When your mind is foggy and your body is tired you can feel overwhelmed. But there can be times in life when feeling tired isn’t necessarily about not getting enough sleep. You could be sleeping, eating reasonably well, drinking enough water and still feel as though you’re walking through treacle.
Even making simple decisions can feel overwhelming. You re-read the same email several times and wonder why you can’t seem to concentrate.
And alongside the brain fog, there is often a deep, heavy fatigue.
Of course there can be many underlying reasons for this, so if you’re concerned, please see your GP. But sometimes the mind and body become exhausted because they have been carrying something heavy.
When life has asked too much of you
Stress can affect every part of us – mind, body and spirit.
When we’re living with prolonged uncertainty, grief, caregiving, health issues, financial worries or major life changes, our nervous system can remain on alert for long periods of time which can be exhausting and affect our brain function.
The brain and body will then be continually assessing: Am I safe? What needs my attention? What do I need to deal with next?
And that takes enormous energy.
When this continues long term, it can become increasingly difficult to access the mental clarity, motivation and physical energy we might normally take for granted.
You may find yourself becoming forgetful, distracted, irritable or emotionally overwhelmed.
You may feel exhausted but unable to properly switch off, you feel ‘tired but wired’.
And sometimes, even after a particularly stressful period has passed, the fatigue can actually become more noticeable. Because when the immediate demands lessen, the body may finally have space to show you just how much it has been carrying.
Grief, brain fog and fatigue
Grief can profoundly affect how we think and function.
It can affect sleep, appetite, digestion, concentration, motivation and energy. It can make ordinary tasks feel disproportionately difficult.
Fatigue and brain fog are extremely common when you’re grieving because your brain is trying to process something enormous.
A gentle approach to self care
Instead of:
“How do I get rid of this brain fog?”
Perhaps ask:
“What has my mind and body been carrying?”
And instead of:
“Why am I so tired?”
Perhaps:
“What might my exhaustion be trying to tell me?”
These questions don’t solve everything.
But they can move us away from self-criticism and towards self-compassion.
Allow yourself to just be where you are
Life isn’t always about being productive and constantly on the go. Sometimes we may need to listen to the signals from our brain and body. Sometimes it’s about feeling safe enough to slow down and rest.
Perhaps the kindest thing we can do is stop asking ourselves to function as though nothing has changed.
If you’re struggling with fatigue and brain fog because life has become overwhelmingly stressful, or because you’re grieving an important person in your life and need support, please get in touch: vanessa@wellbeingandnutrition.co.uk
You can read more about nutritional therapy, grief support and wellbeing coaching here
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Vanessa May is a BANT registered Nutritional Therapist, ILM Accredited Wellbeing Coach and Certified Grief Educator and has helped hundreds of clients with her holistic approach to health, wellbeing and bereavement. She specialises in stress, fatigue, low mood, anxiety, hormonal imbalance and grief.