What causes a lack of mental alertness?
This can be caused by overworking, lack of sleep, stress, and spending too much time on the computer. On a cellular level, brain fog is believed to be caused by high levels inflammation and changes to hormones that determine your mood, energy and focus.
Extreme tiredness or lack of sleep. High blood sugar or low blood sugar. High or low blood sodium concentration. Infection that is severe or involves the brain.
Many things can alter how alert you feel, such as how much sleep or caffeine you've had. Being overly alert or not alert enough can also be a sign of certain mental health conditions, like anxiety, mania, or depression. Scientists have learned a lot about how the brain regulates being asleep or awake in general.
- Take a 20-minute nap if napping is allowed. ...
- Avoid a high-carbohydrate lunch. ...
- Try to expose yourself to some bright light. ...
- A brief period of exercise can also be helpful: a brisk walk or a few flights of stairs can help you feel more alert.
- Consume a caffeinated beverage.
Decreased alertness occurs when a person is not fully awake, aware of, or able to respond normally to his or her external environment. Decreased alertness may also mean that a chronic illness has gotten worse.
Such symptoms may be due to an underlying condition, like mild cognitive impairment, or a mood disorder, like depression and anxiety. Declining focus also could result from lifestyle issues that should be addressed, such as stress, fatigue, poor sleep, dehydration, an unhealthy diet, or sedentary behavior.
The thalamus serves as a relay station for almost all information that comes and goes to the cortex. It plays a role in pain sensation, attention and alertness.
Common tests used are the: Mini-mental state examination (MMSE) or Folstein test. Montréal cognitive assessment (MoCA)
| Level | Summary (Kruse) |
|---|---|
| Conscious | Normal |
| Confused | Disoriented; impaired thinking and responses |
| Delirious | Disoriented; restlessness, hallucinations, sometimes delusions |
| Somnolent | Sleepy |
Definition. A mental state of reduced level of consciousness, with decreased response to stimuli, including pain. [ from NCI]
How do you fix low mental energy?
- Create a self-care plan. Focus on your well-being by devising a self-care plan tailored to your needs. ...
- Engage in regular exercise. ...
- Eat a nutritious diet. ...
- Fix your circadian rhythm. ...
- Stay organized. ...
- Strengthen your mental fitness.
- Spend less time on computer and mobile phone – remind yourself to take a break.
- Positive thinking, reduce stress.
- Change your diet.
- Get enough sleep – 7-8 hours a day, go to bed at 10pm or no later than midnight.
- Regular exercise.
- Avoid alcohol, smoking, and drinking coffee in the afternoon.
- Schedule Purposeful Breaks. Give yourself permission to take a purposeful break. ...
- Practice Quieting Your Mind. One example of quieting your mind is to focus on your breathing. ...
- Listen to Calming Music. ...
- Take a Walk. ...
- Take a Break from Social Media.
Being unable to concentrate is also a side effect of some medications. Drugs that can affect the way you think include : benzodiazepines. opioids.
- Brain hemorrhage. A brain hemorrhage means bleeding of the brain. ...
- Brain tumor. A brain tumor is a growth of abnormal cells in the brain. ...
- Hepatic encephalopathy. Hepatic encephalopathy is a nervous system condition caused by liver disease. ...
- Obstructive hydrocephalus. ...
- Seizure. ...
- Stroke.
Of the opioids, meperidine is probably the most deliriogenic. These medications, especially benzodiazepines and opioids, can also induce stupor and coma at higher doses. Medications with anticholinergic properties are thought to be frequent causes of delirium.
Vitamin B12 deficiency has been correlated to various neurologic problems; however, research has suggested that abnormally low levels of vitamin B12 can be the cause of significant cognitive dysfunction [1].
Chronic concentration problems are rooted in bigger problems like chronic stress, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and anxiety. The side effects of physical issues, like traumatic brain injuries or chronic pain, can also cause chronic concentration problems.
When your brain is foggy and you're riddled with indecision, it's hard to make choices that get you to where you want to be. Mental clarity helps you to make decisions with ease instead of overthinking. It also makes it easier to organize an overwhelming to-do list and decide what to work on first.
The normal state of consciousness comprises either the state of wakefulness, awareness, or alertness in which most human beings function while not asleep or one of the recognized stages of normal sleep from which the person can be readily awakened.
How do you assess level of alertness?
The tool we use to assess the level of consciousness is the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS). This tool is used at the bedside in conjunction with other clinical observations and it allows us to have a baseline and ongoing measurement of the level of consciousness (LOC) for our patients.
When approaching a patient, introducing yourself and asking for their name can help you assess their Level of Consciousness (LOC) or Alertness. If they respond, and appear awake an unaltered they may be considered "Alert" and you can move on to evaluating their orientation.
Altered level of consciousness (ALOC) means that you are not as awake, alert, or able to understand or react as you are normally. ALOC can be caused by a head injury, medicines, alcohol or drugs, dehydration, or some diseases, such as diabetes.
Emotional concerns and stress – fatigue is a common symptom of mental health problems, such as depression and grief, and may be accompanied by other signs and symptoms, including irritability and lack of motivation.
All of these symptoms can be related to mental health conditions including depression, bipolar disorder, ADHD, or other conditions. These symptoms can be seen with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia as well.
- An inflammatory response. While we mostly relate inflammation to joints, did you know your brain can become inflamed too? ...
