I just saw the new Pirates of the Caribbean Movie, Dead Men Tell No Tales. Great movie by the way! Have you ever wondered how the character Jack Sparrow played by Johnny Depp seems to think on his feet and act fast? He seems to have a clear and sharp mind even under pressure. Photo Credit Mackenzie

If you have brain fog and it gets in the way of your memory, sharp thinking, decision making, and makes you feel like you're on this dazed auto-pilot, perhaps there is something about how your nervous system works, that the "Pirate" knew how to take advantage of. 

The nervous system works like a distribution switch to divert blood flow and activity to certain parts of the brain when needed. To think clearly and not have brain fog, you need to have blood flow going to your FRONTAL LOBE (READ MORE HERE). This only happens if you are relaxed. If you are stressed, blood flow goes to survival centers of your brain, not the frontal lobe. Even more so, when you are stressed, your body secretes neurotransmitters and hormones that can cloud up your thinking. 

Brain fog can be caused by other issues as well, such as candida, heavy metals, toxins, low thyroid, hormonal imbalance. Many times I've worked with patients to balance their sympathetic nervous system and in a few appointments, they were able to have better memory, feel clear minded, and able to do things more quickly. Contact me to see if this is something helpful for you.

So how does the Pirate Jack Sparrow think so quickly in a dicy situation and get out strong? He has this incredible ability to perceive a situation that may seem stressful to you and I, as "not a big deal" and add some humor to it. His nervous system was relaxed and he was able to think clearly.

Laugh till your belly hurts. Laughing moves your diaphragm and relaxes your vagus nerve that passes through your diaphragm, encouraging the parasympathetic nervous system. Laughing also helps you breath deeper, also promoting the parasympathetic state that helps blood flow go to the frontal lobe.

Read More Here to learn a few practical ways to get your mind in a clear state. I suggest you choose just 1-2 that resonate with you and do it daily.