If you have trouble concentrating on a regular basis, it can be a very frustrating problem to have. Concentration is a pivotal part of being an adult, as it is imperative to relationships, work, school, and most human activities. When you can’t concentrate, you will find that your mind wanders and you cannot steady your thoughts for a long period of time on whatever task is at hand.
There are many different reasons an individual may be experiencing certain cognitive function problems, including difficulty concentrating. This singular symptom can be the result of various emotional, mental, or physical issues. Of course, this may make it challenging to determine what the exact problem is. It can be done, however, when all other aspects are taken into consideration. It may take a little digging in order to come up with the answer, but it can certainly be found.
Subtle signs and symptoms can include:
When cognitive function declines, for whatever reason, one of the signs is an trouble concentrating, and forgetfulness is an early sign.
When there is a large quantity of blood flowing through the brain it generally functions quite normally. In the case that this blood flow gets reduced or compromised, the brain cells lack the proper amount of oxygen they need. Of course, if the blood flow becomes too severely compromised, it can result in a stroke. But this is not the case with Adrenal Fatigue. Oxygen and air itself is something you often take for granted. Breathing is such an automatic response and function that you often forget how vital it is to your well-being. Not only the act of breathing but what you are breathing is of vital importance. Oxygen powers every cell in your body, including your brain cells.
When the brain is thoroughly saturated in oxygen, mental clarity is at its peak. This creates a sharp mind. By the same logic, when a body lacks oxygen-rich blood flow to the brain, the mind slows down and even becomes sluggish and impaired. This can be clearly seen if you have ever been in an environment where you were trapped in close quarters with heavy smoke.
In addition to smoke being bad for the lungs, it can also cause you to have a lack of mental clarity. In order to think straight, you may need to get away from the smoky environment and get some fresh air. This allows your brain to function better. Smoke carries toxic metabolites and insufficiency of oxygen, so the body and especially the brain are crying out to get to cleaner more pure air that is abundant in oxygen. This replenishes the oxygen in the blood and cleanses it of the toxic metabolites. Toxic metabolites cause inflammation, which is a primary mechanism whereby your brain cells are damaged. Chronic inflammation is undesirable and can lead to cognitive decline.
Every organ has an important purpose in regulating different aspects of the body and enabling it to function as effectively as possible. Many of these organs are overlooked, but without them, the body can suffer substantially and health problems can ensue. The adrenal glands are in that category and they are sometimes forgotten.
The adrenal glands are primarily responsible for regulating and producing hormones. Hormones are an essential element to a healthy body and they affect a wide range of different physical functions. Hormones are responsible for controlling glucose production, protein breakdown, blood pressure, fluid retention, and more.
Stress is one of the foremost enemies of the human body, and this applies to the adrenal glands especially. This is because adrenal glands are also responsible for producing stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. When an individual becomes excessively stressed for a long period of time this often leads to Adrenal Fatigue, a state where because the adrenal glands may have depleted their normal reserve of cortisol and output is reduced.
Three primary factors, therefore, contribute to cognitive decline in advanced stages of Adrenal Fatigue:
Because cortisol is an anti-inflammatory hormone, its depletion means a body will be in an undesirable inflammatory state. Inflammation has many affects on the body and adds additional stress to it. If the body is inflamed, more energy and focus is needed to tend to that. As such less energy is devoted to your brain power. It should not come as any surprise that those with advanced Adrenal Fatigue also have cognitive issues, including memory loss, forgetfulness, trouble concentrating, and brain fog.
In addition to the toxic inflammatory state that can contribute to the cognitive decline, adrenal weakness also causes the body to slow down metabolically. Slow metabolism means unwanted toxin accumulation as well as slowed blood circulation. Blood flow to the brain is compromised, and thus oxygen delivery to the brain is diminished as well. Those in adrenal fatigue often have lowered blood pressure as well, and may suffer from low water content in the body. This can mean less blood flow to the brain as well. Over time, this can affect mental clarity, leading to cognitive decline, mental impairment, and brain fog. All of these symptoms are extremely common among those who are experiencing Adrenal Fatigue.
Many times, you will experience great difficulty whenever you are around specific chemicals or fluids. The most problematic tend to be petroleum byproducts and gasoline. Hair products like hairspray or shampoo could also trigger these issues. These products enter your bloodstream, through the skin and air, and toxify your blood. Even certain foods can make your blood more toxic. When the toxic blood makes its way to the brain, trouble concentrating may arise. This can be very frustrating and confusing especially if the core problem is not identified. Something as simple as walking into a salon or filling the car up with gasoline could trigger thought problems.
If you have already been to the doctor for these issues but found nothing wrong physically, and you have a normal brain, then Adrenal Fatigue could possibly be responsible. This is especially true if you have also experienced a great amount of physical or mental stress over the course of a long period. It would appear that Adrenal Fatigue is at least a possibility. It isn't a certainty until an individual gets tested but all of these symptoms align with the clinical image of Adrenal Fatigue.
Since trouble concentrating results from a decreased level of oxygen in your bloodstream as well as a buildup of toxins, the resolution is then simple. Increase oxygen and decrease toxins.
Increasing oxygen levels in your blood mean not only bettering the quality of the air you breathe but also learning proper breathing technique and maximizing each breath. Sit up and stand straight to maximize each breath that you take. Exercise to increase your lung capacity for oxygen and improve your blood flow.
Decreasing toxins is a little trickier, especially in those with Adrenal Fatigue. A normal person can go through a detoxifying protocol and feel cleaner, lighter, and better afterward. This cannot be the same for Adrenal Fatigue sufferers. Detoxification can be stressful on the body, and in the setting of Adrenal Fatigue, any increase in stress on the body has the potential to cause it to crash. One must then be cautious when detoxifying and should only do so under the proper guidance of a professional. Improper detoxification is one of the most common causes of retarded adrenal recovery and recurrent crashes. Gentle ways to start detoxifying your body include vegetable juicing and supplementation with nutrients and herbs such as glutathione, milk thistle, and dandelion root.
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