Battling Brain Fog – A Step in Beating CFS
May 22, 2007 by laura
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
Brain cells turn to mushy oatmeal when they aren’t being used….and once they have turned to mush they start disappearing altogether. I found that while I could lie in bed counting backwards from 100 by subtracting 7’s until you can’t go any further. It can only amuse you for so long before you start memorizing the pattern. Once it’s memorized, the game ceases to be fun any longer ~ well I can suppose you can time yourself. But you have to admit, by then, it starts getting to be a bit boring.
When I was at home sick (before I had dependable internet access), I made myself do two crossword puzzles everyday~this took me all day. At this point I was so out of it, that I had the hardest time watching television, and books were not exactly easy for me (at least the kind that I was used to). So I started with the easier crossword puzzle in the newspaper. It was just slightly harder than the puzzle in TV Guide. It took a while for me to be able to finish one….but eventually I did. I then would try the New York Times crossword puzzle (which also can be found in my newspaper). I am not ashamed to tell you that I considered it a success, if I was able to answer one clue! After about 17 months of doing a puzzle or 2 every day, I finally completed the NYT puzzle. How exciting (and coincidental) that I started working less than a month after that completed puzzle.
My point to this, is that brain exercise is just as important as physical exercise. So while you are going for your walk, plug in your earphones and listen to one of the many books or a podcast that you can download, on a subject you aren’t so familiar with. Or how about trying a crossword puzzle or one of those very trendy sudoku puzzles that everyone is doing, when you sip your morning coffee.
If you are like me, and choose not to get a morning paper because its depressing, and is readily available on the internet. There is a page on the Time Magazine website, where you can try wrapping your head around some puzzling games. You can find it here.
Don’t let Chronic Fatigue Syndrome turn your smart brain cells into cold mushy porridge (eww that word is ugly!) – just start with a brain teaser or two, and before you know it (or in 10 years) you could be reading russian literature.
Hey I have just started a rule: I have to do a Sudoku puzzle before I go to sleep every night! Apparently the puzzles also help with keeping your memory in old age…
Coops,
Great Rule! I keep hearing good things about these puzzles. I recently discovered Sudoku (and while I will always prefer a crossword puzzle). I have to admit these Sudoku games are fun and a little bit addictive. No wonder they are so popular.
I do that “counting back in 7’s” thing as a help to get me to sleep! Saying the alphabet backwards is fun too. I know what you mean about memorizing the pattern, but just leave off for a couple of weeks and you’ll forget again (or is that just me?). I have been a fan of Sudoku, and the matching games online – the only time I could do crossword puzzles was when I got them online and they told me when I was wrong (sometimes I would work my way through the alphabet until the X went away on the square!). Haven’t found a Mac friendly version though…
My brain prodders: blogs
and knitting/sewing designs (either figuring out how other people did it, or trying to sort out how to do what I want in a design) and troubleshooting (why the #$%@ won’t this work?). If I can’t get my head around that stuff, I make lists of what I will do when I can!
I have never been a crossword person, but have recently discovered Sudoku as well. The best part is that I can do super easy ones when my brain is mush, and a more challenging one on good days.
Jenna,
I am the opposite about the online games. I would rather not know that I am wrong
so its the paper ones for me.
Knitting is a great idea for giving your brain a workout. I know its a popular activity for a few people who visit this blog…..not me though. I am not at all crafty. But I admire you all for doing something so cool.
Jennie,
so you are another person who has been bitten by the sudoku bug.
welcome to the bandwagon.