Exercises for the brain when “brain fog” after Covid-19

03/30/2022 09:18 GMT+7

Can’t concentrate like before

Ms. Nguyen Thanh Phuong (Bac Tu Liem, Hanoi) said that she recovered from Covid-19 at the end of February 2022, but then she felt that she could not focus on work.

When working, she can’t even remember and forget like before. Two weeks ago, Phuong completely forgot that her son had to give his son a test for the midterm exam. In the morning, she still went to work as usual. At noon, she called her daughter, but she didn’t submit her homework before she remembered to go home.

Last weekend was her husband’s birthday, but Phuong did not remember. In the afternoon, after work, she still went out to eat with friends as usual. At 8 p.m., when she saw the message, she saw a notice in the family group of her husband’s birthday, and Phuong woke up, after Covid-19 she forgot her husband’s birthday.

Not only Ms. Phuong, Ms. Pham Xuan Ha (21 years old, living in Hanoi) also finds herself lacking in concentration. Ms. Ha said that after contracting Covid-19 she did not focus on studying. In particular, when reading a book, her eyes look at the words, but her mind does not focus on the book, after reading it, she does not remember what she just read. Ha is worried about brain fog sequelae. Sit and learn to talk but never enter your mind, at the end of the class, you don’t remember what you learned?

At the psychological clinic, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Dr. Lam Hieu Minh, the psychology unit – the medical examination department of this hospital said that there are many young people, high school students, university students, and so on. People who go to work, especially women, fall into a state of remembering and forgetting to go to a psychological examination.

Dr. Minh said that they all have common symptoms of being unable to concentrate and remember school and work. If in the past, patients were able to concentrate intensely listening to lectures or reading books, and now they could concentrate at work, the numbers would only bounce on the books and the screen could not enter their memory.

The phenomenon of forgetting, difficulty concentrating after recovering from Covid-19. Illustrated photo.

According to Dr. Minh, these are the effects during the isolation period because of Covid-19 there are people who are too worried. To distinguish between remembering and forgetting due to post-Covid-19 neurological sequelae, the patient must have passed 3 months since contracting Covid-19. As for the patient in a few weeks of remembering and forgetting, it is mainly due to psychology, changes in activities or the patient’s insomnia. Patients just need to have a schedule of eating, eating, sleeping on time, and exercising will gradually improve.

Exercises for memory

Dr. Nguyen Xuan Thy – University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City said that with the signs of remembering and forgetting after contracting Covid-19, the patient also did not have any medicine to treat.

The main method for patients is to rebuild a normal circadian rhythm such as eating and sleeping on time, not staying up late, exercising and doing sports daily to enhance metabolism to help eat better and sleep better. Mental health also improves. Regular exercise for 30 minutes a day also helps prevent stress and diseases that cause memory loss.

In addition, the patient can perform exercises for the brain. Dr. Thy said that patients should choose exercises for memory such as playing chess, checkers, playing cards, learning English, painting, playing musical instruments… Women can knit, arrange flowers to increase brain exercise.

Avoid stress because when stressed, the brain will release a lot of anti-stress substances, these substances too much can cause brain damage. Prolonged stress can cause anxiety and depression, a condition that often causes memory loss.

When you’re stressed, practice deep breathing and relaxation. If stress persists, simplify your life, rearrange your work, set specific and reasonable goals for each day, even cut back on work.

The working schedule must be reduced, 45-50 minutes should be rested for about 5-10 minutes, should not work continuously for several hours like when not sick.

Every day, people try to maintain. the diet must be on time, at the right time, drink enough water, not to lack water. Some foods are good for the mind such as nuts, fruits, green vegetables… people should also pay attention.

‘For people with severe Covid-19 or the elderly, if after recovering from Covid-19 they fall into a state of remembering and forgetting, they need to have their health checked to assess whether they have dementia by neurologists. ‘ – Doctor Minh recommended.

Khanh Chi