Have you ever felt as though your brain just stopped working due to stress? This phenomenon, often termed 'brain-fog,' is a common symptom of burnout, exhaustion and long-term stress. It can manifest as forgetfulness, mental exhaustion, or feeling 'out of it.'
I recently collaborated with colleagues on a study exploring how the brain functions under long-term stress. We discovered significant impairments in attention, processing speed, planning, decision-making, and memory compared to healthy individuals. Interestingly, we found that people's subjective experiences of these impairments were only weakly related to their actual cognitive functioning, revealing a disconnect between how we perceive our mental state and its objective reality.
The good news? Data suggests that as stress levels decrease, the brain typically returns to normal functioning. Brain-fog is not a chronic condition. When experiencing it, remember:
Don't catastrophize – it's normal to feel overwhelmed at times.
Engage in self-care activities that suit you – yoga, meditation, exercise, or even rest.
Seek help if stress feels unmanageable.
Have you ever experienced brain-fog? What helped you through it? Share in the comments below, and follow for more insights into mental health and wellbeing.
Reference to the study: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12888-023-05048-5
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