Brain Fog: What Your Brain May Be Trying to Tell You

By Dr. Aoife Earls Naturopathic Doctor at Dalhousie Health & Wellness,
​make an appointment with Dr. Aoife here

Have you ever walked into a room and completely forgotten why you went there?
Or found yourself searching for a familiar word, rereading the same paragraph several times, losing your train of thought during a conversation, or struggling to concentrate on something that normally feels easy?
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You may be experiencing what many people describe as brain fog.
Brain fog isn't a medical diagnosis. It's a term people commonly use to describe changes in mental clarity, memory, concentration, processing speed or attention. And while it can be frustrating—and sometimes frightening—it can also be useful information.

Brain fog has many possible contributors

The brain doesn't operate in isolation. Cognitive function can be influenced by sleep, stress, nutrition, medications, illness, blood sugar regulation, thyroid function, iron status and many other aspects of health.
This is one reason it can be helpful to resist the temptation to immediately assume that brain fog has one single cause.
Instead, consider asking:
What has changed?


    1    Has your sleep changed?
    2    Has your stress increased?
    3    Have your energy levels changed?
    4    Are you eating regularly and getting adequate protein and nutrients?
    5    Have you started or changed medication?
    6    Have your menstrual cycles changed?
    7    Are you experiencing other symptoms at the same time?
   8  Looking at the pattern can tell us much more than looking at one symptom in isolation.

What about hormones?

Hormonal changes are an important consideration, particularly for women in the postpartum, perimenopausal and menopausal years.
As estrogen levels fluctuate during the menopausal transition, some women notice changes in memory, concentration and mental clarity. Research has found associations between the menopausal transition and subjective cognitive symptoms, although the experience varies considerably from person to person.

The postpartum transition can be another time when significant hormonal shifts, sleep disruption, nutritional demands and the enormous adjustment of caring for a new baby can contribute to changes in memory, concentration and mental clarity.
That doesn't mean that brain fog is always caused by hormones.
It also doesn't mean that cognitive symptoms should simply be dismissed as “part of getting older.”
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Instead, hormonal changes can be one piece of a much larger picture.
For someone experiencing brain fog alongside changes in their menstrual cycle, sleep, mood, or temperature regulation, it may make sense to consider whether the hormonal transition is contributing.

Brain fog can be a clue

One of the most useful questions we can ask when a symptom appears is:
“What is this symptom telling me?”

If your cognitive function has noticeably changed, that may be a reason to look more closely at the factors that influence brain health.
Depending on the individual, this might include looking at:
    •    Sleep quality and quantity
    •    Stress and nervous system load
    •    Nutrition and meal patterns
    •    Iron and other nutritional factors
    •    Thyroid function
    •    Medications and supplements
    •    Hormonal changes
    •    Mood and mental health
    •    Other underlying health conditions

The goal isn't simply to find something to blame.
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The goal is to understand the pattern.

You don't have to simply live with it

Brain fog can be particularly unsettling when you feel like your mind isn't working the way it used to. But experiencing changes in concentration or memory doesn't automatically mean something is seriously wrong—and it doesn't mean you have to accept feeling this way without investigation.

Your symptoms are worth paying attention to.

Sometimes the most useful starting point isn't asking, “How do I get rid of this symptom?”

It's asking:
“What changed, and what might my body be asking me to look at?”

If you're experiencing persistent or significant changes in memory, concentration or cognitive function, speak with your healthcare provider. New, severe or rapidly worsening cognitive symptoms should be medically assessed rather than assumed to be related to hormones or aging.

​Naturopathic Doctor, Aoifa Earls at Dalhousie Health & Wellness in St. Catharine's can help you with your brain fog symptoms and get you back to living well and loving life!