- Asthma and allergies. ...
- Anxiety, depression and stress. ...
- Cancer treatments. ...
- Hormonal changes. ...
- Sleep.
...
Other conditions that may cause brain fog include:
- anemia.
- depression.
- diabetes.
- Sjögren syndrome.
- migraine.
- Alzheimer's disease.
- hypothyroidism.
- autoimmune diseases, like lupus, arthritis, and multiple sclerosis.
A deficiency in several nutrients could potentially contribute to brain fog, including vitamin D, vitamin B12, iron, and omega-3 fatty acids. Low levels of magnesium, vitamin C, and choline may also cause brain fog, but more research is needed.
- Drink water. Yep, just the plain old clear stuff. ...
- Listen to fast-paced music. ...
- Get light. ...
- Do light exercise. ...
- Take a cold shower.
Any mentally stimulating activity should help to build up your brain. Read, take courses, try "mental gymnastics," such as word puzzles or math problems Experiment with things that require manual dexterity as well as mental effort, such as drawing, painting, and other crafts.
What pills help you stay focused?
- amphetamines like Adderall, Dexedrine, or Vyvanse.
- methylphenidates like Ritalin or Concerta.
Prescription smart drugs, such as Adderall and Ritalin, have the strongest and most significant effects on memory and attention. Synthetic nootropic supplements like Noopept and piracetam are widely available, but research on their effectiveness in healthy adults is lacking.
These medications include amphetamine salts, such as Adderall®; methylphenidate, such as Concerta® or Ritalin®; and lisdexamfetamine dimesylate, or Vyvanse®.
- Altered consciousness, which may include coma.
- Confusion.
- Disorientation.
- Forgetfulness (amnesia) and other memory problems.
- Hallucinations, seeing or hearing things that aren't there.
- Delusions.
- Incoherent or nonsensical speech.
- Slow responses to questions or stimuli.
Young adults most often present with altered mental status secondary to toxic ingestion or trauma. The elderly most commonly will present with altered mental status due to stroke, infection, drug-drug interactions, or alterations in the living environment.
- Your genes and family history.
- Your life experiences, such as stress or a history of abuse, especially if they happen in childhood.
- Biological factors such as chemical imbalances in the brain.
- A traumatic brain injury.
- A mother's exposure to viruses or toxic chemicals while pregnant.
- Antidepressants.
- Antihistamines.
- Opioid pain medicines.
- Sedatives and tranquilizers.
- Medicines for bladder control problems (anticholinergics).
The drugs that are often reported in cases of drug-induced psychosis, and are most likely to result in psychotic symptoms, include cannabis, cocaine, amphetamines, methamphetamine, psychedelic drugs such as LSD, and club drugs such as ecstasy and MDMA.
Sepsis causes mental status changes for several reasons. During a sepsis infection the entire body has an increased oxygen demand (thus tachypnea). If the patient's respiratory system cannot keep up, hypoxia develops, and the brain is one of the first organs affected.
An alteration in mental status refers to general changes in brain function, such as confusion, amnesia (memory loss), loss of alertness, disorientation (not cognizant of self, time, or place), defects in judgment or thought, unusual or strange behavior, poor regulation of emotions, and disruptions in perception, ...
Does stress decrease mental alertness?
A new study has found a link between stress and reduced cognitive function. People were 37% more likely to have lower cognitive function when they had elevated stress.
Changes in mental status can be described as delirium (acute change in arousal and content), depression (chronic change in arousal), dementia (chronic change in arousal and content), and coma (dysfunction of arousal and content) [2].
When consciousness is decreased, your ability to remain awake, aware, and oriented is impaired. Impaired consciousness can be a medical emergency.
- Feeling sad or down.
- Confused thinking or reduced ability to concentrate.
- Excessive fears or worries, or extreme feelings of guilt.
- Extreme mood changes of highs and lows.
- Withdrawal from friends and activities.
- Significant tiredness, low energy or problems sleeping.
Some of us will experience memory loss
Almost 40% of us will experience some form of memory loss after we turn 65 years old. But even if we experience memory loss, chances are still unlikely that we have dementia.
People who exercise regularly have better mental health and emotional wellbeing, and lower rates of mental illness. Exercise is important for people with mental illness – it not only boosts our mood, concentration and alertness, but improves our cardiovascular and overall physical health.
If you experience the following symptoms on a regular basis, you may be suffering from chronic stress: Anxiety, heart palpitations, lack of energy, nervousness, trouble sleeping, muscle weakness and aches, brain fog, depression, high blood pressure, lightheadedness, or unexplained sweating.
- Find the source.
- Prioritize sleep.
- Make time to relax.
- Meditate.
- Feed yourself.
- Move your body.
- Take a break.
- Make a plan.
Our diet, physical activity, choice of other activities all play a part in how sharp our minds are. With a good diet, plenty of exercise, and activities like reading, we can stay more mentally acute for longer. Poor blood circulation can cause a drop in mental acuity.
In low awareness, you simply float on a small rubber raft and let the currents push you. It's not very difficult to just drift along but you also don't have total control. Higher states of consciousness are more like traveling in a canoe. In this scenario, you have a paddle and can steer, but it requires more effort.
What disease is loss of consciousness?
Syncope is used to describe a loss of consciousness for a short period of time. It can happen when there is a sudden change in the blood flow to the brain. Syncope is usually called fainting or “passing out.”