What Causes Brain Fog? 11 Tips to Get Rid of it Fast

Science of People Team June 26, 2025 18 min read

In This Article

Learn how to get rid of brain fog fast with 11 science-backed strategies. Clear mental cloudiness from illness, stress & more in 2025!

For months, my brain felt like it was wrapped in cotton balls.

I’d stare at my laptop screen, knowing I had work to do, but my thoughts moved like molasses. Simple tasks felt impossibly complex, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that my mind was running at half-speed!

What I was experiencing was brain fog.

And after months of trial and error, I finally cracked the code on how to clear it. Now I want to help you do the same.

Whether you’re recovering from illness, dealing with hormonal changes, or just overwhelmed by the constant ping of notifications, that frustrating mental haze doesn’t have to be permanent.

What Is Brain Fog?

Brain fog is a state of mental cloudiness characterized by difficulty concentrating, forgetfulness, and feeling mentally “fuzzy” or unclear.

While it’s not a medical diagnosis itself, brain fog is a very real symptom that can significantly impact your daily life. Think of it as your brain running on low battery: everything takes more effort, and simple tasks feel surprisingly difficult.

Common symptoms of brain fog include:

Trouble finding the right words
Difficulty following conversations
Forgetting routine tasks or appointments
Feeling mentally exhausted after minimal effort
Struggling to make decisions
Reading the same paragraph multiple times without comprehension

Brain fog can strike anyone at any time, but it’s particularly common during periods of stress, illness, hormonal changes, or lifestyle disruptions. Research (source) shows that factors like poor sleep, dehydration, and information overload can all contribute to that frustrating mental haze.

My friend Sarah described brain fog perfectly: “It felt like trying to think through cotton balls. I’d sit in meetings knowing I had something important to say, but the thoughts just wouldn’t come together.”

Ready to transform your social interactions and clear mental barriers? Check out the bestselling book:

3 Red Flags That Brain Fog Is Taking Over

Recognizing brain fog early can help you take action before it derails your entire day. Here are three warning signs to watch for:

You’re Rereading Everything Multiple Times

When you find yourself reading the same email or text message three times without absorbing the content, that’s your brain waving a white flag. This foggy feeling is especially common after substance use or when your body is fighting off illness.

Simple Decisions Feel Overwhelming

Should you have coffee or tea? What should you wear? These normally automatic choices suddenly feel like major life decisions. If you’re spending ten minutes debating what to have for lunch, brain fog is likely the culprit.

You’re Zoning Out Mid-Conversation

If you’ve ever started a sentence and forgot your point halfway through, or realized you’ve been nodding along without actually listening, you’ve experienced classic brain fog moments that signal it’s time to take action.

Pro Tip: Keep a quick note on your phone when you notice these signs. Tracking patterns can help you identify your personal brain fog triggers.

11 Science-Backed Tips to Get Rid of Brain Fog

Reduce Information Overload

Our brains weren’t designed to process the constant stream of information we face daily. Studies (source) show that multitasking actually makes us less efficient and more prone to brain fog.

Digital detox strategies:

Turn off non-essential notifications
Use website blockers during focused work time
Designate phone-free zones in your home
Practice single-tasking for specific periods

Mental decluttering:

Write down racing thoughts to clear your mind
Use the “brain dump” technique before important tasks
Limit news consumption to specific times
Unsubscribe from unnecessary emails

I noticed that simply turning off notifications and refusing to check emails during my morning work block eliminated my usual 11 AM brain fog crash!

Prioritize Quality Sleep

Your brain literally cleans itself while you sleep, clearing out toxins that accumulate during the day. Studies (source) show that even one night of poor sleep can significantly impact cognitive function, so just imagine how much of an impact consistently bad sleep can have on you!

For optimal mental clarity:

Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep nightly
Keep your bedroom cool (around 65-68°F)
Avoid screens for at least an hour before bed
Establish a consistent sleep schedule, even on weekends

Mike, a software developer, noticed his afternoon brain fog disappeared completely after he started going to bed at 10 PM instead of midnight. “Those extra two hours of sleep made me feel like I had a new brain,” he said.

Action Step: Develop a bedtime routine that you can stick to. For tips, check out our guide: Evening Routine for Better Sleep: 6 Steps to Rest Easy.

Stay Hydrated Throughout the Day

Even mild dehydration can cause brain fog, difficulty concentrating, and mental fatigue. Your brain is about 75% water, so when you’re dehydrated, it literally shrinks.

