Living with MS: Managing Brain Fog, Frustration, and the Importance of Morning Routines

How do you cope with the challenges of brain fog and the frustration of daily tasks when living with chronic illness?

Let’s be honest. Living with MS isn’t just about the physical pain or the fatigue—it’s the little things that add up and drive you crazy. The brain fog. The moments where you can’t find the words, or worse, you say the wrong word. It’s like you know what you’re trying to say, but your brain is somewhere else. And that? That can be beyond frustrating.

Take my living room lighting situation. When we bought our house, we were told the bright ceiling light would make the space feel more open and welcoming. Sounds great in theory, right? But in reality, this light is directly above me, and when it’s on, it literally shines in my eyes. I’ll ask my husband to “turn off the… uh, the… main light?” And I’ll get this look from him—like, “What light?” I’ll say “box” when I mean “pot” or “shut that off” when I want to turn off the light, and it’s not just annoying—it’s frustrating. Because it’s not the word. It’s the fact that I can’t get my brain to line up with what I want to say.

And sure, it’s a small thing in the grand scheme of life. But here’s the thing—those moments stack up. And they start to make you feel like you’re losing control, like something so simple should be easy and isn’t. You start to doubt yourself. And that? That can take a toll.

But here’s where I’ve had to draw a line. I know I’m not at my best later in the day. That’s when the brain fog hits hardest, and I just can’t function the way I want to. So, I made a decision—I operate best in the mornings. That’s when I get up at 3 or 5 a.m. to do my mindfulness practice. That’s when I’m sharpest, most focused, and ready to face the day. And this isn’t about being perfect—this is about setting yourself up for success. I know my limits. And once I accepted that, things started to fall into place.

Now, I plan meetings and appointments early, so I don’t have to deal with the frustration of not being able to think clearly later. And I’ve made sure to communicate this to my family, because here’s the thing: when you have a chronic illness, it’s not just you dealing with it—it’s everyone around you. My family feels it too. So, we work together. And that’s how we make it work.

So let me ask you—how are you setting yourself up for success every day? Have you figured out when you’re at your best, and how to honor that?

Chronic illness is hard. But what’s harder is pretending it’s not affecting you. It’s okay to adjust, to ask for understanding, and to be kind to yourself when things don’t go as planned.

Because you deserve that.