A simple way to understand brain fog
Imagine waking up after what seemed like a full night’s sleep, but instead of feeling refreshed, you feel tired and mentally unclear.
As the day begins, small things become difficult. You may forget where you placed your keys or struggle to recall names. Tasks that were once simple can feel overwhelming, and you may find yourself reading the same paragraph several times without taking it in.
During conversations or meetings, your mind may drift. It becomes harder to stay focused, and your thoughts can feel scattered. By the end of the day, you feel mentally exhausted, yet still find it difficult to relax or sleep.
For some people, brain fog feels more like low energy and mental heaviness than forgetfulness.
This is often described as brain fog.
What is brain fog?
Brain fog is not a medical diagnosis, but a commonly used term that describes symptoms such as:
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Difficulty concentrating
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Forgetfulness
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Mental fatigue
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Feeling “cloudy” or mentally slow
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Poor focus
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Low energy
Brain fog can have many possible causes, including poor sleep, stress, anxiety, menopause, chronic pain, certain medical conditions, medications, and recovery from illness. If symptoms are persistent, worsening, or affecting daily life, it is important to discuss them with your GP.
Common approaches to managing brain fog
Several evidence-based strategies may help improve mental clarity.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
CBT may help reduce stress and address unhelpful thinking patterns that can contribute to mental fatigue.
Exercise
Regular physical activity, particularly aerobic exercise, has been shown to support cognitive function and overall brain health (Smith et al., 2010).
Sleep
Good sleep habits, such as maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, reducing screen time before bed, and creating a comfortable sleep environment, may improve daytime mental function.
How Chinese Medicine views brain fog
In Chinese Medicine, brain fog is usually viewed as a sign of underlying imbalance rather than a condition itself. Treatment is based on identifying each person’s individual pattern.
Common patterns may include:
Qi Deficiency
Low energy, fatigue and poor concentration, often associated with overwork or inadequate recovery.
Blood Stasis
Reduced circulation that may contribute to headaches or a feeling of mental dullness.
Phlegm-Dampness
A sensation of heaviness, sluggish thinking and difficulty concentrating.
Liver Qi Stagnation
Often associated with stress, frustration, emotional tension and reduced mental clarity.
Heart and Spleen Deficiency
May be associated with poor memory, reduced concentration and fatigue.
Kidney Deficiency
In Chinese Medicine, this pattern may be associated with long-term depletion affecting memory and concentration.
A simple framework: the Eight Principles
Chinese Medicine commonly uses the Eight Principles to understand patterns of imbalance:
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Deficiency or Excess
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Heat or Cold
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Interior or Exterior
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Yin or Yang
Many people with brain fog may present with a combination of these patterns rather than just one.
Where acupuncture may fit in
Acupuncture is used in Chinese Medicine to support the body’s natural balance.
Research has investigated acupuncture for conditions that may be associated with reduced mental clarity, including anxiety, sleep problems and mild cognitive impairment.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of acupuncture for mild cognitive impairment found that some studies reported improvements in cognitive test scores. However, the authors concluded that the overall certainty of the evidence remains low because many of the included studies had methodological limitations (Yin et al., 2023).
Research has also shown that acupuncture may help reduce anxiety in some situations (Karst et al., 2007). Since anxiety, stress and poor sleep can contribute to brain fog, improving these factors may indirectly support mental wellbeing for some people.
At present, there is no high-quality evidence showing that acupuncture directly treats brain fog itself.
Acupuncture is best considered as one part of a broader management plan alongside appropriate medical assessment, healthy sleep habits, regular exercise and stress management.
Commonly used acupuncture points
Every treatment is individualised following a consultation. Depending on the underlying pattern, commonly used acupuncture points may include:
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Baihui (DU-20) – traditionally used to support mental clarity.
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YinTang – commonly used to promote relaxation.
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Neiguan (PC-6) – often selected to help calm the mind.
References
Karst, M., Winterhalter, M., Münte, S., Francki, B., Hondronikos, A., Eckardt, A., Hoy, L., Buhck, H., Bernateck, M., & Fink, M. (2007). Auricular acupuncture for dental anxiety: A randomised controlled trial. Anesthesia & Analgesia, 104(2), 295–300. https://doi.org/10.1213/01.ane.0000242531.12722.fd
Smith, P. J., Blumenthal, J. A., Hoffman, B. M., Cooper, H., Strauman, T. A., Welsh-Bohmer, K., Browndyke, J. N., & Sherwood, A. (2010). Aerobic exercise and neurocognitive performance: A meta-analytic review of randomised controlled trials. Psychosomatic Medicine, 72(3), 239–252. https://doi.org/10.1097/PSY.0b013e3181d14633
Yin, Z., Liu, X., Li, Y., et al. (2023). Acupuncture for mild cognitive impairment: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Neurology, 13, 1091125. https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2022.1091125