Brain Health

It’s best that you talk to your doctor as soon as you notice changes in your memory, mood or ability to concentrate. Other things to look out for include interference with daily life, disorientation, language difficulties and personality or mood shifts. While all of these things can be associated with aging, persistent changes require a visit to your doctor.

Yes, stress, sleep and mental health can all have a significant impact on your brain health. This is because you’re a connected system, in body, mind and spirit. If one area of your physical health begins to decline, like poor sleep, you may experience a change in your mental well-being.

Stress

Excessive stress floods your brain with the stress hormone cortisol. Over time, this can lead to brain fog, impaired memory, a higher risk of cognitive decline and may even damage structures in your brain, like the hippocampus.

Sleep

Consistent sleep deprivation can lead to brain fog and impaired focus, which in turn can affect your prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for emotional stability.

Mental Health

Anxiety, depression or PTSD are closely linked with the brain’s stress response system, often causing dysfunction. Untreated mental health concerns can affect your stress levels and sleep, creating a cycle that further declines your brain health.

While most headaches and many migraines can be treated with over-the-counter (OTC) medications, there are certain warning signs that warrant a visit to your nearest urgent care or ER, including:

• A headache after getting hit in the head
• A headache with neurological signs, like numbness, vision changes or difficulty speaking
• An unusually severe headache
• Headache pain that increases with coughing or movement
• Headaches accompanied by changes in personality
• Headaches accompanied by pain and tenderness near the temples
• Headaches that progressively get worse
• Headaches that wake you up
• Headaches with a fever, stiff neck, confusion, decreased alertness or memory

Your neurologist will typically start with a physical examination to assess your movement, sensation, hearing and speech, vision, coordination and balance. After that, the type of test to diagnose brain and nerve conditions varies. But common types of diagnostic tests that neurologists use for brain and nerve conditions include:

• Cerebrospinal fluid analysis
• CT scans
• Electromyography (EMG)
• MRIs
• Nerve conduction study
• PET scans