"For the past year, we have had to change the way we do many things, which can lead to feeling unsettled, overwhelmed and confused." "When stress and worry are high, the emotional center of our brain becomes activated, which interferes with our ability to think clearly and logically, and function effectively," she says. It may be hard to focus, initiate action and make good decisions. Paying attention, problem-solving, organizing and completing daily tasks may feel challenging, effortful and difficult. Bryan reports another unfortunate side effect of the pandemic is brain fog, where people may experience mental slowing or fatigue, trouble thinking and cognitive inefficiency.
Cause people to spend more time in their homes than usual, which at first might have been enjoyable, but after a year, may feel boring, uninspiring and lonely.Īdditionally, Dr. Bring about disruptions in daily routine, changes in diet and nutrition, and a more sedentary lifestyle, which can lead to physical health problems and sleep disturbances. Substance use and addiction, as people try to find ways to cope with such issues. Bryan says that the persistent stress, fear and isolation paired with restrictions related to the pandemic can:ĭepression, rates of which have risen since the start of the pandemic. While moderate, manageable amounts of stress can activate thinking and action - and actually be protective - prolonged high stress can negatively affect our functioning and overall health and well-being.ĭr. Stress, both natural reactions to a crisis. Bryan, being in a prolonged state of fear and uncertainty causes We have been in uncharted waters, not knowing what this virus was going to do, how best to protect ourselves and our loved ones, how others would respond, and how long this would last."īrain fog and other effects of pandemic stressĪccording to Dr. "This pandemic has affected most, if not all, areas of people's lives, and led to changes in how we work, socialize and get our basic needs met. Mary Beth Bryan, a clinical psychologist with "In the past year, we have faced an enormous amount of stress and anxiety in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency," says Dr. 
Why? It's because many of us are experiencing pandemic brain fog and, despite common worries, it has nothing to do with aging, dementia, or physical or mental illness. Adults everywhere are finding they can't remember the name of something they're looking for, recall why they walked into a room, or start and finish a task in the same time frame they used to. However, these days, it's not just toddlers who are at a loss for the correct names of items they encounter. Follow any of the famously funny parent bloggers on social media and you'll learn some of their cute toddlers call donuts "cake bagels," name escalators "robot stairs" and refer to a head of lettuce as a "salad ball."
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