What is Brain Fog?

He doesn't have brain fog - he's just tired.

It's been a hot minute since our last touch-base - my apologies friends! Let's just say life is moving at the speed of light and I'm just trying to keep up.

I'm always trying to keep up.

Last week, my hubby was out of town for work and dysautonomia reared it's lovely head in the WORST possible way. I had a major flare-up.

My flares, for those of you not super familiar, can include:

• migraines that last for days 
• super nausea
• lack of appetite
• heart rate stuck in "exercise" mode
• brain fog

Those are just some of the issues I dealt with last week. But I want to focus on one BIG one that's still plaguing me and I get a lot of questions about it: 

Brain Fog 

Brain fog can also be caused brain fatigue and it's essentially an episode of mental confusion. It can strike without warning and causes confusion, lack of focus, and poor memory recall. It can be caused by:

• lack of sleep
• menopause
• stress
• side effects of medication
• nutritional deficiencies
• diabetes
• neurological conditions

For me, it's usually lack of sleep, stress, neurological condition (dysautonomia), and sometimes the side effects of medication. Brain fog is a b*tch. Many people, including me, say it can feel like someone slugged you in the head (pressure), then put pantyhose over your face (visual disturbances). This makes people feel slow and can make even the easiest task (like sitting upright) feel daunting. 

At one point last week, I consumed so much caffeine in a failed attempt to "snap out of it" that I thought I wasn't going to be able to sleep ... but I wasn't awake enough to do something like start folding my laundry.

There are a few things you can do to stave off brain fog:

• eat a balanced diet
• reduce stress
• increase your antioxidant intake

For patients, like me, with chronic migraines, dysautonomia, sinus tachycardia, and orthostatic hypotension (have I collected enough conditions yet? What do I win??) - those things don't always work so we ride it out. I ride it out by working at home and taking my time to be away from other things that could distract me (like my office) or make me agitated (like other people). I learned that with brain fog, I can't drive far - so longer drives are out of the picture, and I get tired more easily. It also makes me more prone to migraines. 

Does any of this sound familiar to you? Consult your family physician to find ways to combat brain fog ... then let me know what your doctor recommended.

Until next time...