BY DAVE FARROW

We know the brain functions with the twin talents of memory and mirror.

This means that most of the mental functions we perform fall into one of two categories: recalling something or comparing something to others.

From driving to dating, we are constantly recalling and comparing things to navigate this world, but what happens when you stifle these experiences, and every day seems the same?

The talent dulls, and brain fog rolls in.

I was just about to drift off to sleep when I got a call from an old friend.

“Dave? Is that you?” a frightened voice on the line said.

I checked the call display. It was from LA and from a man I hadn’t talked to in years, Leon.

“I think I’m losing my mind! I can’t remember anything anymore!”

Being the “memory guy” is like being the fastest gun in the West. You can’t admit that you can be fallible. That phrase always sends a chill down my spine. I remember my grandmother developing Alzheimer’s and needing round-the-clock care. She didn’t know what was happening at the end. They tried to save her body, but her mind was already gone.

I told him that if he thinks he’s losing his memory, it’s a good sign, because Alzheimer’s covers its tracks. There’s a morbid joke about Alzheimer’s that neuroscientists tell. T hey say that the patients have it easier because they forget they have a disease. One of the symptoms of Alzheimer’s is that you don’t think you have a problem with your memory. As the brain covers its tracks, the forgetful forget they’re sick.

Leon breathed a sigh of relief but doubled down on his concern. “Well, I have this terrible brain fog. After COVID lockdowns, I noticed that I couldn’t remember anything and couldn’t focus. I’m depressed, and it’s only getting worse. So, I went to the doctor, and they sent me home because they had bigger problems. Do you have any suggestions?” he pleaded.

Brain Fog Defined

Brain fog is considered a syndrome, not a medical condition; however, it can be a symptom of another disease, like multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, thyroid issues, and low testosterone. So, if you’re worried about this, tell your doctor.

It comes on suddenly and can last any amount of time. Often, brain fog involves a combination of things—stress, loss of energy or sex drive, memory loss, cognitive decline, and/or lack of good judgment, to name a few.

More severe cases can show symptoms like difficulty separating objects visually from a distance, irritability, insomnia, headaches, dizzy spells, inflammation, depression, intestinal or stomach problems, and weight gain.

As a result, these days, many people feel like zombies in a constant state of fogginess, triggered by hormone changes like those that show up in women after giving birth and during menopause.

Before you think men get off easy, they have brain fog in record numbers in middle age. In addition, some studies show that, on average, middle-aged women outperform men on cognitive tests.

My personal theory is that men get brain fog less often but live with it longer because it doesn’t come with a change in life like pregnancy or menopause, and men are less likely to visit a doctor, so they suffer without treatment.

Friendly note to the men reading—Go to the doctor. Statistically, there is probably something wrong with you right now that you’re not addressing.

Combating Brain Fog Hacks

The first step before we hack the brain is to feed the brain. It’s easy to forget the brain is an organ in the body, so it needs nutrients and oxygen. Instead, think of the brain as the greedy organ, taking far more oxygen and fuel than other organs of the same size.

• Combating Inflammation—Since inflammation is linked to brain fog, the best first step to lower inflammation is cutting out sugar and inflammatory oils like corn and vegetable oil. Basically, things that did not exist a thousand years ago are probably not ideal for your body today.

• Exercise—This also increases blood flow and oxygen levels. Regular exercise has a knock-on effect that benefits many areas of your life, too many to list here. It would take less time to describe the parts of the body that exercise doesn’t help. I was about to say the hair and the fingernails, but turns out regular exercise improves both.

• Nutrition—Get all your nutrients with a balanced diet and even multivitamins. Some diets have been linked to brain fog—for example, when people entirely cut out things like carbs or protein or restrict dietary variety, brain fog becomes more likely. Brain fog is also often triggered by hormone changes, and a good diet will help balance hormones.

• Be Social—Humans are essentially social creatures, so meeting new people, interacting, and learning about other people seems to be the most challenging cognitive task. It actually stimulates the brain more than you think. It also makes us feel good and has a number of other benefits.

• Sleep Better—Bad sleep can hurt our brain’s ability to function. Irregular sleep throws our hormones out of balance, and sleep apnea (lack of oxygen) caused by blockages while sleeping can be very serious. If you snore, do something about it. Talk to your doctor, or, as I did, change your sleep position.

Leon also told me how his brain fog got worse when he felt inflammation and achy joints—something I had experienced firsthand. Scientists are now finding that connection too: when inflammation rises, alertness and attention can drop, creating the same kind of “mental fog” many people describe.

Rarity and Transference

I saved the best treatment for brain fog until the end. But to understand how novel activities work, I need to start with two principles of neuroscience—rarity and transference.

The brain responds most to unique imagery. Well, turns out it works for things beyond just visualization. Your brain thrives on new information.

• Novel Brain Training—Novel activities are things that challenge the brain. A wave of brain-training apps on the market over the last ten years promised to improve cognitive function; however, research showed that they often caused a decline. The reason is that the brain needs new tasks. Once you get good at something, you don’t need to make new connections. Try brushing your teeth with the wrong hand, standing on one foot during a commercial break, or using memory techniques to learn a new language or skill.

• Transference—I tell people that sudoku and crosswords will make you better at sudoku and crosswords and not much else. The brain seems to be very compartmentalized. Just think of all the techniques we needed to go over to improve memory. Each technique addressed a different situation, and mastering one has minimal effect on the others.
  
  Fighting brain fog, however, seems to be the one exception to the rule. As long as you try new challenges and learn new skills, they will help lift the brain fog. We believe that brain fog is a total brain phenomenon and stimulating one part helps wake it all back up.

Fog Needs a Kick

Brain fog seems to come in and take hold. It doesn’t leave on its own. It needs to be kicked out. The only way I have seen it go away is from intense stimulation with unique activities. I sat down with a deck of cards and tried to memorize it, failing at first. It was so difficult.

After just a couple of weeks, I felt like a new man. The forgetfulness was gone, along with the irritability and stress. Every day seemed a little brighter. I checked in with Leon, and he was excited.

“I’m feeling so much better! I tried brushing my teeth with the wrong hand and exercising, and it worked. My brain is back!”

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Dave Farrow is the two-time Guinness World Record holder for the greatest memory. To earn this title, Farrow recalled the exact order of fifty-nine decks of shuffled playing cards using “The Farrow Memory Method.” This method was initially invented to combat Farrow’s dyslexia and ADHD and it is now a unique memory system backed by a double-blind neuroscience study from McGill University.

Farrow has been a featured guest expert on more than 2,000 interviews, including multiple appearances on The Dr. Oz Show, TODAY, Live with Regis and Kelly, The Steve Harvey Show, Discovery Channel, and many others. Today, Farrow uses his keen understanding of the brain in the public relations and media sector. He is the CEO of Farrow Communications, a full-service PR firm known for memorable marketing.

Well Being Journal adapted the above excerpt from Brainhacker: Master Memory, Focus, Emotions, and More to Unleash the Genius Within by Dave Farrow. Copyright © 2023 by Dave Farrow, and reprinted with permission by BenBella Books, Inc.