This Is the #1 Workout for Brain Fog, According to a Physiatrist and Neuropsychologist
Sometimes our brains don’t work quite as efficiently as we would like them to. Whether a side effect of an illness, like long COVID, or related to stress, lack of sleep or simply getting older, brain fog has become an increasingly more common medical term to describe feelings of fogginess, sluggishness and even forgetfulness.
The good news is? Simple healthy habits, like exercise, can help improve brain fog. But knowing what types of exercises to do is key. Here's everything you need to know.
What Is Brain Fog?
Dr. Jennifer Hankenson, MD, Yale Medicine physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist (physiatrist) and assistant professor of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation at Yale School of Medicine, explains that brain fog “often involves impairment in forming memories and may be in part due to neuroinflammation or inflammation affecting the brain function.”
Shehroo Pudumjee, Ph.D., a neuropsychologist at Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, has explained to Parade that brain fog is not a diagnosis, but “a constellation of symptoms,” including a cluster of thinking and memory difficulties. The most common symptoms of brain fog include short-term memory deficits, and difficulties with attention, concentration, multi-tasking and organizational skills.
Related: 5 Sneaky Signs of Brain Fog
Luckily, you don’t have to sit back and let brain fog get the best of you. One way you can combat brain fog is simply by moving. “Exercise can improve cognition through activating areas of the brain that reduce neuroinflammation,” explains Hankenson.
What Is the Best Workout for Brain Fog?
The best type of exercise for battling brain fog includes aerobic or cardiovascular exercise, which is “any exercise that helps to get the blood flowing and increases oxygen to the brain,” explains Tara Collingwood, MS, RDN, CSSD, LD/N, ACSM-CPT, Board Certified Sports Dietitian, Certified Personal Trainer, American College of Sports Medicine, and co-author of Flat Belly Cookbook for Dummies.
Hankenson adds that there is research supporting the idea that the increased blood flow to the brain from these types of exercises—which include running, biking or rowing—in turn, increases the size of the hippocampus, an area of the brain involved in learning and memory. “Exercise can also lift mood, provide more energy and reduce stress, all of which are good for the brain and focus/concentration,” Collingwood points out.
How long should you work out for? Collingwood suggests exercising for at least 20 minutes for best results, “but even five to 10 minutes can be helpful.”
Related: This Is the Worst Food for Brain Fog
Hankenson suggests following the guidance of the American Heart Association (AHA), which recommends that adults get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise per week.
What Other Types of Exercise Should You Do for Brain Fog?
Aside from aerobic exercise, you should consider adding some other workouts to combat brain fog. “Weight training, also known as resistance training, plays a role in preventing the hippocampus from shrinking,” says Hankenson. “The AHA recommends moderate- to high-intensity muscle-strengthening activity on at least two days per week.”
She also points to other scientific studies showing that exercises such as dancing, tai chi and yoga, prevent mental decline. "If you are already physically active, consider trying a new sport or exercise routine,” Hankenson says. “Picking a new exercise activity can build new connections in the brain creating new neural pathways that are protective against cognitive decline."
Finally, giving the brain a mental workout is also helpful in combatting brain fog. “Doing crosswords, sudoku or playing a mentally challenging game like chess can be protective against cognitive decline,” notes Hankenson.
Next up: This Is the #1 Food For Brain Fog, According to a Registered Dietician
Sources
Dr. Jennifer Hankenson, MD, Yale Medicine physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist (physiatrist) and assistant professor of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation at Yale School of Medicine
Shehroo Pudumjee, Ph.D., a neuropsychologist at Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health