Imagine this. You’re conducting an intent conversation with someone. Midway through expressing your opinion, your speech chooses that exact moment to lag behind your brain. The result? You’re at a complete loss for words! Now this may not appear to be a serious concern. It isn’t even a common occurrence. But it can be annoying!
From personal experience, I can say that this is embarrassing as well! It has happened with me on multiple occasions. I was having a great conversation with a few of my colleagues; we were joking, giggling and through this, while I was trying to comment, my brain just froze midway (it was like trying to look through a heavy fog, the eyes taking a while to acclimatise except in this case it was my brain). The result? I blurted out something completely irrelevant. When I asked around, I realised it isn’t just me. This happens with a lot of others as well, every now and then.
Confusion, forgetfulness, loss of concentration and lack of mental clarity are symptoms of brain fog. Stress, sleep deprivation, overworking, and excessive internet usage can all contribute to this. Brain fog is thought to be cellularly induced by high levels of inflammation and hormonal changes that affect the mood, energy, and focus. The entire system falls prey to hormone imbalances. Furthermore, mental fog syndrome can result in other illnesses like diabetes mellitus, irregular menstruation, and obesity.
Dr Rupali Satija, DNB Family Medicine, states very simply that our minds do decline with age, much like every other living being. She has received complaints of increased forgetfulness from patients in their mid 30s and 40s, and points out that there are several factors contributing to it – such as a stressful lifestyle, lack of essential vitamins, and too much of screen time.
While some level of forgetfulness is normal and natural, if this happens repeatedly, one must try to think and analyse as to why. Each individual’s mind works in different ways and in turn, each of them have different capacities to retain information. Dr Rupali pointed out that overall, the current generation is becoming more forgetful as compared to our previous generations.
Dr Rupali advises:
Google is not the solution: Do not look up everything on Google. It is merely a search engine not a solution provider, especially when it concerns health. While it’s created to make our life easier, unfortunately, it is also the reason that we no longer make any effort to learn something as everything is available just a click away.
Learn a new skill: Just as our body requires regular exercise to stay fit and active, similarly the mind also requires some sort of exercise/activity to keep it functioning well. One should make a conscious effort to put away their phone and engage in something that challenges their mind.
Stress-free days: Stress is a major contributor to the overall deterioration of our health and consequently affects our brain as well. Try various relaxation techniques to keep yourself calm and your stress levels in check.
Healthy diet: Ensure the consumption and inclusion of vitamins like B12 and B1 in your daily diet as they play an essential role in boosting your mind.
Every person’s brain changes with age, and these changes also affect mental performance. Mental decline is a common occurrence and a highly feared consequence of ageing. To keep the brain active and functioning, minimise the amount of time you spend on your computer, tablet, and smartphone, get adequate sleep, eat a balanced diet, and take vital supplements that have been carefully chosen by your doctor and not by Google. These can help improve memory, emotional equilibrium and keep your stress levels at bay.
Forgetfulness is a normal thing. But if it occurs often or if there are any other associated symptoms, it’s better to get it checked with a doctor and rule out any other illnesses associated with the brain, no matter what the age.
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