September 03, 2026
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Brain fog differs from dementia in that it doesn't cause damage to the brain or get progressively worse. It tends to come and go, and doesn't interfere with daily activities.
The other morning, I was sitting on my porch drinking coffee when I realized I needed something from inside. I walked into the kitchen and wondered what the purpose of my errand was for a few too many beats.
Then I remembered that I had come in to fetch my morning prunes, a testament to having ripened to a certain age and experiencing the forgetfulness that often comes with it.
Over the past couple of years, I have been having more and more of what used to be called "senior moments" and what is now often referred to as brain fog. The Cleveland Clinic notes that brain fog involves a constellation of symptoms that cause cognitive impairment, including having trouble concentrating, thinking clearly, remembering things and paying attention.
My brain fog manifests as fuzzy thinking or struggling to string together words when I'm writing a story. My colleagues can attest to the fact that I frequently start what I think is going to be an amusing anecdote and then forget midway through exactly where it was going.
What I have found peculiar, too, is that my brain fog mostly impacts my short-term recall, while my long-term memory seems fairly unaffected.
I can remember all the words to Barry Manilow's "I Can't Smile Without You," which my older sister and cousins recorded me singing when I was 4, but I can't say what I got up to last weekend, except for several long naps. I can remember buying my first cassette tape, Billy Joel's "52nd Street," at Tower Records in 1978, but not what I binged last night on Netflix, though it probably was about serial killers.
The good news is that brain fog differs from dementia in that it doesn't cause damage to the brain or get progressively worse. Brain fog tends to come and go. Usually, it doesn't interfere with essential daily activities, although it may be worse on some days than others.
A number of factors can contribute to brain fog including hormonal changes during pregnancy and menopause, anxiety and depression, stress, lack of sleep, long COVID-19, diabetes, autoimmune conditions – even side effects of certain medications.
Brain fog related to declining estrogen levels in menopausal women usually improves over time. Consulting with a health care provider about hormone replacement therapy may help.
Brain fog resulting from a medication side effect tends to go away when the drug is discontinued. Increasing physical activity, improving diet, avoiding alcohol and nicotine and getting sufficient sleep also can help.
But distinguishing between brain fog and dementia can be difficult, especially for women, who make up nearly two-thirds of Americans with Alzheimer's disease. An estimated 7 million people 65 and older in the United States are living with Alzheimer's – and that number is projected to double to 14 million by 2060.
Blood tests are becoming available to help with the early detection of Alzheimer's. The tests check for the presence of certain proteins that correlate to amyloid plaques in the brain that are signs of the disease. The hope is that these tests will help with the prevention of Alzheimer's, which currently has no cure.
The Food and Drug Administration has approved the tests for people who are 55 and older, who have more than normal forgetfulness. The Cleveland Clinic recommends that people over 40 who are worried about cognitive changes should consult with a medical provider.
