Stress can lead to brain fog

Express News Service

HYDERABAD : Nehal Jhumla, 37, who works in quality control in an IT-company in Madhapur contracted the dreaded Covid-19 in October last year and recovered within a few weeks. However, she still experiences confusion, difficulty in thinking clearly, and fatigue.

A city-based freelance content creator, Razia Shaista, 25, finds herself in the same boat. “I get tired easily. I keep forgetting names, keep misplacing things, unable to think. I feel like my memory is failing me,” she says, feeling exasperated. The Internet is flooded with stories of people suffering from brain fog, a resultant of ‘long Covid’, even months after beating the virus.

“Brain fog is a term used to describe a range of cognitive issues such as being unaware of your consciousness and your own self, feeling of not being interested, feeling fuzzy-headed,” says Megha Jain, clinical psychologist , Apollo Spectra Hospital, Kondapur. 

It is a cognitive dysfunction that is not just seen in Covid-19 patients; however, more number of these cases is being reported. “It is not a medical condition, rather it can be a result of stress, anxiety, depression, hormonal changes, diet, nausea, sleepless nights, medications, and comorbid medical conditions,” adds Megha. 

Covid-19 and mental anxiety
Dr Nalini Nagalla, senior consultant pulmonologist, Continental Hospitals, says “Insomnia is one of the well-document after-effects in Covid-19 patients, followed by fatigue, anxiety, post-hospitalisation fear, and other psychological problems.” Megha adds, “In this  pandemic, people are unable to socialise, the disease has brought in a fear that they would be left alone, and the lockdown has unconsciously affected people emotionally too.”

What is brain fog?

• Inability to focus
• Lack of clarity 
• Mental exhaustion
• Memory problems

Good diet and exercise
Our brain survives on good fats and nutrients. If you don’t feed it well with a rainbow of fruits, vegetables, and good fats such as coconut oil, olive oil, omega 3, avocados, it will stop functioning accurately leading to a nutrient deficiency and brain fog. Brain fog is an undiagnosed condition and needs to be addressed with diet and exercise, shares Payal Kothari, nutritionist and gut health Coach.

Steps to manage brain fog

• Good nutrition 
• 8 to 9 hours of sleep
• Meditation focusing more on breathing 
• Yoga 
• Pursuing a hobby 
• See a psychologist or a medical doctor if it persists

— Priya Rajiv, mental wellness coach