How to concentrate if lockdown has turned your brain to mush

It tends to sneak up on you after periods of stress or heavy thinking. So, I used to be a model student back in the wee days of grade school. I aced everything, could listen to hours of boring lessons even while only paying half-attention, and I could retain information because I could keep sharp focus. If you’re barely scraping through your days right now, that’s okay.

In fact, it’s believed bilingualism may offer some protective benefits against cognitive decline. Learning a language at any stage of life could help slow down future decline related to age, including symptoms of dementia. While mental exhaustion can affect anyone, students have a particularly high risk of it. When your brain is fried, it’s harder to retain and recall all that information you’ve spent hours studying. I abused drugs when I was quite young, I’m mostly sober now but sometimes I feel like I could have brain damage or something.

Q: What’s the difference between a box and an emotion?

If your symptoms seem more physical than emotional, it may help to start by talking to your primary healthcare provider, who can help you narrow down a possible cause. If you can only manage a 15-minute walk on your lunch break, you’re still benefiting by giving your brain a break, improving your mental clarity and possibly even relieving some stress. You might feel like you’re too busy to eat, but going hungry can lower your blood sugar and deprive you of cognitive energy. You probably don’t have any trouble recognizing when you’re physically exhausted. Your limbs might feel heavy, your eyes droopy, your energy zapped. I’ve seen some improvement after months of meditation and fixing my daily routine, but my focus is still not coming back to a degree that I want.

Managing stress is easier said than done, but making an effort to clearly understand the underlying causes of your stress can be a big help. Try the library, your favorite coffee shop, or even a different room in your house. Maybe you have an early class, a class right after lunch, or an evening class at the end of a long workday. Physical affection doesn’t always need to involve sex, though. A hug from a friend or family member or a cuddle session with your pet can still give you a mental boost. Try to devote at least 2.5 hours to moderate exercise each week, but aim to do more if you can.

How to concentrate if you feel like lockdown has turned your brain to mush

Some workplaces also have designated professionals on staff to provide employee support and help people dealing with stress both in and out of the office. Self-care plays an important part in wellness and stress relief. This includes things like staying active, getting enough sleep, and eating well. Nature can have a positive impact on mental and physical health, and these benefits may also extend to your studies.

A mush brain can be inconvenient, especially if you’re trying to get some important work done. Dissociative Identity Disorder is seen at a rate of 1 in 70, and while less noticeable, OSDD occurs in about 8% of the population. From other people’s perspectives, you might have glazed eyes, or look like you’re staring off into space.

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You have to consider all of the other problems related to menopause that could contribute to brain fog. There is an association between loss of verbal memory skills (being “lost for words”) and the severity of hot flushes. One study showed that the women who experienced the most hot flushes in a day also had the worst scores for verbal memory performance. However, even if there are no other menopausal symptoms, memory can still be affected by the drop in hormone levels. We now know that this form of brain fog affects around two-thirds of menopausal and perimenopausal women. The cause is related to the effects of changing hormone levels on the female brain.

But adding a few hours of weekly gameplay to your leisure time can be a great way to improve neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity also seems to have promise as a driver of potential treatment for certain mental health conditions. “Neuroplasticity” refers to your brain’s ability to restructure or rewire itself when it recognizes the need for adaption. In other words, it can continue developing and changing throughout life. If you are struggling to sleep, you will find a range of helpful guided mindfulness exercises in Session 9 of the Brain Food section or by downloading the Mindarma companion app.

Have a go now to discover how simply you can give your brain a break. Taking several mindful pauses throughout the day can help us lower cortisol levels, decrease stress and fight fatigue. If you are exhausted and mushy-brained, it is a clear sign you are doing too much. Outsource, delegate, ask for help and carefully consider whether you have the capacity to take on that next thing. Work out what is manageable and make sure joy, rest and relaxation are non-negotiables, rather than being rudely shoved to the bottom of your to-do list.

Dissociation can happen to anyone, regardless of age, race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic background. Dissociation feels and looks different to each person, but is generally pretty common. (because of Covid I believe?) mush brain I got into this habit of smoking weed and watching Netflix, now that’s all I do in my spare time. (Using consonants in sentences, telling a story, etc) it makes Me so depressed and angry with myself.