Menopause brain fog is common and typically caused by hormonal changes, but hormone therapy can often clear the fog and support long-term brain health.
Many women quietly question if these instances of forgetfulness are the start of Alzheimer's or dementia and feel scared. You're not alone if you forget what you were about to say, why you walked into a room, or where you left your car keys.
These are some of the most common symptoms of menopause - you aren't losing your marbles. Brain fog during menopause is a typical result of hormonal fluctuations, but there are numerous strategies to control it.
This article will walk you through everything you need to know about menopause brain fog, including tips and treatments to manage it.
What Is Menopause Brain Fog?
On average, a woman reaches menopause - a point in time 12 months after a woman's last period - around 52.
During this transition, your ovaries no longer produce hormones that regulate the menstrual cycle. There's also another period before menopause - perimenopause. Some women experience perimenopause around age 47, while others may observe changes in their 40s.
Like menopause, hormone levels regulating menstrual cycles begin to vary in perimenopause. And in both phases, most women report "brain fog" - a condition described as feeling like "cotton wool" in the brain.
You may notice increased forgetfulness, difficulty recalling names, frequent key misplacement, reliance on to-do lists, and struggles with retaining information. This may create challenges in concentrating while working, reading, or watching television.
According to one report, 60% of females who experience menopause and perimenopause struggle with focusing and comprehending information. Another study suggests that two-thirds of people with perimenopause face challenges with memory, forgetfulness, and concentration.
Brain fog can cause concern since it impacts the brain. However, in many cases, it's normal. Although hormonal shifts in menopause contribute to brain fog, certain lifestyle factors may also influence it.
What Causes Brain Fog in Menopause?
Many women fear that the cognitive changes they experience in early menopause are simply a result of aging; however, this is far from the truth.
For women going through menopause, memory lapse is typically due to a combination of three factors that occur over time:
Hormones: How Estrogen and Testosterone Affect Brain Health
During perimenopause, your ovaries slow down ovulation production.
This causes testosterone and estrogen levels - the two main female hormones - to fall and rise at uneven rates. Research shows fluctuating testosterone and estrogen levels often lead to memory lapse or brain fog.
For instance, one study found a decline in the person's ability to remember things and learn new information (including processing speed and memory) during perimenopause. Another research showed reduced thinking skills, concentration, and memory.
While the connection between estrogen levels and memory is being researched, it's strongly believed that the hormone plays a role in the brain's neurotransmitter system - particularly in sending signals to memory and information processing areas.
The positive news is that brain health can be improved through easy lifestyle adjustments. While memory loss and brain fog may be worrying when they occur, there is no reason to be alarmed by these cognitive effects of menopause.
Sleep Disturbances
You may know that a bad night's sleep can leave you groggy in the morning and foggy thinking during the day.
Sleep disturbances are often categorized into the following groups:
- Trouble sleeping
- Waking up multiple times
- Waking earlier
According to one report, the most common sleep problem for females in menopause was waking up at night. Though causes differ, over 80% of menopausal women suffer from hot flashes - which may occur during nighttime.
Stress
It is important to approach this life transition holistically.
Many women in their 40s and 50s experience a significant level of stress. From finances and raising a child or family to working and caring for the elderly, many factors can lead to stress - and eventually affect concentration.
Stress often prevents you from being in the present moment by diverting your thoughts to whatever is causing concern. This simple yet significant distraction can cause forgetting or a foggy daze.
How to Treat Menopause Brain Fog: Tips That Actually Work
Most remedies for brain fog are proven methods that help support brain health and your body during the menopause transition and everyday life.
Incorporating these lifestyle adjustments can enhance your mood, physical well-being, and mental health. Here are some tried-and-tested strategies and treatments for treating your brain fog in menopause:
Diet
Do you want to improve your cognitive function, including verbal memory? If so, try eating a balanced, healthy diet.
Include foods that support brain health on your plate, such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes. In addition, fatty fish (such as salmon), leafy greens, eggs, walnuts, and blueberries contain abundant vitamins and minerals that help your brain cells improve cognitive symptoms. Decrease your intake of trans fats, saturated fat, fried foods, and foods with high sugar content.
Exercise
Engage in regular exercise. It's best to do workouts that elevate your heart rate and enhance cognitive performance.
Exercise—especially aerobics—can increase the size of the hippocampus, the region responsible for verbal memory and learning. It also helps stimulate the growth of fresh neurons. Moreover, exercise can help prevent stress and enhance sleep quality. Get your body active for at least 150 minutes weekly or 30 minutes daily on most days.
Adequate Sleep
A healthy diet and sleep hygiene can result in a good night's sleep. Follow these tips to sleep tight at night:
- Turn off the lights about one to two hours before going to sleep. This includes typical ceiling lights and blue lighting from artificial sources. Instead of a tablet, grab a book.
- Make sure your room is dim, chilly, and cozy.
- Wear loose, natural materials to bed and layer your clothing.
- Reduce the consumption of caffeine and alcohol near bedtime.
If you wake up frequently from hot flashes and natural remedies are not effective, discuss with your doctor about medications or hormone therapy options.
Mindfulness
Taking care of your mental health during menopause is crucial. Long walks or other stress-relievers, such as meditation and creative activities, can sometimes help achieve that.
