If you're having difficulty thinking clearly or focusing, you may be experiencing brain fog. Here's how you can recover.

March is Brain Injury Awareness Month. This month is dedicated to raising awareness about brain injuries through education and advocacy -- a typical brain symptom that people experience, when either processing grief or stress, is brain fog. According to Dr. Magdala Chery, Brain fog is a term used to describe a common group of symptoms that affect your ability to think, remember, and concentrate. It can make ordinary tasks challenging, such as losing your train of thought or having difficulty focusing. "People experiencing brain fog may describe it as feeling like their mind is cloudy, making it hard to think, focus, concentrate, remember, and pay attention. Symptoms can include difficulty concentrating or focusing, confusion, forgetfulness, losing your train of thought, mental exhaustion, not having the right words, slow thought process and reaction time, and trouble paying attention," she says.

Chery believes it's essential to understand that brain fog is not an official medical diagnosis but a symptom of an underlying condition. It can be caused by various factors such as lack of sleep, autoimmune conditions, diabetes, mental health conditions, neurodivergent conditions, hormonal changes, poor nutrition, stress, infections like COVID-19, medication side effects, and extended hospital stays. Because brain fog is a symptom, it is crucial to have it evaluated by a healthcare provider to determine the underlying cause. The approach to treatment and care will be based on identifying and managing this underlying cause.

While the primary treatment targets the root cause of brain fog, several lifestyle approaches can help manage its symptoms. These include, according to Chery:

In addition to lifestyle adjustments, specific brain exercises may boost mental agility and improve focus and memory. Some exercises to consider include:

While healthy living and brain exercises can relieve brain fog, seeing a doctor to rule out any medical causes is crucial.