical activity. There are in fact a number of similarities in changes that happen during exercise and sex:   Physical Changes That Occur During Exercise The physical changes that happen in the body vary based on the type of exercise being undertaken, however, there are some that are common to exercise in general: Increased heart rate Increased blood flow, especially to the muscles Faster, deeper breathing due to additional oxygen needs Heightened activity within the circulatory, respiratory, musculoskeletal and endocrine systems A full summary of the changes that occur within these systems can be found here. More aerobically demanding exercise will, of course, place greater emphasis on the circulatory and respiratory systems as well as causing fat to be metabolised as an energy source. Resistance training, which often relies more heavily on the lactate and creatine phosphate energy systems, instead promotes greater muscular and endocrine (hormone) activity. Note the common physical changes between sex and exercise here, as they do crossover!   Psychological Changes That Occur During Exercise The psychological changes that occur during exercise are similar to those experienced during sexual activity and are mostly related to the release of endorphins and other ‘feelgood’ hormones. These help to regulate mood, and it is common knowledge that frequent exercise and leading an active, healthy lifestyle promotes a feeling of wellbeing.   Does Sex Affect Our Workouts? This is where things become complicated. Though extensive studies have been done on the subject, the results of these have varied massively. We must also take into account the experience of individuals, and this anecdotal evidence again has huge variance. Let’s look at both:   Sex and Training: What the Science Says Scientific studies on the relationship between sex and training are contradictory at best. There’s no denying the positive benefits of both activities, particularly from a psychological perspective, but as for the effect of sex on actual performance in the gym the results are inconclusive. A study, published in April 2021, by Kirecci, Albayrak and co. examined the effects of sexual activity of 50 men in the 24 hours prior to training on lower body strength. The study measured effects by having the men perform 3 separate squat sessions, each at the same time of day. Each of these sessions occurred after participating in or abstaining from sexual activity the night before. The men performed 5 sets of 5 repetitions of their maximum squat weight during these sessions and the difference in weight lifted was observed. The study concluded that ‘sexual intercourse within 24 hours before exercise [has a] detrimental effect on lower extremity muscle force, which suggests that restricting sexual activity before a short-term activity may be necessary.’ Aside from this study, most others found either no notable relationship between sex and athletic performance. A meta-analysis of 9 crossover studies, conducted by Zavorsky and Brooks and published on 16 September 2022, confirms this. The analysis concluded that ‘The results demonstrate that sexual activity within 30 min to 24 h before exercise does not appear to affect aerobic fitness, musculoskeletal endurance, or strength/power.’ This is perhaps more notable, because these studies incorporated different types of exercise and were not restricted purely to a strength/power based activity like squats.   Anecdotal Evidence: What About the Experiences of Real Gym Goers? The anecdotal evidence is, as expected, highly individualised. However, there tends to be a bias against the results of most studies, particularly in those participating in sports involving strength and aggression. For example, many fighters claim that they perform better when they abstain from sex in the days leading up to a contest. Similarly, bodybuilding forums are full of debate on this topic and many claim they note a significant decrease in motivation to train at maximum intensity after sexual activity. It has been hypothesised that this may be due to a downregulation in testosterone production after sex; during orgasm the mineral zinc is released in the body and this is also a precursor for natural testosterone production in the body and may, therefore, provide some reasoning as to the experience of many trainees.   Key Takeaways The relationship between sex and workout performance will always be a complicated one. The effects of one on the other in terms of physical fitness and, in particular, mental wellbeing, are clear, but when it comes to actual performance this appears to be highly individual. We’d advise doing what feels best for you but not worrying too much about it. Instead, prioritise your nutrition and make sure you’re fuelling your workouts properly. While you’re here, why not take a look at the Innermost range? We’re proud to be completely transparent about the ingredients in our products and we always ensure they’re of the highest quality. Check us out, and be sure to get in touch if you have any questions! Read more