If you have covid brain fog and are not feeling like your usual self – you are not alone.
Many people who experience covid brain fog lose their train of thought and have difficulty following complex conversations.
During this period, you can have trouble multitasking, reading or retaining information, doing simple math, solving crossword puzzles, or following complex recipes.
According to recent statistics, around 80% of patients hospitalized for a COVID infection develop neurological complications.
This includes a spectrum of issues, such as memory problems, brain fog, numbness in the extremities, etc.
Here, you can take a closer look at how long brain fog lasts and what happens in the brain when you get infected with COVID.
What is covid brain fog?
Brain fog is not a medical condition. It is a term meant to describe specific symptoms that affect your ability to think.
Covid brain fog is often immediate and relatively easy to recognize. It leads to a general lack of mental clarity.
Some of the most common covid brain fog symptoms include:
- Trouble concentrating or thinking
- Feeling slow or sluggish
- Forgetfulness
- Confusion
- Drowsiness
For example, your body can feel worn out, and your mind not as sharp. You may need more time to come up with complex words or communicate openly.
This is why some patients who get brain fog feel hesitant to do any kind of public speaking because they know that they can forget what they want to say or can’t find the right words to express themselves.
However, brain fog symptoms vary from person to person. One study found that chronic-post COVID brain fog can cause severe respiratory symptoms. Patients can have trouble breathing and may need medical treatment.
The brain fog was also associated with dermatological symptoms, fatigue, slower reaction times, and reduced function performance.
How covid affects the brain
Many viruses that infect the brain can cause a range of neurological symptoms, including cognitive impairment.
Sometimes, brain damage can continue even after the virus has been eliminated from the body. So, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that a covid infection can do the same.
COVID-19 is neuro-invasive, meaning that the virus itself can damage the brain. When patients get infected, they can develop inflammation of the brain (encephalitis). This can cause memory issues, confusion, and trouble with concentration.
When there is low-grade inflammation in the brain, people can develop lingering symptoms such as trouble thinking, exhaustion, and pain, which can persist for a couple of years after COVID. This is what we call the post-acute COVID syndrome.
According to experts, even mild cases of COVID infection can affect the brain. Researchers studied 401 participants infected with SARS-CoV-2 between March 2020 and April 2021.
Most of those affected had mild symptoms. 15 required medical treatment, and 2 needed critical care. Based on their brain imaging scans, brain-related abnormalities were a common problem.
Many of those affected also experience new psychological disorders, such as severe anxiety or depression.
In rare cases, patients can become psychotic (hear or see things that are not really there). Furthermore, the covid infection can affect the blood vessel lining and impact blood flow.
Severely ill patients have a much higher risk of experiencing cognitive decline after their body recovers from the coronavirus.
Luckily, most patients who recover from COVID don’t have damage to the brain. Some, however, can.
Since more research is necessary to study the long-term impact of the coronavirus on the human brain, it is important to take the necessary precautions and avoid getting ill.
What to do if you have COVID brain fog
If you have brain fog after having covid, there are a few things you can try to mitigate these symptoms. The options below can help.
- Get plenty of rest: Sleep can reduce inflammation in the brain. It can also promote waste clearance from the brain and get rid of any molecular debris that could affect your body and mind. Sleep deprivation can also contribute to brain fog. So, aim for 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep per night.
- Drink enough water: Dehydration can lead to brain fog. When you drink enough water, you can flush the toxins from the system and boost your cognitive performance.
- Keep the stress to a minimum: Stress can cause structural and functional changes in the hippocampus of the brain. So, doing things that can ease stress, such as meditation and yoga, may help with omicron brain fog.
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How long does brain fog last?
How long brain fog from covid lasts can vary from person to person. For some people, brain fog might last a couple of days or weeks. But, for others, it can persist for a few months or longer.
The severity and duration of the brain fog can be influenced by several factors. This includes the severity of the COVID infection, the patient’s age and overall health, and whether they had any pre-existing medical conditions. Talk to your GP if you are worried about your symptoms.
Can covid brain fog go away?
Yes. The human body is very good at repairing itself, so people can recover from brain fog. A vast majority of patients need about 6-9 months for the brain fog to go away.
However, those with pre-existing mild cognitive impairment or dementia might have lower odds of recovering fully.
Unfortunately, there is no treatment or cure that can speed up the rejuvenation process. So, patients have to wait until their body heals.
What you can do is try to boost nerve and brain healing naturally.
What helps clear covid brain fog?
To improve the healing during the brain fog process, you should do activities that can boost your memory, concentration, and focus.
This means practicing healthy habits that are beneficial for your central nervous system. The options below can help.
Eat healthy foods
Your diet plays a significant role in clearing brain fog. First, it can stabilize the blood sugar levels. Eating a brain-healthy diet rich in fiber, protein, and complex carbs can prevent blood sugar spikes and crashes.
You should also consume vitamins D, and B, antioxidants, and omega-3 fats, which can decrease inflammation in the brain and support cognitive function.
Diets like the Mediterranean diet make sure that you are supplying the brain with all the nutrients it needs to function properly.
Do aerobic workouts
Exercise is not just a workout for the body – but a workout for the mind. Aerobics cause the brain to go into overdrive and produce adrenaline. This is delivered straight to the brain, which also boosts your memory.
Avoid drugs or alcohol
Chronic substance abuse can have a notable impact on the body and mind. When your body is trying to heal from brain fog after omicron, try to refrain from putting any chemicals or dangerous products into your system.
So, if you are not feeling like you are making any progress, cut back on the drinking or avoid it completely.
Practice mindfulness
Mindfulness techniques, like deep breathing and meditation, can boost mental clarity and decrease stress. They can also help you stay focused and work on your cognitive function.
Studies show that mindfulness meditation can improve executive function, processing speed, memory, attention, and general cognition.
Communicate with friends and family
When you socially engage with positive people, you can maintain good mental health. For example, you can stay in touch with family and friends. But, if you need a more relatable foundation, then you can join a support group.
Support groups offer a safe space where you can share your experiences, emotions, and feelings. This can help reduce the feelings of anxiety, loneliness, and isolation.
Seek expert guidance
If you are struggling with persistent brain fog after covid, talk to a doctor. They can help identify any underlying health problems that could be worsening your symptoms. They can suggest adequate treatment.
If the brain fog is associated with poor mental health, your healthcare provider can refer you to a mental health expert.
Mental health specialists can help you find the right coping skills, tools, and strategies that can improve your emotional health, reduce stress, and boost your quality of life.
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Conclusion
People can experience brain fog after having COVID-19. The prevalence of brain fog after COVID recovery is not yet fully understood, but research suggests it could have a lot to do with persistent inflammation and other immune system responses that happen when the body gets infected with the virus.
For those affected, brain fog can be a debilitating and frustrating problem. Especially if they can’t think or concentrate properly.
Even though most patients don’t experience lasting brain damage after contracting COVID-19, the risk of brain fog and other neurological symptoms appears to be somewhat high.
So, take the necessary precautions, such as wearing masks, social distancing, and getting the right vaccines to minimize the spread of the infection.
Talk to a doctor if the brain fog symptoms don’t go away after some time or if they are affecting your day-to-day life.
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