If you want to learn how to get rid of brain fog fast, proper hydration is your first line of defense:

Drink a large glass of water first thing in the morning
Keep a water bottle at your desk
Set hourly hydration reminders
Eat water-rich foods like cucumber, watermelon, and soup

Pro Tip: If plain water feels boring, try adding lemon slices or mint leaves for flavor without the sugar crash. If you’re feeling extra adventurous, get a SodaStream to give your water that irresistible, sparkling kick!

Move Your Body Regularly

Exercise increases blood flow to the brain and triggers the release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which supports brain health and mental clarity.

You don’t need a gym membership to beat brain fog:

Quick options for busy days:

Take a 5-minute walk around the block
Do jumping jacks during commercial breaks
Try desk stretches every hour
Take phone calls while walking

Longer sessions when possible:

20-30 minute walks in nature
Dance to your favorite songs
Yoga or stretching routines
Swimming or cycling

Sarah found that even a quick walk to grab coffee helped clear her brain fog. “It’s like hitting the reset button on my brain,” she discovered.

Practice Deep Breathing

When you’re stressed or anxious, shallow breathing reduces oxygen to your brain, contributing to brain fog. Slow and deep breathing exercises have been shown (source) to increase the power of alpha and theta brain waves, contributing to relaxed and sharpened mental states.

If you’re new to deep breathing, try the 4-7-8 technique:

Inhale through your nose for 4 counts
Hold your breath for 7 counts
Exhale through your mouth for 8 counts
Repeat 3-4 times

This technique can provide instant relief, making it particularly effective when you need to know how to get rid of brain fog quickly during a demanding day.

Action Step: Set three daily reminders to practice deep breathing: morning, lunch, and before bed.

Fuel Your Brain with the Right Foods

A vast amount of scientific literature confirms that what you eat directly impacts your cognitive function. Some foods fight brain fog while others can make it worse.

Brain fog fighters:

Omega-3 rich fish like salmon and sardines
Blueberries and other antioxidant-rich berries
Dark leafy greens
Nuts and seeds
Avocados
Dark chocolate (70% cacao or higher)

Brain fog culprits to limit:

Processed foods high in sugar
Refined carbohydrates
Excessive caffeine
Alcohol
Trans fats

Pro Tip: Start your day with a protein-rich breakfast to maintain steady blood sugar and avoid mid-morning brain fog.

Get Strategic with Caffeine

Caffeine can be a helpful tool for mental clarity, but timing and amount matter significantly. Too much caffeine or consuming it at the wrong times can actually worsen brain fog.

Smart caffeine strategies:

Limit intake to 400mg daily, or about 4 cups of coffee (less if you’re sensitive to caffeine!)
Avoid caffeine after 2 PM to protect sleep
Wait 90 minutes after waking before your first cup
Try green tea for a gentler, sustained energy boost

Action Step: If you’re experiencing afternoon brain fog, try switching your afternoon coffee to herbal tea.

Address Underlying Health Issues

Sometimes brain fog is your body’s way of telling you something needs attention. This is especially important if persistent mental cloudiness is interfering with your daily life.

Common culprits include:

Vitamin deficiencies (especially B12, D, and iron)
Thyroid imbalances
Blood sugar irregularities
Hormonal changes
Medication side effects
Chronic stress

For those experiencing mental haziness after medical procedures, learning how to get rid of brain fog from anesthesia, for example, typically involves staying hydrated, getting gentle movement, and allowing your body time to process the medications.

Pro Tip: Keep a symptom diary noting when brain fog occurs, what you ate, how you slept, and any other relevant factors to identify patterns.

Practice Mindfulness and Meditation

Regular mindfulness practice literally changes your brain structure, improving attention and reducing the mental scatter that contributes to brain fog.

Simple mindfulness techniques:

5-minute morning meditation
Mindful breathing during transitions
Body scan exercises before bed
Mindful eating during one meal per day

Even brief mindfulness sessions can help clear mental cloudiness quickly. Research (source) shows that just a single 10-minute meditation session can improve focus and mental clarity.

Action Step: Download a meditation app and commit to 5 minutes daily for one week.

Meditation isn’t just beneficial for reducing brain fog; learn more about 15 Mind-Blowing Benefits of Meditation for Your Brain!

Take a Strategic Vow of Silence

Think about how much mental energy you spend talking every day. It’s a huge cognitive load—especially for introverts! Taking a temporary, strategic vow of silence is like closing all the extra programs running in the background of your brain.

How to take a micro-vow of silence:

Start small: Try for just 30-60 minutes throughout your day.
Schedule it: Block it out in your calendar as “focus time.”
Inform others: Let your family or colleagues know, “I’m taking a silent hour to reset my brain, I’ll get back to you at 2 PM!”
Go screen-free: Use your silent time to walk, stretch, or do a simple manual task like tidying up. The goal is to reduce both verbal and digital noise.

