Psychiatric Newspaper | Kim In-soo, Specialist in the Department of Psychiatry
Have you ever had the experience of driving in foggy conditions with poor visibility? When you can’t see an inch in front of you because of the thick fog, you have to slow down as if you were crawling. At times like that, I feel frustrated, anxious and worried that there might be an accident. There are times when our brain also has a foggy phenomenon like this, ‘Brain Fog’.(Brain fog)’.
Brain fog is literally a fog in the brain, such as difficulty concentrating or remembering words or events well, and it is difficult to multitask or process when a lot of information is being inputted at once.Various symptoms like lossseems like
Brain fog is also well-known as one of the symptoms experienced by people experiencing the long-term after-effects of COVID-19. Brain fog can also be experienced when experiencing psychological difficulties such as chronic fatigue, menopause, physical changes due to chemotherapy treatment for cancer, anxiety and depression.
The cause of brain fog due to corona is still under investigation, but studies so far have found that COVID-19 causes brain fog by triggering an excessive inflammatory response. People experiencing long-term sequelae of COVID-19 are characterized by excessive production of inflammatory cytokines and microglia responses in the brain. Cytokines are produced as a normal immune response to infection and are responsible for fighting pathogens and regulating the strength and duration of the immune response. Microglia also play a key role in protecting the brain and central nervous system, taking care of phagocytosis and immune functions against harmful substances.
Corona 19, which lasts for a long time, leads to an excessive response from the immune system, It is known to cause an extreme neuroinflammatory response leading to neurological impairment and brain fog. etc When blood circulation or oxygen supply to the brain is not smooth, excessive stress, lack of exercise, and lack of sleep also affect brain fog.can give
When you experience brain fog, you feel frustrated that you can’t function as well as you used to, along with fear and anxiety about how long the symptoms will last. lastcan feel it. Also, it can be difficult to clearly distinguish whether the symptoms you are experiencing correspond to brain fog. In such cases, it can be helpful to organize the symptoms you experience most often and understand the frequency, intensity and impact of the symptoms on your life. More often than before, you can evaluate your condition more objectively by examining whether your symptoms are serious enough to cause harm in different areas of your life, and by listening to the opinions of those around you, such as your spouse, family, friends, and colleagues. For an accurate diagnosis or medical intervention, it is recommended to seek help from specialists such as neuropsychologists and psychiatrists.
together It is also important to maintain healthy habits to prevent and mitigate brain fog in your daily life.do. Let’s see how to do that together.
1. Ensure enough sleep time and quality
Sleep is essential for our body to get enough rest and ensure energy.do. Also, during sleep, memory cells and associated synapses are activated to review memories, and what you see and hear during a time of activity is stored as long-term memory. So sleep Very important for improving memorydo the skill. It is recommended to maintain a consistent sleep time, install blackout curtains, block blue light, and create a quiet and appropriate temperature sleeping environment to ensure good sleep quality. Also, by using the sleep cycle, you can feel more refreshed if you wake up during light sleep rather than deep sleep. Our body repeats light sleep, deep sleep, and dreaming in a cycle of about 90 to 120 minutes, usually about 5 times a night.
In general, adults need 7 to 8 hours of sleep a day, and children need 9 to 10 hours of sleep. It is important to choose the sleep time that works best for you.do.
2. Get the right exercise
Exercise not only improves the vitality of the body, but also has a positive effect on strengthening cognitive function and improving memory, improving sleep, and emotional stability.affects Exercise helps the body and mind recover from the after-effects of COVID-19 and the various physical and emotional deterioration associated with brain fog.
3. Healthy Diet
It is important to eat healthy foods and nutrients that help improve immunity and cognitive abilities.do. Salmon, mackerel, walnuts, perilla oil, and almonds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, and DHA in mackerel activates the brain. You can also eat anti-inflammatory foods such as berries, tomatoes, olive oil, ginger, turmeric, and dark green vegetables.
4. Games to improve cognitive function
Board games, among the various games we play in our daily lives, why not play games that help improve cognitive and memory skills? If you can have fun and improve your memory while playing various games alone or with your friends and family, that would be the icing on the cake. In fact, programs to improve memory in dementia patients also include programs to improve cognitive abilities using various games.
Brain fog is experienced in certain physical and psychological conditions such as corona, chemotherapy, stress, and anxiety, but it is also a phenomenon that anyone can experience one day in the aging process. So, rather than worrying vaguely about whether you are experiencing, or will experience, brain fog, It is important to prevent and respond effectivelydo. Also, if there are people around you who are struggling with brain fog, why not let them know that you are not alone and find a part that can help you? Even when walking in the fog, wouldn’t the road be less blocked if you weren’t alone?
Your Forest Mental Health Clinic | Insoo Kim Director