However, at times, it requires more than just that. If you experience depression while going through menopause, look for effective therapeutic options to help with your symptoms. Some options you can use for treatment include antidepressants or psychotherapy.
Although there are various types of psychotherapy, one specifically shown to treat depression effectively is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
Memory Exercises
Exercising doesn't only mean your body. In fact, brain exercises such as crossword puzzles, reading, sudoku, and meaningful discussions can help maintain sharp cognition. Add a couple of games weekly to enhance your focus, attention, memory, and motor skills, if possible.
Hormone Therapy
For a lot of women, the cognitive changes known as "brain fog" during menopause could be slight and may disappear naturally over time.
But if it's not the case and your doctor has eliminated other problems, such as dementia, you could consider menopausal hormone therapy (MHT). Hormone therapy commonly involves a mixture of estrogen and progesterone sex hormones.
While many studies show it can alleviate menopause symptoms such as hot flashes and bone loss, there are potential risks involved. Even though certain research shows that hormone therapy may not help with cognitive impairments in menopausal individuals, it is advisable to consult with your healthcare provider to determine if HT could be beneficial for your cognitive symptoms in general.
Supplements and Minerals to Help Brain Fog
If you prefer not to take the HT route, there are other natural solutions to reduce brain fog. Though there are numerous supplements available in the market that help improve brain and cognitive function, here are the most effective ones:
Omega-3
Omega-3 fatty acids are renowned for their significant impact on health.
Consuming omega-3 supplements in high doses can positively affect brain function and may help alleviate symptoms of brain fog, such as problems with focus and recollection.Studies show that adding omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA as supplements could help improve brain health, memory, focus, and mood.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is an essential fat-soluble nutrient for immune system function, brain health, and other purposes.
Low or inadequate vitamin D levels can hurt cognitive health and contribute to brain fog symptoms. People with depressive symptoms or depression often encounter cognitive issues like difficulty with concentration and memory.
Studies indicate that taking vitamin D supplements can raise vitamin D levels and potentially enhance mood by alleviating depressive symptoms, such as brain fog. Vitamin D supplements may also improve your overall mental health, including negative thoughts, mood, and signs of depression and anxiety.
B-Complex
Research shows that insufficient levels of specific B vitamins can result in brain fog symptoms such as memory issues, trouble focusing, and more.
Supplements may help reduce these symptoms in women with insufficient B vitamin levels. According to one report, B12 supplements enhanced cognition for 84% of people and helped them score better on memory and attention tests.
Other Menopause Symptoms
While menopause may cause a variety of symptoms, such as hot flashes, mood swings, night sweats, and weight gain, each person experiences it differently.
Symptoms can vary depending on your health, age, weight, sleep habits, and sedentary lifestyle. Here are a few common menopausal symptoms:
Hot Flashes
A sudden flare of discomfort, sweating, and heat: Hot flushes are a common and uncomfortable symptom of menopause.
The medical term for a hot flash is a vasomotor symptom. During menopause, women may experience a range of symptoms from vaginal dryness to mood swings and more. However, hot flashes are the most common symptom for many.
They may cause a sudden feeling of heat in the upper body, starting in the face, neck, or chest and moving up or down. In addition to that, hot flashes can cause:
- Sweating
- Red patches on the skin
Some women may also experience cold flashes, night sweats, or chills. Hot flashes usually occur within the first year after menstruation stops, but they can last up to 14 years.
Vaginal Dryness
Vaginal itching, discomfort, and dryness can start during perimenopause and continue into menopause.
Without adequate estrogen levels, the walls of the vagina lose moisture and elasticity. This leads to painful sex, a rise in vaginal infections, and long-term vaginal discomfort. Use lubricants, moisturizers, and medications to relieve vaginal itching, dryness, and other associated issue.
Emotional Signs
In most cases, females experience various emotional changes during menopause, such as mood swings, depression, and anxiety.
Irritability and crying spells can also occur due to hormonal changes and sleep issues. A person's feelings about menopause, such as distress about low libido or the end of fertility, can also contribute to depression.
While these feelings are common, they don't always mean you are depressed. However, if a low mood lasts for two weeks or more, it's important to see a doctor for advice. You should also consult your healthcare provider if you're concerned about sleep or other menopause-related changes.
According to one study, there can be a link between menopause and suicide in some cases. So, anyone who has suicidal intentions should seek assistance from health professionals or counselors.
Physical Changes
Menopause can bring various physical changes, such as:
- Fat buildup around the abdomen
- Weight gain
- Changes in hair color, texture, and volume
- Breast reduction and tenderness
- Urinary incontinence
However, these changes aren't always directly linked to menopause. Some may happen around the same time due to other factors like age and lifestyle.
Conclusion
The good news is that menopausal brain fog is not long-lasting.
Although it can be irritating, the mental fog will eventually dissipate, and once your hormones have stabilized, your brain will return to its usual state. Memory and other cognitive problems linked to menopause may get better over time.
To help alleviate your menopause symptoms, consume nutritious foods, prioritize quality sleep, stay active through exercise, and engage in mental stimulation. If your brain fog worsens, schedule a doctor's appointment to exclude other health problems or inquire about menopause hormone therapy.