A project manager I know was overwhelmed by back-to-back Zoom calls. She started scheduling a “vow of silence” for one hour after lunch. She found that by not speaking, she could process the morning’s information and entered her afternoon block feeling clear and ready, completely eliminating her post-lunch brain fog.

Want more? Watch the video below or read the article here:

Optimize Your Environment

Your physical environment significantly impacts your cognitive function. Small changes can make a big difference in reducing brain fog.

Environmental optimizations:

Increase natural light exposure, especially in the morning
Maintain comfortable room temperature (around 70-72°F)
Reduce clutter in your workspace
Use plants to improve air quality
Minimize distracting noises

Lighting specifically matters: Studies https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-76636-8 show that exposure to light in the morning helps regulate circadian rhythms and improve daytime alertness.

Take Strategic Breaks

Working for hours without breaks is a recipe for brain fog. Your brain needs rest to maintain optimal function and research (source) backs it up: regularly taking breaks at work leads to greater productivity.

Effective break strategies:

Follow the 50/10 rule: 50 minutes of work, 10-minute break
Step away from screens during breaks
Get outside if possible
Do something completely different from your main task

Micro-breaks for busy schedules:

30-second deep breathing exercises
Quick shoulder rolls and neck stretches
Looking out a window for distance vision
Standing and doing a few gentle movements

Pro Tip: Set a timer to remind yourself to take breaks. When you’re in brain fog, you’re unlikely to remember on your own.

Meaningful social interactions, even small ones, release oxytocin—often called the “bonding hormone.” Oxytocin is amazing because it directly counteracts cortisol, the stress hormone that is a major contributor to brain fog.

Here’s how to get an oxytocin boost:

Send a text to a friend thanking them for something specific. Recalling a shared positive experience can work wonders for you both.
Ask a work friend to grab a coffee or take a 10-minute walk with the sole purpose of connecting, not talking about projects.
Watch a funny video with a family member or call that one friend who always makes you laugh. Genuine laughter is a huge trigger for positive brain chemistry.
If you have a willing friend, partner, or family member, a 20-second hug is scientifically proven to release a significant amount of oxytocin.

Manage Stress Effectively

Chronic stress is one of the biggest contributors to brain fog. When you’re constantly in fight-or-flight mode, your brain redirects energy away from higher-order thinking.

Stress management techniques:

Regular exercise (even 10 minutes helps)
Journaling to process thoughts and emotions
Setting boundaries with work and social commitments
Learning to say no to non-essential activities
Practicing gratitude regularly

For a comprehensive guide on managing stress in the workplace, read: 21 Things (You’re Not Doing) to Manage Stress at Work.

In-the-moment stress relief:

Progressive muscle relaxation
Quick meditation or breathing exercises
Calling a supportive friend
Listening to calming music

For those dealing with hormonal fluctuations, finding effective ways on how to get rid of brain fog on your period often involves extra stress management, as your body is already working harder during this time.

Similarly, if you’re dealing with mental cloudiness from substance use and wondering how to get rid of brain fog from weed, stress reduction becomes particularly important as your system rebalances.

Action Step: Identify your top three stressors and choose one stress management technique to address each one.

Dealing with Post-COVID Brain Fog

Recovering from COVID, flu, or other viral infections often comes with an unwelcome side effect: lingering brain fog that can persist long after your body feels better. This post-viral cognitive cloudiness is more common than you might think, and it requires a specific approach.

Why illness causes brain fog: Research (source) shows that viral infections including COVID-19 can trigger inflammation in the brain, disrupt sleep patterns, and deplete the nutrients your brain needs to function optimally. Your immune system also uses enormous amounts of energy fighting infection, leaving less available for cognitive tasks.

Strategies for post-illness recovery:

Start slow and be patient: Your brain needs time to heal just like any other part of your body. If you’re wondering how to get rid of covid brain fog or how to get rid of flu brain fog, remember that rushing back to full mental capacity too quickly can actually prolong your recovery.
Prioritize restorative sleep: Illness often disrupts sleep quality, which compounds brain fog. Focus on sleep hygiene: keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet. Consider a brief afternoon nap if nighttime sleep was poor
Gentle movement: Light exercise like short walks can improve blood flow to the brain without overtaxing your recovering system. Avoid intense workouts until your energy fully returns
Anti-inflammatory nutrition: Focus on foods that reduce inflammation: omega-3 rich fish, berries, leafy greens, and turmeric. Stay well-hydrated, as dehydration worsens post-illness brain fog.
Cognitive rest: Just as you wouldn’t run a marathon with a sprained ankle, don’t overwhelm your recovering brain with complex mental tasks. Break big projects into smaller pieces and take frequent breaks.

