Dealing with Brain Fog
Covid-19 turned the world upside down, and the omicron variant is giving us something new to worry about now. The pandemic is still prompting people to withdraw from social activities and many continue to work from home, with weekdays blurring into weekends, month after month.
As we have learned from dealing with COVID-19 and its variants, the symptoms and side effects vary from person to person. Because COVID-19 is a respiratory virus, some symptoms, like chest pains and coughing, are to be expected. But others, like brain fog, are more puzzling. Many people who have recovered from the virus have reported not feeling like themselves, experiencing short-term memory loss, confusion, an inability to concentrate and just feeling differently than they did before contracting the infection.
Brain fog is not a medical or scientific term, it is used by individuals to describe how they feel when their thinking is sluggish, fuzzy and not sharp. We all experience that feeling from time to time and you probably recovered and returned to normal. The problem is there is no diagnostic test for "brain fog," and the condition is not visible on brain imaging exams. Instead, patients and doctors rely on the following symptoms to determine whether a patient is suffering from post-COVID-19 cognitive impairments: headaches, dizziness, fatigue, decreased attention span, memory loss and poor executive function.
Scientists do not yet know who is likely to suffer from post-COVID-19 brain fog. However, there may be a link between the condition and anosmia (losing the sense of smell and taste) during active infection.
So, what should you do if you are experiencing COVID-19 brain fog? If your symptoms are noticeably impacting your life, the first and most important thing is to share all of the lingering symptoms you are experiencing with your doctor to ensure that there are not underlying conditions that should be addressed. The severity of a patient’s initial COVID-19 infection does not seem to predict how severe their cognitive symptoms will be afterward or if they will experience it at all.
Unfortunately, there is no established treatment for post-COVID-19 cognitive side effects. Some clinicians are treating patients with medication, others suggest awakening the senses by introducing strong smells. Still others are experimenting with behavioral strategies such as meditation, exercise, support groups and psychological counseling.
If you are continuing to work from home, weekdays easily can blend into the weekends, creating a big blur. It may seem like the movie ‘Groundhog Day,’ that every day is the same, individuals have to look and put a circle on their calendar to know which day it is because it is just so repetitive. Try to break that routine by making an effort to mix things up.
Once your immune system returns to baseline, your brain can recover. In the meantime, you can support healthy brain function by eating well, getting regular exercise, spending time outdoors and gradually resuming your usual activities. Most important, stay vigilant in terms of preventing the spread of the virus to support the health of your community.
Here are today’s Wellness Wednesday Program reading resources:
“Memory and Concentration,” NHS England, 10 December 2021
“How experts diagnose and treat post-COVID ‘brain fog’ symptoms,” Sara Jacoby, Today, March 8, 2022
“Why Does COVID-19 Cause Brain Fog,” Dr. Omar Danoun, Henry Ford Health, December 9, 2020,
