# Brain feels half-asleep, as if there is a lag in thoughts processing. Anyone else? **URL:** \ **Category:** Symptoms 🌡\ **Tags:** menopause, visual-vertigo, vestibular-migraine\ **Created:** [January 14, 2020, 1:12pm UTC](https://mvertigo.org/t/brain-feels-half-asleep-as-if-there-is-a-lag-in-thoughts-processing-anyone-else/18909 "2020-01-14T13:12:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![edward](https://mvertigo.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/90db22/32.png) [@edward](https://mvertigo.org/u/edward)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2020, 1:12pm UTC](https://mvertigo.org/t/brain-feels-half-asleep-as-if-there-is-a-lag-in-thoughts-processing-anyone-else/18909/1 "2020-01-14T13:12:18Z")
Since my chronic VM started, i never feel 100% awake or alert. I feel like my bain is slow, like if there is a lag between what I see and what my brain processes. Does anyone has the same sensation? ---
**Author:** ![Onandon03](https://mvertigo.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/o/f08c70/32.png) [@Onandon03](https://mvertigo.org/u/Onandon03)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2020, 2:27pm UTC](https://mvertigo.org/t/brain-feels-half-asleep-as-if-there-is-a-lag-in-thoughts-processing-anyone-else/18909/2 "2020-01-14T14:27:34Z")
Lots of people comment they experience a lag with their eye movements. Similar symptom maybe. What medication are you on? Could be side effect possibly. Could be you are more susceptible to some extreme form of brain fog. Could be there is a delay because your brain’s under such pressure (60% of capacity I think it is is used up with balance) it is struggling to keep up quite literally. All sorts of weird symptoms do occur. ---
**Author:** ![Jools](https://mvertigo.org/user_avatar/mvertigo.org/jools/32/2431_2.png) [@Jools](https://mvertigo.org/u/Jools)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2020, 8:21pm UTC](https://mvertigo.org/t/brain-feels-half-asleep-as-if-there-is-a-lag-in-thoughts-processing-anyone-else/18909/3 "2020-01-14T20:21:59Z")
Brain fog! Yep I get it after my migraine attacks. Often lasts days after my other symptoms have disappeared- and is often one of the first signs I get when another wave is about to start. I notice it as I am usually a very quick thinker, I’m a Mensa member and often do their puzzles and quizzes- I’ve no chance following an attack! Following an attack I often forget things, struggle to choose words when I’m speaking and find it difficult to sequence tasks. Before an attack I find my brain feels slow as if I’m “thinking through treacle” ---
**Author:** ![Kara](https://mvertigo.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/e480ec/32.png) [@Kara](https://mvertigo.org/u/Kara)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2020, 9:56pm UTC](https://mvertigo.org/t/brain-feels-half-asleep-as-if-there-is-a-lag-in-thoughts-processing-anyone-else/18909/4 "2020-01-14T21:56:51Z")
The days that I’m super dizzy, I can listen to every word a person says but as soon as they are done talking I can not remember a single word. It’s like my mind goes blank. I’ve had problems with “brain fog” since having kids but it’s definitely gotten worse over the last year. ---
**Author:** ![Mav](https://mvertigo.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@Mav](https://mvertigo.org/u/Mav)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2020, 12:42am UTC](https://mvertigo.org/t/brain-feels-half-asleep-as-if-there-is-a-lag-in-thoughts-processing-anyone-else/18909/5 "2020-01-15T00:42:52Z")
I can definitely relate to this…sometimes when a person is talking to me I am actually looking at them and asking myself if they are talking to me - it’s like I am not really present, not tuned in. It’s like being on half power… ---
**Author:** ![sfnative](https://mvertigo.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/7ea924/32.png) [@sfnative](https://mvertigo.org/u/sfnative)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2020, 2:01am UTC](https://mvertigo.org/t/brain-feels-half-asleep-as-if-there-is-a-lag-in-thoughts-processing-anyone-else/18909/6 "2020-01-15T02:01:36Z")
Yep. Kinda scary. ---
**Author:** ![Kara](https://mvertigo.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/e480ec/32.png) [@Kara](https://mvertigo.org/u/Kara)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2020, 2:55am UTC](https://mvertigo.org/t/brain-feels-half-asleep-as-if-there-is-a-lag-in-thoughts-processing-anyone-else/18909/7 "2020-01-15T02:55:41Z")
@mav yes! It’s so hard! ---
**Author:** ![Onandon03](https://mvertigo.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/o/f08c70/32.png) [@Onandon03](https://mvertigo.org/u/Onandon03)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2020, 10:13am UTC](https://mvertigo.org/t/brain-feels-half-asleep-as-if-there-is-a-lag-in-thoughts-processing-anyone-else/18909/8 "2020-01-15T10:13:58Z")
> [@Mav](#): > > it’s like I am not really present, not tuned in That’s bad. Must be the Dissociation end of Brain Fog. I can remember having brain fog virtually every morning for the first couple of hours after waking for years not that I realised that was what it was at the time. I have a feeling it must have stopped about the same time I started having episodic MAV. It returned periodically although no longer confined to early mornings after I turned chronic. Although it is very much part of MAV apparently it’s very common amongst perimenopausal and menopausal women generally. ---
**Author:** ![CB2006](https://mvertigo.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@CB2006](https://mvertigo.org/u/CB2006)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2026, 7:12pm UTC](https://mvertigo.org/t/brain-feels-half-asleep-as-if-there-is-a-lag-in-thoughts-processing-anyone-else/18909/9 "2026-03-06T19:12:10Z")
Jumping on this old chat to see if anyone can help with this. I’m 6 weeks into new medication and confirmed VM diagnosis having battled this for almost 7 years. This year my cognition and processing are horrendous. I struggle to remember things, to get my words out properly, to think critically or logically. Sometimes it’s as if there’s a blockage. I can struggle to focus on conversation. Fully aware that menopause is also a factor in this, but it’s gotten to the point where it’s really impacting my self-esteem. I can feel so stupid! Wondering if anyone else can relate and/or offer any tips or advice. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![migrainemike](https://mvertigo.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@migrainemike](https://mvertigo.org/u/migrainemike)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2026, 5:22am UTC](https://mvertigo.org/t/brain-feels-half-asleep-as-if-there-is-a-lag-in-thoughts-processing-anyone-else/18909/10 "2026-04-09T05:22:24Z")
I relate completely to you. It feels like your brain is shrinking away or something. I remember just feeling so cloudy and confused. I had trouble speaking, but knew what I wanted to say. I was always aloof, it was noticeable. Following simple instructions was hard. I remember one time my brother asked me to get something out of the cabinet for him and I felt like a ghost - like I was in the incorrect space or something. It was hard to navigate with physical surroundings. My head just felt big? Things looked cartoonish. It is like staring off into space, but never snapping out of it. Really bizarre actually, I cannot describe those feelings in words. ---
**Author:** ![CB2006](https://mvertigo.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@CB2006](https://mvertigo.org/u/CB2006)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2026, 7:29pm UTC](https://mvertigo.org/t/brain-feels-half-asleep-as-if-there-is-a-lag-in-thoughts-processing-anyone-else/18909/11 "2026-05-04T19:29:57Z")
Yes!!! The staring into space thing drives my husband mad. He says it’s like I’m completely offline. And I feel offline! I’ve just had my nortriptyline dose increased but am finding that it’s actually making my cognition worse. So frustrating. There must be something to help with this, surely? I’m managing my diet, exercise, sleep, taking all the supplements and medication - I literally rattle and nothing seems to help.