When we say menopause, what do you think of it? Most women will say hot flashes, fatigue, sleep disturbances, mood swings, and night sweats – all of which are common symptoms. But there is another common symptom of menopause that a lot of people forget about, and that’s brain fog.
It can be a bit confusing and downright scary if you aren’t ready for it, but the good news is you aren’t alone. Brain fog is a completely normal part of menopause caused by hormonal changes, and there are plenty of things you can do to manage it.
What Is Menopausal Brain Fog?
Menopausal ‘Brain Fog’ is the name doctors give to the constellation of mental symptoms women going through menopause suffer as a result of the imbalance in hormones. It’s often referred to as ‘mental fuzziness’, and many people have described it as feeling like their brain is made of cotton wool.
You know, that feeling of not really being able to concentrate on anything, forgetting things or struggling to find the right words in a conversation? These temporary changes in mental function can be difficult to manage, especially if you have a mentally demanding job or lifestyle. But the good news is, it’s extremely common. In fact, doctors have found that just over 60% of women experience cognitive difficulties during menopause.
If you’re experiencing these kinds of symptoms, why not book a consultation to chat with our menopause clinic?
What Causes Brain Fog During Menopause?
Many women worry that the changes in mental function they experience during menopause are just a sign of ageing, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. During menopause, the body’s hormonal makeup is significantly shifting, with levels of oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone falling dramatically over the course of the perimenopause transition.
These hormones are falling because your body is transitioning into a new stage of life – one where it can no longer have children, and therefore doesn’t need the higher levels of these hormones.
As well as being important female sex hormones, oestrogen and testosterone play an important role in cognition and memory. Oestrogen stimulates the brain and supports the growth of new cells, while testosterone strengthens the nerves in the brain and improves blood flow, which helps improve mental clarity and memory.
As their levels fall, you can suffer from a range of cognitive symptoms as a result, like memory loss, getting confused easily and struggling to find words. The good news is that it’s only temporary. Once the hormone levels settle after menopause, the brain adjusts to the new hormone levels and function should return to normal
The Signs Of Menopausal Brain Fog
If you’re feeling like things are a bit harder day-to-day during menopause, and your mind isn’t as sharp as it once was, you may be experiencing menopausal brain fog. A few of the main symptoms of brain fog include:
- Forgetfulness: Losing your keys, forgetting plans you’ve made or struggling to remember the right words during conversations.
- Getting things mixed up: Like confusing the time of appointments, the names of people or directions.
- Trouble making decisions: Not feeling able to commit to one course of action over another.
- Communication issues: Not understanding what people are saying to you, or not being able to express yourself in the way you want.
- Missing important details: Not being able to focus in conversation to pick up on and retain key information.
- Needing more time to process information: Being slower to understand and then react to information
- Reduced mental clarity: Generally feeling ‘fuzzy’, as though thinking is like walking through treacle.
All of which can be incredibly frustrating, especially if you aren’t sure why it’s happening!
Natural Remedies And Treatments For Brain Fog
Regular Exercise:
Regular exercise, even just light exercise for 30 minutes a day can not only make you feel better, but it can boost your memory and thinking skills. It doesn’t have to be anything vigorous – walking, jogging, cycling and water aerobics can all help beat brain fog.
Healthy Diet:
Giving your body a boost of healthy vitamins and minerals through your diet can help ease some of the impact the big hormonal swings can have. The Mediterranean diet has proven popular, and Dr Donna Sergi has compiled a list of foods that are perfect for supporting your body during menopause.
Proper Sleep:
Sleep is important for your body to rest and recover each night. Getting enough sleep can help you cope with the impact of brain fog, while not getting enough (or getting poor quality sleep) can actually make it worse.
Can Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) Help
Brain Fog?
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is a treatment that can help relieve the symptoms of menopause, including brain fog. It works by replacing the hormones that are at lower levels during menopause. Hormones can be replaced by more modern types of body-identical hormones which come in a variety of formats like gels, patches, sprays and tablets. Vaginal preparations like pessaries and creams are also available.
Like all medical treatments HRT also has some side effects. It is always safer and better to talk to your health care provider to assess your individual risk to benefit ratio for taking HRT.
In my 10 years treating menopausal patients I have found that replacing testosterone can significantly help brain fog.
Supplements & Minerals To Help Brain Fog
If you don’t want to go down the HRT route, there are some more natural remedies you can try to reduce the brain fog. There are a variety of supplements on the market that improve brain function, but the research shows that the following will be the most effective:
Omega-3s:
Omega-3 fatty acids are generally well known for their health impact, and there are dozens of studies showing the link between supplementing with Omega-3 and increased brain health, memory, attention and mood. This can not only help with brain fog, but it can alleviate some of the other symptoms of menopause too, like anxiety, depression and low moods.
L-theanine:
This compound is a non-protein amino acid that’s usually found in green tea and other plants. Taking it as a supplement can help improve mental alertness, reaction time and memory, with one study showing that a single dose can improve reaction time and working memory in people aged 50–69.
Vitamin D:
Vitamin D has a lot of wonderful benefits, from A small study was done on postmenopausal women who were low in Vitamin D, and found that supplementing with a low dose of Vitamin D daily for one year significantly improved their memory and cognitive function. So taking a daily Vitamin D supplement at home could help clear some of the brain fog and get you thinking clearly again.
When To Be Concerned About Brain Fog
The good news is, menopausal brain fog isn’t permanent. While it’s frustrating going through it, the mental fuzziness won’t last forever, and once your hormones have settled your mind will go back to normal.
Of course, sometimes our bodies react in unexpected ways to menopause, which is why you should be more aware of your responses during this time of huge change.
Small lapses in memory and general brain fog are common during menopause, and in most cases, they can be resolved by taking supplements or speaking to your doctor or hormone specialist about the symptoms that are bothering you.
But there are a few things that are signs that you need to seek medical attention quickly, including:
- Memory changes that come on suddenly
- Hallucinations, paranoia or delusions
- Memory lapses that might put your safety or the safety of others at risk – like forgetting food cooking or struggling with driving
If you’re struggling with menopausal brain fog, it’s important to know you’re not alone. It’s something over 60% of menopausal women go through, and there are ways to manage it. If you’d like to know more or talk to one of our specialist doctors and nurses about your menopause symptoms, just click here to book a consultation.
