Memory Problems & Brain Fog in Adults: Causes and Solutions

October 21, 2025

Authored by: Louise Hartnett, B.A.

Edited by: Jemma Strain, B.S. Psychology

“Brain fog” is a broad term that describes many adult cognitive health problems. Struggling with memory or concentration, or finding it hard to think clearly, can be incredibly disruptive to normal life.

These symptoms can get in the way of work, school, and relationships. Plus, they can cause a great deal of worry among those who experience them (and their loved ones). Those with cognitive problems may fear that their symptoms are a permanent change or that they will get progressively worse.

Though there are many potential causes of memory problems and brain fog, this article will focus on the intersection of mental health and memory. We’ll discuss how things like stress and anxiety can impact cognitive health and the ways this can be treated.

We’ll explore the therapy and lifestyle factors that can target cognitive symptoms, providing you with actionable advice for alleviating brain fog and memory problems. We will cover:

What memory problems and brain fog are, and how they manifest in daily life
The different causes of memory problems, including physical and mental health
How you can treat poor memory and brain fog with therapy and lifestyle changes

Memory Problems and Brain Fog

Someone may feel they’re having memory problems if they struggle to take in, hold onto, or recall information. They may have difficulty turning experiences into lasting memories, have trouble keeping track of small bits of information in the moment, or forget things they previously remembered.¹

While “brain fog” does describe forgetfulness, it’s also used by people who are experiencing:²

Difficulties concentrating
Dissociation
Head fuzziness or pressure
Fatigue
Thinking slowness
Communication difficulties

It’s the feeling that you cannot think, remember, or concentrate as well as you used to.⁷

It’s important to note that forgetting things is a normal process that’s essential for functioning memory. We can’t remember everything. Sometimes our brains will decide certain things aren’t important enough to remember. Or, the event may not have been emotionally relevant. Forgetting is also a crucial part of healing from negative experiences. Without forgetting, we would vividly remember painful experiences, perhaps preventing us from recovering from them.¹²

While some memory loss is normal, you are the best judge of what’s ‘normal’ for you. You may recognize, in the next section, some of the ways memory problems are impacting your daily life.

Impacts of Memory Problems

Memory problems may show up in symptoms like:

Forgetting where personal items are
Struggling to remember important dates
Asking the same questions a few times
Having trouble with words, such as their meaning or spelling

Brain fog and memory problems in adults are known as cognitive symptoms. Cognition is the mental action behind things like memory, attention, knowledge, planning, reasoning, and decision-making, among many other things. Those experiencing memory problems may also experience things like indecisiveness, disorientation, and concentration problems, because cognitive symptoms often co-occur.³

This may mean people experience difficulty with planning and organizing tasks, navigating outdoors, and making decisions in daily life.

It’s also important to note that although brain fog is not a mental health issue, it can be a symptom of common mental health issues and actually cause second-hand health anxiety.⁷ Furthermore, changes in mental health can increase the risk of experiencing brain fog, alongside other symptoms.⁶

There are both lifestyle factors and health conditions that can cause memory problems. We’ll now delve more into these risk factors and possible causes.

Causes of Memory Problems and Brain Fog

There are many potential causes of memory problems, varying in seriousness. On one hand, brain fog is a normal result of cognitive decline, integral to the ageing process. Fogginess occurs because the neurons in our brain slow down, slowing our brain functions as a result.⁷

When ageing is not the cause, brain fog can be an effect of things like poor nutrition, poor sleep, or certain drugs and medications.⁴ However, it can also be a symptom of over a dozen chronic illnesses, including:⁵

Mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and dissociation
Sleep-related disorders (whether that’s sleeping too much or too little)
Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS)
Menopause
Hypothyroidism (having an underactive thyroid)
Traumatic brain injuries
Cancer and chemotherapy
Chronic pain
Lupus
Fibromyalgia
Cognitive disengagement syndrome (CDS)
COVID-19

If you feel curious that you may be being affected by one of these causes of brain fog, it’s a good idea to speak to your healthcare provider. They’ll be able to assess your symptoms, determine whether there’s a physical health concern, and direct you to the necessary treatment.

We’ll now explore the mental health factors that can contribute to poor memory and brain fog.

Mental Health and Memory

Some experts suggest that brain fog is caused by neuroinflammation (inflammation in the brain). Even low levels of neuroinflammation can be detrimental to the mind and body if it persists long-term.⁴ Inflammation in the brain is found to be caused by stress, which can then contribute to the development of multiple mental health disorders.⁹

Memory and anxiety may also be linked through hormones. Chronic stress and anxiety impact the brain by flooding it with the stress hormone, cortisol. Over time, this can impact the parts of the brain that are responsible for storing and recalling information.¹⁰

Things like anxiety, low mood, and fatigue may also make brain fog worse by making it harder for us to feel motivated and able to concentrate.⁸ In addition, depression, stress, and anxiety can cause us to be preoccupied with negative thoughts that keep us from focusing and being present.¹⁰

Furthermore, people may experience inconsistencies in their memory surrounding traumatic events. Though incomplete memories of trauma can still be reliable, intense stress may prevent us from remembering crucial details.¹³

Finally, brain fogginess may also be caused by certain medications. So, if you’re taking a prescription for your mental health (or any other health issue), it may be worth asking your doctor about side effects.¹⁰

How Are Memory Problems and Brain Fog Treated?

Though there isn’t a particular dedicated brain fog treatment, you may discover memory loss solutions in psychotherapy and certain lifestyle changes. We’ll now explore each of the different ways of improving adult memory.

