l Written by Dr. Nam Tae Gwang at Tong-in Korean Medicine Clinic
"I know I was supposed to do something, but I can't remember what it was."
"I keep reading the same page, and nothing sinks in."
"It feels like there's a fog in my head — everything is hazy and I can't concentrate."
These days, people increasingly describe this kind of experience as brain fog — a term that refers not to a specific diagnosis, but to a general state in which the mind feels unclear and memory or concentration is noticeably diminished.
So why does this happen? And what kinds of treatment can help?
Brain Fog: A Term Made Familiar by COVID-19
Brain fog — a broad term covering reduced attention, memory, processing speed, and executive function — became widely recognised after COVID-19, as growing numbers of people reported persistent fatigue alongside difficulty concentrating and retaining information. The World Health Organization has identified cognitive impairment as one of the key symptoms of long COVID.
That said, forgetting things more often than usual does not necessarily point to dementia or serious neurological disease. Relatively common and correctable factors — stress, anxiety, low mood, and poor sleep — can all affect memory and concentration.
What Causes Brain Fog?
Brain fog rarely stems from a single cause. More often, it arises from several overlapping factors.
1. Sleep deprivation and chronic fatigue.
Without adequate sleep, the brain struggles to consolidate the information it took in during the day and convert it into lasting memory. Even if you sleep for long hours, frequent waking, snoring, sleep apnoea, or waking up unrefreshed can all reduce daytime concentration.
2. Excessive stress and tension.
When worry and rumination are constant, the brain's resources are continually occupied with processing anxiety and maintaining alertness. As a result, it becomes harder to focus on tasks at hand — words don't come as easily, and small things are forgotten more often.
3. Post-infection recovery delays.
After illnesses such as COVID-19, brain fog can persist alongside fatigue, sleep disturbance, and headaches. A large study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2024 found that people with lingering post-COVID symptoms showed objectively measurable cognitive deficits.
4. Chronic pain and physical discomfort.
When the body is persistently dealing with pain, digestive issues, dizziness, or palpitations, attention is continuously drawn away from the task at hand. In many of these cases, the underlying memory itself may not have declined significantly — rather, information was never fully absorbed in the first place.
5. Correctable physical causes.
Cervical instability or misalignment, vitamin B12 deficiency, and hypothyroidism can all cause fatigue alongside reduced memory and concentration. If symptoms persist, rather than attributing everything to stress, it is worth seeking a proper evaluation to identify any underlying cause.
When to Seek Medical Advice
If brain fog has persisted for several weeks or is beginning to affect your work or daily life, it is worth investigating the cause. In particular, the following situations should not be written off as simple fatigue or stress:
- Getting lost in familiar places
- Repeatedly forgetting appointments and important responsibilities
- Memory or judgement that is noticeably worsening over time
- Sudden confusion accompanied by slurred speech or weakness on one side of the body
- Severe headache, fainting, seizures, or changes in consciousness
Sudden speech difficulties, one-sided weakness, or altered consciousness may indicate a medical emergency — seek immediate care. If memory problems are consistently affecting daily life, a clinical evaluation is recommended.
How Korean Medicine Treats Brain Fog
Rather than treating brain fog as a single named condition, Korean medicine examines the full picture of underlying causes and accompanying symptoms — an approach that complements conventional medical evaluation well.
For example, someone who tires easily and has reduced appetite and digestive function may be assessed as experiencing Qi deficiency (氣虛) — a state in which the body's overall energy is depleted, leaving insufficient resources to sustain mental clarity.
Conversely, someone carrying significant stress and worry, chest tightness, or difficulty falling asleep may be seen as experiencing Qi stagnation (氣滯) — a state in which the flow of energy is blocked, often expressing itself as tension, irritability, and difficulty unwinding.
In other words, two people experiencing the same brain fog symptoms may arrive at very different diagnoses — and Korean medicine tailors its treatment accordingly.
Acupuncture to Regulate Tension and Support Sleep
Full Article : https://www.thepylonsquare.com/blogs/health-beauty/why-your-brain-feels-foggy-and-why-korean-medicine-looks-beyond-the-brain
