How to Beat Brain Fog
I was recently asked how to beat brain fog and get more energy and this is a question I get often…so here are my recommendations, tried and true!
Move your body - movement is key to feeling energetic. If you are feeling lethargic, take a walk or work a yoga flow into your day. This also does wonders for clearing your mind. I find that walking in silence offers some major mental breakthrough and creative inspiration when I least expect it. Glennon Doyle also told me she does this (check out my IGTV on my “convo” with her!)
Breathwork - we so often underestimate the power of our breath, our literal life force. When you practice a few minutes of deep breathing, you stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is the antidote to the “fight or flight” feelings you may have. You also work the vagus nerve and can use Kundalini breathing to pump the lymphatic system. Pretty amazing from just breathing, right?!
Sleep - this goes without saying, that if you’re tired, you’re going to feel foggy. However, what many people don’t realize is that the quality of your sleep is just as important as the hours you clock each night. Avoid electronic devices for an hour before bed (or use blue-light blockers), and create a routine that signals to your brain that it’s time to go to sleep. This actually begins with your morning, and getting sunlight first thing to set your circadian rhythm. You can then wind down at night with herbal teas like chamomile or lavender, magnesium powder, a warm bath, or just a really good book (an actual book!).
Create a “done for the day list” - I love this tip from Greg McKeown, the author of “Essentialism”, which I still need to read in full! This allows your brain to “release” your to-do list and focus on other things. What you’ll do is create a list of 3 things each day for personal and business. These are items that you prioritize as enough to be “done for the day”. Of course, like me, you will have a longer list of things you WANT to get done, but if you focus on just 3 things in each of those areas every day, you’ll get a lot more accomplished and likely gain a better feeling of clarity. What this might look like for me is:
Personal: hike, Pilates, read my book
Business: podcast recording, write blog post, send client recap emails
Eat well - use food as a source of energy and consume less processed foods which mess with our minds. Food can truly be magical. Have you ever noticed that a walnut half looks like a brain? Well that’s no coincidence. I’m pretty sure there’s a Yogi Tea out there that says “in nature, there are no coincidences” or something like that, lol. Consume a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and foods that nurture you. You’ll experience less brain fog and more energy by reducing the amount of processed foods you consume, as many of those chemicals (that make it taste good, I know!), can mess with your mind. Incorporate leafy greens into most meals, as a surefire way to get in those nutrients. I love using spinach as a base for lentil pasta and some Rao’s Arrabbiata sauce, or sautéing spinach into my eggs, or topping an open-faced tuna salad on organic brown rice cakes with arugula (also, feel free to DM me for the best tuna salad recipe of your life).
Remember that almost 90% of the serotonin in your brain (feel good hormone) is produced in your gut. Create a healthy microbiome by eating probiotic and prebiotic rich foods, such as garlic, onions, kimchi, raw sauerkraut, kombucha, pickled veggies and sourdough bread.
Adaptogens, especially mushrooms! There are so many herbs that support your brain health and mood, such as Reishi, Ashwagandha, Astragalus, Cordyceps, Holy Basil, and Lion’s Mane. I love the Brain Moon Dust from Moon Juice and Four Sigmatics Mushroom powders for these.
Drink less alcohol - you may argue that a glass of wine helps you fall asleep, but 1.) is it really only 1 and 2.) that may be true but it totally messes up your REM sleep and you don’t get the restorative sleep you need. You will likely wake up tired, groggy, and craving simple carbs for energy like bagels and pizza. You’ll also disrupt your body’s ability to rejuvenate because it’ll be processing out a toxin, which is taxing on all of your organs. Try breathwork instead, it’ll make you feel high without the negative side effects! While you’re at it and reading a “real” book at night, check out “How to Quit Like a Woman” for some really interesting info on the ways that alcohol is marketed to us and how it actually affects our body and brain.
If you want to get the most out of each day, try these tips and let me know how you feel!
Have a question you’d like answered in a blog post? DM me @holistic.w.kristen on Instagram!
xo, Kristen
