Six in 10 people in the UK suffer from daily brain fog since the Covid pandemic, according to a new report

If you find yourself losing your train of thought more often than you used to, it turns out you’re not alone—and the reason may not be age-related.

A report shows that six in ten British adults now experience brain fog on a daily basis: a slang term used to describe a range of symptoms including poor concentration, confusion, slower thinking and general “fuzzy” thoughts.

The report also cites the Covid pandemic as a key factor.

The report, commissioned by nutritional supplement company FutureYou Cambridge, found that high levels of stress, depression and anxiety caused up to 36 million people to suffer from forgetfulness and poor concentration. More than half of Britons said their memory had deteriorated in the past two years, and 61 per cent said they lost their train of thought up to 10 times a day.

DR. Miriam Ferrer, Molecular Biologist at FutureYou, said: “We have all been subjected to high levels of stress in recent years due to the Covid pandemic. We were worried about our health and the health of our family and friends, as well as job insecurity – and now we are seeing the consequences.

“Stress increases the hormone cortisol, and studies show that elevated cortisol levels over a long period of time can be associated with poorer overall cognitive function.”

She added: “Prolonged release of cortisol can also lead to brain fog, as it can affect brain regions important for cognition. [the mental processes used to acquire knowledge and understanding].’

The psychiatrist dr. Luca Sforzini, from King’s College London’s Department of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, said “chronic stress leads to higher than normal cortisol levels” and the effects on memory can be “invasive and damaging”. He also said “executive functions” such as the ability to focus and plan ahead can also be impaired.

The pandemic has certainly taken a toll on many people’s lives, Dr. Sforzini added. However, he emphasized that not everyone reacts to the same stress in the same way.

During the pandemic, the Center for Mental Health charity estimated that up to ten million Britons may need mental health care in the aftermath.

During the pandemic, the Center for Mental Health charity estimated that up to ten million Britons may need mental health care in the aftermath. [File image]

This was supported by a government report on mental health and wellbeing last April, which found that older people who were advised to protect themselves were more likely to be depressed and anxious than others of a similar age who were not.

The same report found that the prevalence of “clinically significant” depressive symptoms nearly doubled from 12.5 percent before the pandemic to 22.6 percent in the summer of 2020. By the end of the fall, it had risen further to 28.5 percent.

Dr. Ferrer advised that people should eat a healthy diet, drink less alcohol and get enough sleep to boost memory and cognition.