6 Ways to Clear Brain Fog Instantly
Because the world needs your mental clarity
Feeling Foggy
Imagine waking up with a cloud of brain fog muddling your thoughts. You try to blink back the fogginess so you can focus on your agenda for the day, but it’s just not clearing.
Is this starting to sound more like reality than imagination?
If you’re feeling foggy, don’t beat yourself up about it. I can relate. When I had Covid a few weeks ago, I felt like I was totally lost in a fog.
I tried as hard as I could to focus on work, but the creative juices just weren’t flowing. I was grasping at hazy thoughts and making every effort to bring them into focus.
It was as if my terrible vision — and my glasses are extremely thick — had invaded my brain and settled in, making it impossible for me to see my thoughts clearly.
That being said, Covid isn’t the only cause of brain fog. Chronic stress, lack of sleep, hormonal changes, and other medical conditions can also be the culprit.
After all, brain fog is not a medical condition itself. Rather, it’s a symptom of an underlying condition.
Your body wants to tell you something. What is it saying?
What Causes Brain Fog?
Brain fog occurs when your body is prevented from functioning normally due to a medical condition.
Potential causes of brain fog include:
- Chronic stress
- Lack of sleep
- Hormonal changes due to pregnancy or menopause
- Food allergies
- Dehydration
- Medication side effects
- Depression
- Autoimmune diseases
- Migraines
- Diabetes
- Anemia
- Hypothyroidism
If you’re feeling foggy on a regular basis, it’s best to consult with a medical professional to see what she recommends. Once you find the root cause of your brain fog, you’ll be able to take the necessary steps to treat it and gain mental clarity again.
In the meantime, there are some things you can try at home to get rid of brain fog.
6 Ways to Clear Brain Fog Instantly
1. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!
Drinking plenty of water might be the single most important thing you can do for your body and mind. After all, your brain is 80% water. That means any level of dehydration, no matter how slight, can deeply impact your brain functionality.
Most health experts recommend drinking at least 2 liters of water a day. Make this a daily challenge for yourself and see how consistent you can become.
2. Pay attention to your breathing.
This is especially important if your brain fog is caused by stress. The best way to calm yourself down when you’re feeling stressed or anxious is to breathe deeply.
Implement box breathing, the method praised by Navy SEALS. First, picture a four-sided box. Your first inhale travels up one side of the box for four seconds. Then, hold your breath as you travel across the top of the box for four seconds. Exhale for four seconds as you travel down the right side of the box. Lastly, hold your breath for four seconds while you travel across the bottom side of the box. Repeat until you feel the stress start to dissipate.
3. Take a break.
When you’re in the middle of a big project with a time crunch, it seems like there’s no way you could possibly take a break. It’s tempting to ignore your brain fog and power through until the project is finished. That does nothing to help you get rid of your brain fog.
Instead, take a short break to give your mind time to recover. A foggy brain is not going to clear in the midst of a stressful situation; it might even get worse. You’ll feel refreshed and ready to work productively after a quick break.
4. Stop eating processed foods.
I know nobody wants to hear this, but your diet impacts mental clarity. Processed foods such as chips, cookies, bacon, instant ramen, fruit snacks, and frozen dinners have negative effects on your brainpower.
When you’re in a perpetual state of feeling foggy, you need to make your diet more organic. Make sure you eat plenty of protein, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats. Refuse to bring processed foods into your house so they’re not even an option.
5. Slip outside to enjoy nature.
Who doesn’t love an excuse to get outside and breathe in the smell of the earth? It’s amazing what fresh air can do to clear the cobwebs from your brain.
Build nature time into your routine. If your day is full, spend 5 minutes on your balcony in the morning or eat lunch on the porch. On the weekends, go for a hike or a walk in the park. Every once in a while, drive to the ocean or a nearby lake and let your soul unwind.
6. Press play on Focus.
Sometimes you need a little extra help to clear your brain fog…and there’s nothing wrong with asking for help. Check out Hapbee, an innovative wearable designed to help you concentrate at the touch of a button.
The best signals for productivity are Focus and Alert. Just press play on Hapbee’s companion app and see if your brain fog starts to clear. If it works for you, make it part of your routine so you can always focus on whatever needs to get done.
Originally published at https://hapbee.com on February 2, 2021.
