One of the best nootropics is physical activity. Getting oxygenated blood circulating, along with brain chemicals that reward exertion, help my chronic pain and occasional morning fogginess better than any meds or supplements.
When I was young and healthy, that's all I needed.
But with aging, injury and illness, we sometimes need a little help just getting started before we can engage in that rewarding physical activity. Sometimes that's a necessary prescription med (other than controlled substances). Sometimes it's a common OTC med like an antihistamine or decongestant to clear the sinuses and ears so we aren't dizzy and discombobulated while exercising. Sometimes it's a prescription of OTC pain med to tamp down the discomfort enough to exercise without worsening pain.
The human body is a quirky mess of complex interactions that can conspire to reward or punish normal physical activities. Before this past week I didn't know that researchers had extensively delved into ... itching. And why scratching sometimes relieves itching and sometimes makes it worse. Apparently scratching triggers a mild pain response that mask itching and affects the serotonin balance. And as with all brain chemicals, some folks who may be vulnerable to substance abuse may overuse a physical sensation -- such as scratching an itch -- to trigger those brain chemicals. We're usually unaware of these on any conscious level. But it's an example of how complex our bodies are and how dependent our brains are on physical health.