Brain fog: coping strategies for menopause and long-COVID

Top tips for nurses on coping with debilitating brain fog when you need a clear head for work, including advice on sleep, stress reduction and pacing yourself

• Brain fog can make it difficult to concentrate and make decisions, and it can leave people mentally exhausted
• There are many causes of brain fog, two of the most common being the hormonal fluctuations of perimenopause and long-COVID
• Advice on coping with brain fog, signposting for support and a case study of a nurse who eased her symptoms by wild swimming

‘Brain fog’ is not a medical term but describes a range of symptoms including poor concentration, feeling confused, thinking more slowly than usual, fuzzy thoughts, forgetfulness,