Fluctuations in Cognitive Ability...Factors?

**Femmebott** · 12-25-2011, 05:05 PM

I have been "suffering" from a strange phenomenon for a few years now, and its really starting to cause me significant frustration and distress. Over the course of a few days, my ability to decipher text and think critically begins to degrade, gradually. It will start with me trying to get through a few chapters of a book, then I will feel mentally exhausted, and find something else to do. Over time I struggle to get through pages, paragraphs, until I throw the book aside out of frustration.

I literally feel like my brain is tired. Is there such a thing as "reading too much"? Do our brains need rest?

I take a multivitamin and intermittently, mucuna pruriens supplements.

I still get fatigue-like headaches and mental fog. My body also feels physically fatigued. I am irritable, warm, and my patience is very, very thin.

Are dietary factors the culprit? Lack of sufficient physical activity? ADHD? I have bipolar disorder but have been stable for almost a year.

**Vulture** · 12-25-2011, 05:25 PM

could be any number of things. only adding here that an infection is not on your list of possibilities.

**Femmebott** · 12-25-2011, 06:30 PM

What kind of infection?

**Polymath20** · 12-27-2011, 06:10 AM

I had that fog thing when I was on the interwebs for hours on end learning as much as I could. Yes your brain needs rest. it needs to process and chew through everything you're reading. Exercise helps blood/oxygen flow to the brain so that will give it a little extra horsepower to process stuff.

**Chazzaroo** · 12-30-2011, 06:52 PM

If you are actually sick, getting it diagnosed is a hit-or-miss proposition. I suggest exploiting nonmedical solutions like diet, exercise, hydration, and not getting too freaked out just because you now notice something you didn't used to.

**lalalandscape** · 01-03-2012, 07:12 PM

Yeah, I actually get this quite a bit myself. Chazzaro seems to be correct, it can occur from attempting to process a lot, and instead of letting information digest, you simply continue attempting to absorb new information. Its best to simply take a break from reading and processing new information and allowing the old to settle. That can be achieved in a variety of ways, including direct and indirect methods. (IE thinking about the information you learned, or simply relaxing and doing something less straining to your brain). I find that a combination of direct and indirect methods help. But I empathize with your problems, learning can be very overwhelming because of how expansive information is.

12-25-2011, 05:05 PM	#1
Femmebott Veteran Member [50%] MBTI: INTP Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 2,014	I have been "suffering" from a strange phenomenon for a few years now, and its really starting to cause me significant frustration and distress. Over the course of a few days, my ability to decipher text and think critically begins to degrade, gradually. It will start with me trying to get through a few chapters of a book, then I will feel mentally exhausted, and find something else to do. Over time I struggle to get through pages, paragraphs, until I throw the book aside out of frustration. I literally feel like my brain is tired. Is there such a thing as "reading too much"? Do our brains need rest? I take a multivitamin and intermittently, mucuna pruriens supplements. I still get fatigue-like headaches and mental fog. My body also feels physically fatigued. I am irritable, warm, and my patience is very, very thin. Are dietary factors the culprit? Lack of sufficient physical activity? ADHD? I have bipolar disorder but have been stable for almost a year.
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12-25-2011, 05:25 PM	#2
Vulture Member [48%] MBTI: intj Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 1,953	could be any number of things. only adding here that an infection is not on your list of possibilities.
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12-25-2011, 06:30 PM	#3
Femmebott Veteran Member [50%] MBTI: INTP Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 2,014	What kind of infection?
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12-27-2011, 06:10 AM	#4
Polymath20 Core Member [411%] MBTI: ENTP Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 16,466	I had that fog thing when I was on the interwebs for hours on end learning as much as I could. Yes your brain needs rest. it needs to process and chew through everything you're reading. Exercise helps blood/oxygen flow to the brain so that will give it a little extra horsepower to process stuff.
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12-30-2011, 06:52 PM	#5
Chazzaroo Member [06%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Dec 2011 Posts: 252	If you are actually sick, getting it diagnosed is a hit-or-miss proposition. I suggest exploiting nonmedical solutions like diet, exercise, hydration, and not getting too freaked out just because you now notice something you didn't used to.
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01-03-2012, 07:12 PM	#6
lalalandscape New Member [01%] MBTI: INTP Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 48	Yeah, I actually get this quite a bit myself. Chazzaro seems to be correct, it can occur from attempting to process a lot, and instead of letting information digest, you simply continue attempting to absorb new information. Its best to simply take a break from reading and processing new information and allowing the old to settle. That can be achieved in a variety of ways, including direct and indirect methods. (IE thinking about the information you learned, or simply relaxing and doing something less straining to your brain). I find that a combination of direct and indirect methods help. But I empathize with your problems, learning can be very overwhelming because of how expansive information is.
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