2023-12-12 15:10:00

Columnist – Yang Eun-mi, CEO of Mind Thought Research Institute

[칼럼니스트-양은미] Brain fog is more caused by the surrounding environment and lifestyle than a medical problem related to the disease. Minor stress accumulates, becomes chronic stress, and exhausts your energy. Then, my body can’t stand it and my mind becomes filled with fog. If you face stress for a long time and fail, you fall into ‘learned helplessness’ where you don’t even try because you think, ‘I’m going to fail anyway.’ But will we continue to live in a fog? Life is too precious for that.

■ Let’s change our brain to escape brain fog.

Neuropsychologist Donald Hebb found that the brain changes when people experience new things. Every time a person acts, specific nerve cells in the brain fire. If a specific nerve cell fires frequently, that behavior is engraved in the brain and becomes a habit. The brain tries to continue operating in a familiar way, using as little energy as possible. So, although it is difficult for people suffering from brain fog, the brain mercilessly acts in a familiar way engraved in the brain whenever a stressful situation appears.

(Photo provided by: Mind Thought Research Institute Co., Ltd.)

There are several ways to get to the supermarket from home, but once you leave the house and arrive at the supermarket, you end up taking the same route you always take. This is because the circuit imprinted in the brain operates. From the brain’s perspective, how much energy has the brain saved by doing work to a minimum? This is commendable. Well then, let’s surprise your brain. Let’s go another way. Your brain will probably be very tense and make a conscious effort to find your way. If you go down that path often, the way to take the new path will soon be imprinted in your brain and you will be able to travel comfortably. This process is called ‘neuroplasticity’ in difficult terms. ‘Neuroplasticity’ is the property of physically changing brain circuits when you change your behavioral habits and thinking patterns.

If you are immersed in brain fog or ‘learned helplessness’, let’s figure out a way to get out of it by using the property called ‘neuroplasticity’. The circuitry engraved in the brain can be changed depending on effort. Your brain changes when you periodically have new learning experiences. If you change the thoughts and actions that lead you into brain fog, make a plan, and keep practicing it over and over once more, you will definitely be able to overcome it. Let’s be courageous.

■ A pretty good way to overcome brain fog.

I believe that for a happy life in the future, we must be faithful and successful in our current work. And there are many people who think that in order to succeed, they have to work harder and put in more effort than they are capable of. It’s not wrong. However, considering the stress caused by excessive work, it is impossible to continue living a life dependent on caffeine, phone calls, and emails for a very long time. At some point, you may feel burnt out and suffer from brain fog. Don’t you want to feel brighter in your head? It’s not too late now.

(Photo provided by: Mind Thought Research Institute Co., Ltd.)

Let’s take a good look at your current state and think regarding what is causing you stress. And let’s look at them one by one, admit what we can’t control, and accept that we can’t do it. It’s not regarding admitting incompetence, but it’s regarding courageously admitting what you can’t do and removing it from your goals to reduce the weight of your life. Let’s focus on what we can do and take control of our lives. What if you lack some skills? Okay. When you are having a hard time, comfort yourself by saying, “It’s okay!” There are strengths in other areas. So it’s okay.

And let’s set a goal for ourselves. Set a small goal that you can do for regarding 15 minutes a day and focus on that task for 15 minutes every day to give your brain a chance to create new circuits. It’s hard at first. You just have to keep doing it. If you gradually increase your goals by achieving them one by one, your brain circuit will change positively.

There are many books that talk regarding how to overcome chronic stress. Among the methods mentioned in various books, including books summarizing mindfulness and books for improving human relationships, and the methods for overcoming brain fog presented in Jill Weber’s 『Brainfog』, we have selected and organized a few easy methods.

■ Make a list of easy things you can do right now to solve the problem.

■ Let’s admit that there are things in life that we can’t do anything regarding.

■ Call a friend and focus on the conversation.

■ Let’s take the time to chat.

■ Go outside, get some sunlight, and look at the sky. If that’s difficult, imagine a warm light shining from head to toe.

■ Let’s try the square breathing method. As you breathe, imagine your mind becoming relaxed.

■ Realize that you are imagining the worst.

■ Let’s practice mindfulness for 10 minutes.

■ Give yourself warm comfort and praise often, such as “It’s okay” or “You did well.”

■ Write one or two lines of gratitude notes a day.

■ Let’s volunteer.

■ Let’s walk.

■ Reduce alcohol and smoking.

■ Reduce the time you spend looking at screens such as TV, smartphones, and computers.

There is no need to practice all of these. Let’s pick a few things you can do and put them into practice first. And let’s gradually increase the number of practices.

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