Therapy for Brain Fog

Across the many potential causes, counseling is an important aspect of treating cognitive impairments.³ Counseling may be humanistic, psychodynamic, or cognitive-behavioral, though there are many other approaches to therapy.

Therapy for brain fog will be ideal if you feel your cognitive symptoms are due to a mental health concern. If you’ve noticed you’re also experiencing anxiety, low mood, mood swings, irritability, or excessive feelings of guilt or shame, you may benefit a great deal from counseling.

While therapy cannot cure something like brain fog straight away, it will enable you to reflect on the aspects of your life that may be contributing to your higher stress levels. Then, you can work with the therapist to make necessary changes and process any underlying emotions in order to live more peacefully.

Some people feel overwhelmed by the wide range of therapy types available. When it comes to choosing a treatment approach, a good rule of thumb is to find one that resonates with you and your lifestyle. However, the most important thing is that you feel comfortable with your therapist and form a secure relationship with them. So, if you prioritize this, the rest will likely fall into place.

Lifestyle Changes

Stress-related memory issues can be alleviated by making a few lifestyle changes. Research finds the following factors to be helpful:^3,7,8

Getting between 8 and 9 hours of sleep per night
Reducing your intake of caffeine and alcohol
Being aware of your limits and how much stress you can really take on
Regularly exercising
Engaging your brain with activities like puzzles and chess
Using relaxation techniques, such as progressive muscle relaxation
Calming stress with mindfulness and grounding techniques

As well as these lifestyle factors, it’s also worth looking at how your diet may be influencing stress levels inside your body.

There’s some evidence to suggest that the Mediterranean diet may improve cognitive function. The Mediterranean diet emphasises fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, and olive oil. It does include fish, poultry, and low-fat dairy in moderation, but is mostly plant-based. Low in highly processed and refined foods, the Mediterranean diet has many health benefits, including those for brain and cognitive health.³

There are also vitamins and minerals for cognitive health, which can be an enhancing addition to a healthy diet. In particular, B vitamins, and vitamins C, E, D, and K are essential for cognitive function. There are also antioxidants, omega-3, and minerals such as iron, magnesium, selenium, zinc, and copper, which are integral to maintaining cognitive health.¹¹

It’s worth investigating how much of these your diet is providing, asking your doctor about deficiencies, and taking supplements if needed.

Mission Connection: Get Support for Cognitive Symptoms Today

Cognitive symptoms like memory problems and brain fog are linked to mental health in complex ways. However, psychological stress is a well-established factor influencing our memory.¹³

If you’ve been experiencing cognitive symptoms and would like to receive mental health support, reach out to us here at Mission Connection. We treat a wide range of mental health conditions, including things like anxiety, depression, PTSD, and OCD. In addition, we also treat those with sleep problems and physical symptoms of stress.

Enquire today, or explore what your treatment may involve by checking out our facilities or completing a self-test.

References

Cascella, M., & Al Khalili, Y. (2024). Short-Term Memory Impairment. PubMed; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK545136/
McWhirter, L., Smyth, H., Hoeritzauer, I., Couturier, A., Stone, J., & Carson, A. J. (2022). What is brain fog? Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, 94(4). https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp-2022-329683
Dhakal, A., & Bobrin, B. D. (2023). Cognitive Deficits. PubMed; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK559052/
Kverno, K. (2021). Brain Fog: A Bit of Clarity Regarding Etiology, Prognosis, and Treatment. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 59(11), 9–13. https://doi.org/10.3928/02793695-20211013-01
Denno, P., Zhao, S., Husain, M., & Hampshire, A. (2025). Defining brain fog across medical conditions. Trends in Neurosciences. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tins.2025.01.003
Dass, R., Kalia, M., Harris, J., & Packham, T. (2023). Understanding the Experience and Impacts of Brain Fog in Chronic Pain: A Scoping Review. Canadian Journal of Pain = Revue Canadienne de La Douleur, 7(1), 2217865. https://doi.org/10.1080/24740527.2023.2217865
MQ Mental Health Research. (n.d.). Cognitive Decline/Brain Fog. https://www.mqmentalhealth.org/conditions/cognitive-decline-brain-fog/
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. (2021). Understanding and Managing Brain Fog: for Young People Living with Fatigue Conditions. https://www.uclh.nhs.uk/patients-and-visitors/patient-information-pages/understanding-and-managing-brain-fog
Calcia, M. A., Bonsall, D. R., Bloomfield, P. S., Selvaraj, S., Barichello, T., & Howes, O. D. (2016). Stress and neuroinflammation: a systematic review of the effects of stress on microglia and the implications for mental illness. Psychopharmacology, 233(9), 1637–1650. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-016-4218-9
Solan, M. (2025). Clearing up a foggy memory. https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/clearing-up-a-foggy-memory
Fekete, M., Lehoczki, A., Tarantini, S., Fazekas-Pongor, V., Csípő, T., Csizmadia, Z., & Varga, J. T. (2023). Improving Cognitive Function with Nutritional Supplements in Aging: A Comprehensive Narrative Review of Clinical Studies Investigating the Effects of Vitamins, Minerals, Antioxidants, and Other Dietary Supplements. Nutrients, 15(24), 5116. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15245116
Psychology Today. (2025). 10 Myths About Memory. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/defining-memories/202412/10-myths-about-memory
Psychology Today United Kingdom. (n.d.). Memory and Mental Health. https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/basics/memory/memory-and-mental-health