The memory game

Brain fog and poor memory can be frustrating, but there are ways you can make it easier to manage Words: Georgina Maric

Health The memory game Brain fog and poor memory can be frustrating, but there are ways you can make it easier to manage Words: Georgina Maric What is brain fog? Likened to ‘cloudy thinking’, this debilitating condition can affect people with fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis and other conditions, compromising the ability to think, and leaving people feeling confused or disorganised. This can make it hard to focus and, sometimes, people struggle to put thoughts into words. “There is no real medical term for brain fog,” says Professor Philip Conaghan, rheumatologist at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. “Doctors aren’t always good at describing what patients tell us, but, generally, we interpret this as being a mixture of poor concentration, poor memory and being unable to think clearly. “It often happens in people with chronic pain, and is associated with feeling unwell, poor sleep, fatigue and, sometimes, flat or low mood,” continues Professor Conaghan, who is also director of Leeds Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine at the University of Leeds. But why? “Those with more burden of pain, either severe at one site or multiple sites of pain, commonly have poor sleep and mood,” explains Professor Conaghan. “They become physically unfit, with poor grip strength [problems undoing jars] and poor leg strength [difficulty getting out of chairs or the bath]. Brain fog is part of a complex range of interrelated problems.” Brain fog is not a given though, and there are ways you can minimise its impact on your life. “I think the most important thing that people can do is not to focus on their brains, but on their general fitness,” says Professor Conaghan. “We know that getting stronger reduces pain and improves sleep. Pushing aerobic fitness, such as regular walking at a brisk rate to get the heart rate up, will also help sleep and fatigue.” The key to lifting brain fog “Exercise is absolutely fundamental to improving wellbeing and reducing brain fog,” adds Professor Conaghan. “However, it has to be in a structured way, starting with muscle strengthening quite literally before you try to walk or run. If you are very weak, walking laps in a swimming pool is an excellent starter exercise for a month before you try to push your walking limits in the street or park.” helping your memory istock.com / Radachynskyi Health What is brain fog? Likened to ‘cloudy thinking’, this debilitating condition can affect people with fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis and other conditions, compromising the ability to think, and leaving people feeling confused or disorganised. This can make it hard to focus and, sometimes, people struggle to put thoughts into words. “There is no real medical term for brain fog,” says Professor Philip Conaghan, rheumatologist at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. “Doctors aren’t always good at describing what patients tell us, but, generally, we interpret this as being a mixture of poor concentration, poor memory and being unable to think clearly. “It often happens in people with chronic pain, and is associated with feeling unwell, poor sleep, fatigue and, sometimes, flat or low mood,” continues Professor Conaghan, who is also director of Leeds Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine at the University of Leeds. But why? “Those with more burden of pain, either severe at one site or multiple sites of pain, commonly have poor sleep and mood,” explains Professor Conaghan. “They become physically unfit, with poor grip strength [problems undoing jars] and poor leg strength [difficulty getting out of chairs or the bath]. Brain fog is part of a complex range of interrelated problems.” Brain fog is not a given though, and there are ways you can minimise its impact on your life. “I think the most important thing that people can do is not to focus on their brains, but on their general fitness,” says Professor Conaghan. “We know that getting stronger reduces pain and improves sleep. Pushing aerobic fitness, such as regular walking at a brisk rate to get the heart rate up, will also help sleep and fatigue.” The key to lifting brain fog “Exercise is absolutely fundamental to improving wellbeing and reducing brain fog,” adds Professor Conaghan. “However, it has to be in a structured way, starting with muscle strengthening quite literally before you try to walk or run. If you are very weak, walking laps in a swimming pool is an excellent starter exercise for a month before you try to push your walking limits in the street or park.” helping your memory istock.com / Radachynskyi The memory game Brain fog and poor memory can be frustrating, but there are ways you can make it easier to manage Words: Georgina Maric helping your memory 1. Reminders Writing everything down can help people with brain fog. “There is a very simple trick about writing lists – not just a list on the fridge –which is good for the rest of the house to see. You can do it on your phone, where you can also set alarms for important things such as taking your tablets or appointments,” says Professor Conaghan. 2. Sleep “One of the best ways to prep your body for sleep is to stick to the same schedule every day. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, including weekends,” recommends Dr John Davis, a rheumatologist at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. “That way, you’ll have a regular rhythm about when the body gets sleepy.” A good routine to get into is to go outside as soon as you can in the morning, even if only for a few minutes. The natural light helps to reset your body clock and can make you alert – this will work even if it’s a grey day. Getting a good amount of regular exercise helps you sleep well. And try to avoid electrical devices such as phones, tablets and even the television close to bedtime, as this can stop your brain from switching off for sleep. 3. Pain management “Reducing pain is a good start to improving memory,” he advises, which is why it’s so important to get the right medication for your symptoms. If your pain is not being controlled, your doctor should be able to recommend ways to make it more manageable, which will help you start to function properly again. 4. Yoga “Using yoga as your workout is meditation and mindfulness rolled into exercise,” says rheumatologist Ashira Blazer. Yoga is proven to help people with arthritis, improving many physical symptoms such as pain and stiffness, and psychological issues such as stress and anxiety. Practising yoga regularly can reduce joint pain, improve flexibility, and lower stress and tension, which will all help to decrease those moments of brain fog. 5. Sharpen your brain Play memory games. Go online and you’ll find a wealth of games for memory retention, exercising your mind and improving mental focus. Search your app store using the keywords ‘brain games’ and ‘brain fitness’. Play them on your phone or tablet when you have a free moment and you’ll quickly notice an improvement. Or buy a crossword magazine from your local shop. “Crossword puzzles, and online or TV quizzes, are often very accessible options,” says Professor Conaghan.