Are you feeling more forgetful than usual? Mind wandering lots? Just feeling kind of meh?

First of all, it’s not just you. Second of all, it’s not you, it’s likely pandemic stress.

In a previous post I wrote about the brain’s response to a perceived threat, which, for the record, can be a thought, not just the things you see or hear outside your brain (i.e., in the news). The long and the short of it is that the more the brain perceives threats (real or imagined), the more it responds with stress, and the more cortisol (i.e., the stress hormone) gets released. At some point, this manifests as brain burnout.

 “It’s just all too much.” If I had a dollar for every time I’ve said that over the past year…

I say that because, well, it is. Pandemic stress, the chronic stress induced and maintained by the pandemic, is causing brain burnout. At some point, the stress becomes too much to handle. That one news story, or fight with a loved one, or the grocery store running out of flour (again!) has the potential to be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. Humans aren’t meant to handle this kind of chronic stress. When it doesn’t let up (like in a year-long pandemic, for example), the body and brain take a hit.

One part of the brain that gets hit is the hippocampus, the part that’s responsible for learning and memory. Strengthening of synapses (i.e., brain wiring), which is associated with learning and memory formation, is greatly impaired after chronic stress (Krugers et al., 2010). In other words, the wiring is sparking and smoking. So, feeling “fuzzy” (not the cute, cuddling type) or having a hard time committing something to memory these days is likely due to stress overload. Furthermore, prolonged stress can cause some changes in the amygdala, the part of the brain that drives the fight or flight response. These cellular changes can promote anxiety (Roozendall et al., 2009). Thus, it makes a lot of sense that so many people are feeling anxious since the pandemic hit. Case in point—you’re not alone.

As if it already hasn’t been overstated, these are difficult times. The body and brain were not equipped to positively adapt to this chronic stress. Instead, we lose focus, motivation, and memory as the stress piles up and lingers. It’s okay to feel fuzzy and unmotivated right now. In fact, it’s okay to feel those things any time because even in the best of times, life can still be a lot. But since we are in—dare I say it—unprecedented times, if you’re feeling these things more than usual or for the first time, you are most certainly not alone. And certainly very human. Take it from me, not only as a public health professional, but also as a plain old person.

I was inspired to write this article from feeling super fuzzy myself the past few months. I had to get a paper calendar to keep at my desk because I was crying over how forgetful I was (did I mention emotions are on high these days too?), and apparently I couldn’t even remember to check my phone calendar. I have a hard time keeping track of the days and sometimes what happened the day before can feel like 5 days ago, or maybe I dreamt it? It’s just weird. At one point I stared at the grocery list on my fridge and “wraps” jumped out at me…did I write that? When? I don’t remember doing that. I wracked my brain for two days until I recalled the moment I wrote it, as if it really mattered. But it’s the principle, right? I can remember things, I swear. But I just can’t. At least not at the capacity pre-pandemic. And yeah, there’s a lot of wandering and anxiety happening up there. It’s just all a little muddled. Fuzzy wuzzy was a brain…

So if you’re feeling a little fuzzy or have a wandering mind, fear not. It’s only natural for the amount of stress humans are being put under during the pandemic. The good news is the brain can recover! Research shows that many of the stress-induced structural changes are temporary and disappear after recovery (i.e., after stress lessens) (Pham et al., 2003; Heine et al., 2004).

Until we get a good handle on this virus, stress is likely to persist. Of course there are mitigation and coping strategies for stress, but the point I’m trying to make is to not beat yourself up for being forgetful or just “meh.” Even if you’re lying around on the couch, resting, your brain is not—it is still processing, and the impact of the pandemic sure gives it a lot to process.

Go easy on yourself. Don’t be me and internally yell at yourself for not being able to remember when you wrote “wraps” on the grocery list. So what, big deal. Got bigger fish to fry! Like self-care, especially on the days that just feel “too much.” As for the memory thing, I can highly recommend a paper calendar for keeping track of things, let alone the days! I also use sticky notes like soap, and if that analogy is lost on you, then you should be using more soap…or sticky notes.

As for self-care, here is a list of stress coping exercises to keep riding the wave:

1. Go for a walk, look up, notice something in the environment.
2. Do expressive writing: write about your thoughts and feelings from past or current stress. Remember, though, thoughts and feelings are not facts. All will be well.
3. Paint, draw, color—scribbles count. 😉
4. Try a mindfulness practice. Mine is very simple: every now and then I take note of 5 things I see, 4 things I hear, 3 things I touch, 2 things I smell, 1 thing I taste.
5. Bake or cook something—something that requires your attention (i.e., toast doesn’t count!).
6. Set aside “worry time.” Literally prescribe yourself time to worry. For example, “15 minutes every evening before dinner, I will worry.” This is a time to let your mind run with your worries. When worry time is up, move on.
7. Do some sort of exercise: jog, lift weights (makeshift weights like jugs of water count), do yoga, dance, jump rope, etc.

Above all, practice self-compassion. You’re doing okay, it’s just really hard right now. And our brains can’t always deal!

Solidarity, forgetful, mind-wandering human. It’s not you, it’s pandemic stress.

References

Heine, V. M., Maslam, S., Zareno, J., Joëls, M., and Lucassen, P. J. (2004a). Suppressed proliferation and apoptotic changes in the rat dentate gyrus after acute and chronic stress are reversible. Eur. J. Neurosci. 19, 131–144.

Krugers, H. J., Lucassen, P. J., Karst, H., & Joëls, M. (2010). Chronic stress effects on hippocampal structure and synaptic function: relevance for depression and normalization by anti-glucocorticoid treatment. Frontiers in synaptic neuroscience, 2, 24. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnsyn.2010.00024

Pham, K., Nacher, J., Hof, P. R., and McEwen, B. S. (2003). Repeated restraint stress suppresses neurogenesis and induces biphasic PSA-NCAM expression in the adult rat dentate gyrus. Eur. J. Neurosci. 17, 879–886.

Roozendaal B., McEwen B. S., Chattarji S. (2009). Stress, memory and the amygdala. Nat. Rev. Neurosci. 10, 423–43310.1038/nrn2651