Brain fog is real
In perimenopause, the years leading up to menopause, they work unpredictably. Your sexual hormones, estrogen and progesterone, fluctuate and you may experience many physical, cognitive, and emotional changes, including brain fog.
Working through perimenopause can be dreadful if you experience:
- fatigue
- insomnia
- hot flashes and/or night sweats
- irritability
- mood swings
- palpitations
- anxiety and worry
- memory loss, problems with recall and/or brain fog
- reduced concentration
- loss of confidence
Brain fog can be a consequence of simply getting older, in both men and women.
For midlife women, fluctuating hormones during the menopause transition can cause brain fog.
In midlife you are at the peak of your career and the demands on your cognitive function—from work, family, older parents, and others—are very high.
What can you do to decrease brain fog?
Menopause symptoms, such as poor sleep, may exacerbate brain fog. If night sweats, which are hot flashes that happen at night, wake you up frequently, night after night, month after month, that’s going to affect your cognition, your brain function. You feel and function worse. But night sweats should be treated. Call me and find out how.
Mood swings are common in menopause. If you’ve had depression in the past, check with your doctor if you’re feeling depressed to ensure it gets treated.
Eat well. The Mediterranean diet lowers the risk of pre-clinical Alzheimer’s disease (this benefit was been shown in a large randomized trial!). Read more about the Mediterranean diet on my blog.
Exercise. Engage in various types of exercise—cardio, strength training, and balance—for better heart, brain, and bone health. You don’t have to walk 10,000 steps/day. Just 15 minutes/day of brisk walking improves your cognitive function.
Manage your stress in whatever way works for you: baths, reading, meditation, slow breathing, listening to music, waking in nature, talking with a friend. Be mindful, live in the present moment.
If you’d like to know how to minimize night sweats, improve your sleep, and decrease brain fog then book a FREE Discovery Call with me.