When most people think of menopause, hot flashes, night sweats, low libido and mood swings come to mind. However, another aspect of menopause that is less discussed in the media is brain fog – although up to two-thirds of women going through menopause experience this symptom.
If you’re going through menopause and find it harder than usual to focus or forget where you left your keys too often, you’re not alone.
Let’s break down the connection between menopause and brain fog and some ways you can proactively combat brain fog and improve cognitive function as you age and go through natural life changes.
What is brain fog and how does it relate to menopause?
While brain fog is not a medical term, it is commonly used to refer to changes in cognition or memory.
Anyone can experience brain fog, but it’s especially common as people age because of physiological changes that cause our brains to malfunction in a way that they didn’t in our youth. You may not be able to recall people, places or events as quickly. You may become more forgetful. This can be especially noticeable when you are in menopause.
Menopause it officially starts when your period has stopped for 12 months, which can happen between the ages of 45 and 55. The stage before menopause is known as perimenopausewhen your period may start to become less regular, there may be spotting and menopausal symptoms such as mood swings and hot flashes may begin to appear.
As you go through perimenopause and postmenopause, levels of the two main female hormones – estrogen and testosterone – begin to drop.
Estrogen keeps your neurons firing, stimulates brain activity and the formation of new cells as well as new connections to existing cells. Estrogen also prompts your brain to burn more of its primary fuel, glucose. When estrogen levels drop in middle age and then drop during menopause, your brain goes into a state of deprivation, resulting in lower levels of brain energy as well as other common menopause symptoms you may be familiar with, such as night sweats, hot flashes , depression. , and stress.
Another hormone that drops sharply during menopause is the hormone testosterone, which contributes to mental clarity and clarity (and overall energy levels) by strengthening the nerves in the brain. Testosterone also protects against memory loss by strengthening the arteries that supply blood to the brain.
As these hormones decline during menopause, your cognition and memory are affected. Fortunately, there are certain lifestyle changes that can support brain health and slow cognitive decline as we age.
How to Improve Brain Function and Dispel Brain Fog
Regular cognitive stimulation
Stimulation has been shown by many studies to maintain and improve memory, making it no surprise that people who engage in a range of mental activities are better at recalling things.
Think of your memory as a muscle – the more active it is, the better it will work. Just as switching it up with your workouts produces better results, the more different ways you use your mind, the stronger your memory will be.
Some exercises that can help boost your mental abilities include:
- Doing a mental exercise such as a word search, crossword or quick each day
- Learning a new activity that involves hand-eye coordination such as knitting, tennis or painting
- Memorizing new words or learning words in a new language
- Participating in mentally challenging games such as chess
Feed your brain right
When you feed your brain well, it makes better connections. The brain runs on essential fats, glucose and phospholipids. Eating a diet full of vitamins and micronutrients such as B vitamins (critical for mental performance and memory) and magnesium and zinc (necessary for neurotransmitter function) can improve your attention, concentration and memory.
The National Council on Aging recommends the MIND diet, which is based on Mediterranean and DASH diets, for better cognitive function as we age.
Foods rich in antioxidants E, C, and A can fight free radicals that worsen cell damage in your body. These antioxidants can be found in deeply colored vegetables and fruits such as spinach, kale, red peppers and berries.
Essential fatty acids and folate are vital for brain and nervous system function, so fill up on salmon, sardines, avocados and mackerel. Soywhich could stimulate estrogen production, may also help memory in menopausal women.
Deep sleep
Sleep is vital for memory, and sleep disturbances or a lack of deep sleep can affect cognitive function.
A common complaint for people going through menopause and menopause is difficulty sleeping. The hormones estrogen and progesterone help regulate sleep, so it makes sense that sleep is affected as your body goes through these changes (those hot flashes and night sweats probably don’t help).
If you’re having trouble getting enough sleep, then you’re probably not getting the deep sleep that helps your brain regenerate. Plus, if you’re cranky and lazy, it’s harder to pay attention to things you’re supposed to remember.
Limiting screen time before bed, having a healthy sleep schedule, and finding ways to manage your stress level can help improve your sleep and consequently your memory.
