Lack of quality sleep can impact brain fog and increased brain fog can impact confidence.

Brain fog encompasses everything from memory to inability to process directions.

At the height of my brain fog and cognitive challenges I was struggling to follow a 12 stitch repeat knitting pattern. For the non-knitter that means a series of 12 stitches repeated over and over creates the visual pattern in the fabric. I like to knit lace, so that may mean holes intentionally placed within the fabric to create a visual effect. I would put stitch markers every 12 stitches so  if I got to the 12th stitch and I was off pattern I knew before I was 100 stitches away with no clue where I made the mistake. I still could not stay on pattern. I actually stopped knitting for about 6 months.

The challenge with brain fog is that we are not always present to why we are struggling. It is just extremely frustrating. Sometimes, depending on your circumstance it can be frustrating for those around us as well. So we need to take steps to put strategies in place to set us up for success, even with lingering side effects from treatment.

Improved quality of sleep is one of those areas where we can take action. I mentioned my sleep struggle post surgery to a friend recently and she told me about the Calm app. Now I knew about the app, but I did not know that there are sleep masks with bluetooth in them where you can listen to a sleep story and not impact your partner. The mask also blocks out any light in the room, something I was not bothered by before, yet has been more of an issue. I have found some success with my new sleep mask and sleep stories put me to sleep quickly and help me get back to sleep if I wake up in the night. Boosting my sleep scores and my body battery charge and my mental functioning.

Do you have a great sleep or brain fog strategy that has helped you?

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