Action Step: If your brain fog persists more than 4-6 weeks after illness, consult your healthcare provider to rule out complications and discuss additional support options.

Brain Fog in the Workplace: Quick Solutions for Leaders and Teams

Given its prevalence, brain fog can impact entire teams and organizations. Here are practical strategies for addressing brain fog in professional settings.

Leadership Actions

Smart leaders recognize that brain fog is a productivity killer and take proactive steps:

Model healthy habits like taking actual lunch breaks
Reduce back-to-back meeting marathons that exhaust cognitive resources
Encourage walking meetings when appropriate
Provide quiet spaces for focused work

Building a Supportive Culture

Create an environment where employees feel safe discussing cognitive challenges and receiving support:

Normalize conversations about brain fog without judgment or stigma
Train managers to recognize signs of cognitive fatigue and respond with empathy
Offer flexible work arrangements for team members experiencing persistent brain fog
Provide wellness resources like mindfulness apps, stress management workshops, or mental health days
Implement focus time blocks where interruptions are minimized for everyone’s cognitive benefit
Create support groups where team members can share brain fog strategies and feel less isolated
Establish clear policies that protect employees from discrimination based on cognitive health challenges

Pro Tip: When a team member mentions struggling with brain fog, respond with curiosity rather than concern: ask what support they need rather than assuming what might help.

Conflict Resolution

When brain fog leads to misunderstandings or mistakes:

Pause important conversations if someone is clearly struggling with mental clarity
Encourage team members to speak up when they’re experiencing brain fog
Create policies for rescheduling decisions when cognitive capacity is low
Focus on solutions rather than blame when brain fog contributes to errors

Need help building a healthy corporate culture that normalizes and supports those suffering from brain fog? I’ve helped teams at Google, Microsoft, and Fortune 500 companies develop the social intelligence needed to do just that. Let’s connect today!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Brain Fog

What exactly is brain fog?

Brain fog refers to a cluster of symptoms including difficulty concentrating, forgetfulness, mental fatigue, and feeling like your thoughts are cloudy or unclear. While not a medical diagnosis itself, it’s a real condition that can significantly impact daily functioning and quality of life.

How long does brain fog typically last?

The duration of brain fog varies depending on the underlying cause. Acute brain fog from lack of sleep or dehydration can clear within hours with proper care. However, brain fog related to illness, hormonal changes, or chronic conditions may persist for weeks or months and often requires targeted treatment.

How can I get rid of brain fog when I need immediate relief?

For how to get rid of brain fog fast, try drinking a large glass of water, taking 5-10 deep breaths, stepping outside for fresh air, or doing light physical movement like stretching. These strategies can provide relief within minutes by increasing blood flow and oxygen to your brain.

Is brain fog normal during illness recovery?

Yes, brain fog during and after illness is very common. Post-viral cognitive symptoms can persist for weeks to months as your immune system recovers and your brain heals. Whether you’re dealing with lingering mental cloudiness from COVID, flu, or other infections, patience and gentle self-care are essential for recovery.

Why do I experience brain fog during my menstrual cycle?

Hormonal fluctuations during your cycle can significantly impact cognitive function. Learning how to get rid of brain fog on your period often involves staying hydrated, getting adequate sleep, eating regular meals, and being gentle with yourself during this time when your body is working harder.

Can certain substances cause brain fog?

Yes, various substances can contribute to brain fog. Cannabis use can temporarily affect cognitive function, and finding ways how to get rid of brain fog from weed typically involves staying hydrated, getting rest, and allowing time for your system to clear. Similarly, how to get rid of brain fog from anesthesia often involves time, hydration, and gentle movement as your body processes the medications.

When should I see a doctor about brain fog?

Consult a healthcare provider if brain fog persists for more than a few weeks, significantly impacts your daily life, or is accompanied by other concerning symptoms like severe fatigue, mood changes, or physical symptoms. Persistent brain fog can sometimes indicate underlying health conditions that need medical attention.

Can diet affect brain fog?

Absolutely. Foods high in sugar and processed ingredients can worsen brain fog, while nutrient-dense foods like omega-3 rich fish, berries, and leafy greens support mental clarity. Staying hydrated and maintaining stable blood sugar through regular, balanced meals also helps prevent brain fog.

Clear Your Mind and Reclaim Your Mental Clarity

Brain fog doesn’t have to be your permanent companion.

Your brain is incredibly adaptable, and with the right care, you can overcome brain fog and unlock the mental clarity you deserve. Start with one strategy from this list today, and begin your journey back to sharp, focused thinking.

Want to learn more about optimizing your mental performance? Check out our guide on 15 Ways to Strengthen and Improve Your Memory Immediately.