How COVID can affect your brain health and five ways to strengthen it

Once an enigma to all, slowly and steadily, researchers have been able to answer a lot of questions related to novel coronavirus. Earlier, predominantly considered as an infection of the upper respiratory, now we know that COVID-19 can affect other parts of the body with the same intensity. Coming in contact with the virus may have long term side effects which may also affect your brain health.

Data suggests that about 1 in 7 people who have had the COVID-19 virus has developed neurological side effects like brain fog or hazy memory. While the virus doesn’t directly attack the brain cells or nerves, in severe cases can cause problems like strokes and seizures.

The sign of brain-related complications generally appears a few days after coming in contact with the virus. The severity of brain-related problems differs from person to person. Some people experience mild symptoms like memory loss, poor attention span, or fatigue, while those who have had to deal with low oxygen for prolonged periods may have more difficulties. These signs may include:

Confusion

Headaches

Depression

Inability to focus

Seizures

Stroke

Loss of smell and taste

Changes in behaviour

Loss of consciousness

Besides, there are other issues that were reported among people post-COVID. Studies carried out to understand how COVID infects the brain revealed that certain treatments related to the infectious disease in some cases may lessen the volume of gray matter in the outer layers of the brain.

Experts are yet to find out the exact reasons why COVID-19 affects our brain cells, but there are several theories that are believed to play an essential role.

Severe infection: As per researchers, in severe cases, the virus may enter the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) and cause infection. During studies, they have been able to find the virus’s genetic material in the spinal fluid.

Overactive immune system: Another reason could be an overwhelmed immune system due to COVID-19. Fighting the virus in the body may lead to inflammation which can harm the tissue and organs.

Changes in your body: Another theory suggests that physical changes in your body due to COVID-19 like high fevers, low oxygen levels, or organ failures increases the risk for brain complications. Over time, it could lead to delirium or even coma.

Just like your physical health, it is important to take care of your brain health post-COVID for overall recovery. Taking a few steps may help to reduce the effect and rebuild your neurological health. Here are five things you can do to boost your brain health:

To strengthen the muscles of our body, we perform strength training and cardio. In the same way, to strengthen the muscles of your brain, engage in some brain-stimulating activities. Studies suggest that engaging in mentally challenging activities can rewire your brain cells and improve your concentration level.

Yes, there is food that can help to enhance your brain function and expedite the process of recovery. Including leafy greens, fatty fish and berries in the diet can improve the health of blood vessels of the brain and prevent cerebrovascular disorders. Try to include brain-healthy foods in your diet as much as you can.

Practising meditation is one of the best ways to calm your mind and enhance concentration. Meditation can help to curb stress and initiate a physiologic relaxation response in the body. It can also help to reduce blood pressure, boost immunity and lower blood sugar level.

Your sleep and brain health are directly linked with each other. So, try to have a restful sleep at night. Go to bed one time and wake up on schedule. Try to stick to this routine even on weekends. A night of quality sleep can impact our day-to-day thinking, memory and mood.