When it’s 3 p.m. on a Wednesday, these may sound acquainted to a lot of you: issue concentrating, frequent yawning, a way of fatigue regardless of a good night time’s sleep, and a rise in irritability or temper swings. These are the early indicators of that dreaded afternoon mind fog and psychological crash. It appears like your mind desires to give up for the day, and writing an e-mail or getting any venture accomplished takes twice as lengthy.
It doesn’t should be your “normal” day, or one thing you’ll simply “get used to.” We talked to 2 medical doctors who shared some evidence-based recommendations on methods to raise the fog and stop it from settling in within the first place.
Causes Of Afternoon Mind Fog
Whereas “brain fog” isn’t an official medical prognosis, naturopathic physician Nick Bitz says ”it’s a generally used time period to explain these signs.” He provides that it doesn’t come out of the blue, however slightly is a results of a number of contributing components. He highlights poor weight-reduction plan (particularly quick meals and leftovers), dehydration, non-restorative sleep, stress, erratic blood sugar ranges, and extreme display time. Plus, he says, “I’d also add ‘generalized aging’ to the list.”
Dr. Patrick Porter, mind researcher, doubles down on these preliminary causes. He provides that extended sedentary habits as an undesirable cherry on prime. He notes that “every 20 minutes of sitting is equivalent to smoking a cigarette in terms of its negative impact on health. A sedentary lifestyle can cause undue stress to the nervous system because our brain needs movement and oxygen to function at its best.”
He factors out a pure incidence that additionally contributes to this dip. “Our natural circadian rhythm typically includes a dip in alertness in the early afternoon, contributing to this feeling of fogginess. This is partly due to a natural drop in body temperature of about 2 degrees around 2 p.m.”
Your behaviors, nonetheless, aren’t the one ones in charge to your fried mind. The setting by which you’re employed can both enhance your cognitive efficiency or dampen it. Dr. Bitz refers to this because the “sick building syndrome”, which can be an excessive instance, however is a acknowledged phenomenon that highlights the deep connection between our well being and the setting.
“Subtle factors such as sitting in a non-ergonomic chair, being in a poorly ventilated room, enduring harsh fluorescent lighting, and exposure to off-gassing from furniture or carpets can all significantly contribute to brain fog and diminished cognitive performance,” he says, including that “I was taught early on, and I still believe it today, that your surrounding environment helps set the tone for your mental state. It is possible to improve mental clarity by optimizing your physical space.”
Ideas To Sort out Afternoon Mind Fog
Enchancment is feasible. Very like a non-efficient coaching program may be tweaked to push you thru a plateau, sure practices, biohacks, and instruments may also help handle that afternoon hunch.
Whether or not you want to be proactive and keep away from crashing within the first place, or want some instruments to sort out it because it creeps on, right here’s what Bitz and Porter suggest.
Taking brief micro-breaks through the day can go a good distance and enable you break by the fog. There are a number of choices as to what you are able to do to pause your mind going right into a smoky overdrive. Motion and taking brief, frequent walks, and stretching may also help get the blood transferring and reset the thoughts. “Personally, I love breathing exercises such as deep belly breathing or alternate nostril breathing,” Dr. Bitz says.
Porter underscores that breathwork and meditation strategies don’t solely assist “alleviate brain fog by reducing stress and increasing oxygen supply to the brain. They can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation and mental clarity.”
In case you’re questioning: Is diving head first into your pantry for snacks is a good suggestion? No, it’s not. You’ve most likely heard of the gut-brain axis, a bi-directional communication between the intestines and the central nervous system. Nonetheless, there’s extra.
In line with Bitz, there’s a newer idea—”brain-glucose axis” or the “brain-insulin-glucose axis.” This highlights the connection between mind operate and glucose metabolism. “Glucose is the primary source of energy for the brain,” he says. “So maintaining healthy glucose levels is essential for cognitive function and overall brain health,”
Refuel with Meals Correctly
Whereas it is sensible that you simply’d be craving carbs throughout considered one of these crashes, what you eat to refuel issues. Consuming a gentle and balanced consumption of macronutrients all through the day helps to take care of a gentle and balanced glucose degree. This will embrace wholesome fat, clear protein, and sophisticated carbohydrates. “As a hard rule, I recommend abstaining from non-caloric sweeteners such as stevia, sucralose, and xylitol.” Bitz says. “Instead, opt for foods and products that provide real sugar to feed the brain.”
Right here’s a good query: Will caffeine assist or make issues worse? The reply is: it relies upon. Each medical doctors agree that caffeine may be useful sparsely, if used on the proper time with the precise dosage. An excessive amount of espresso, nonetheless, will agitate the thoughts. Bitz recommends combining 100 mg of caffeine with 200mg of theanine everytime you want further focus for cognitively demanding duties. “It works like a charm,” he ensures.
Dietary supplements can Assist
Talking of dietary supplements, as a formulator, Ayurveda skilled, and chief science officer at ProHealth Longevity, Bitz has a handful of go-to botanicals and compounds that may assist.
He’s a “huge fan” of taking 6-12mg of astaxanthin per day. “It is helpful for relieving eye fatigue caused by screen time,” he says. He provides that strained eyes are a standard contributor to mind fog.
He additionally recommends a dab of important oil, utilized topically on the temples, to invigorate and refresh a uninteresting thoughts. “And in the long run, adaptogenic herbs such as bacopa or holy basil can help create a state of ‘sattva’ or clarity inside the mind,” he says.
When you love instruments and devices, Dr. Porter and Dr. Bitz shared with us a handful that will assist provide you with that remaining umph to crush your day.
Pink gentle remedy, sauna classes, ice baths, yoga, and meditation units, like Porter’s invention, the BrainTap, may be the break your thoughts must assume clearly once more. Every of these might take anyplace between 10 to 25 minutes. When you, nonetheless, can’t step away out of your desk, Bitz has just a few low-budget hacks that may assist. These embrace blue light-blocking glasses, chewing gum, ingesting glowing water, and working towards alternate nostril respiration.
Subsequent time you are feeling that dreaded hunch creeping in, keep in mind that just a few small adjustments could make an enormous distinction. From optimizing your weight-reduction plan and staying hydrated to incorporating strategic breaks and breathwork, these expert-recommended suggestions are designed to maintain you sharp and alert all through the day. Don’t underestimate the ability of high quality dietary supplements, a well-balanced setting, and a contact of modern-day biohacking to maintain mind fog at bay.