Menopause and brain fog - what causes it and how to help clear it

Found the TV remote in your handbag again? Reading glasses in the fridge? Been looking for your car keys for half an hour and then found them in the bin? (yes, I’ve done this too). Whilst we can laugh off the silly things we do in perimenopause, brain fog can be a very frightening and debilitating symptom of menopause for a lot of women. It can really impact a woman's quality of life, affecting her ability to perform at work and her personal relationships. You might feel like you’re going crazy or losing your mind (you’re not by the way, it’s your hormones, again).

So, what causes brain fog in perimenopause and menopause?

Oestrogen is known as a neuroprotective hormone, which means it protects nerve cells from damage. Oestrogen promotes the growth of new brain cells and supports communication between cells, helping with learning and retaining knowledge, and regulating many processes involved in cognition and memory. If you have a menstrual cycle, you might notice you feel sharper and have a better memory at ovulation, that’s thanks to higher levels of oestrogen at this time!

Because of oestrogen's role in supporting brain function, it’s easy to see how low oestrogen levels in perimenopause and menopause can result in brain fog symptoms. Many women say that their brains feel like 'cotton wool' and report symptoms such as difficulty concentrating, memory loss, struggling to remember words or names, difficulty staying focused, losing their train of thought, getting confused and a general feeling of ‘thinking through treacle’.

Progesterone and testosterone levels also decline in midlife which can contribute to brain fog symptoms. Progesterone can really affect how well you sleep due to its calming effect on the nervous system, helping you to relax and switch off. Anyone who has been through a period of disrupted sleep will know how this affects brain function the next day. Testosterone helps you feel sharp and clear-headed, and also strengthens arteries that supply blood flow to the brain, crucial to protect against memory loss.

Aside from hormones, what else can contribute to brain fog?

In addition to changing hormone levels through perimenopause and menopause, the factors below can add 'fuel to the fire', and these are the areas I explore and address with my clients who are suffering with brain fog symptoms. Functional testing can be helpful to investigate these areas further, to really get to the root cause of brain fog:

• Alcohol

• Smoking

• Sugar and refined carbohydrates

• Processed foods

• Inflammatory cooking oils

• Food intolerances

• Gut health

• Dehydration

• Poor sleep

• High stress

• Underactive thyroid

• Iron-deficiency anaemia

• Nutrient deficiencies (vitamin B12, folate, choline)

Of course, it's complicated. There are so many factors that can contribute to brain fog symptoms and everyone is different, which is why every woman needs a personalised programme that works for them. We'll work together to formulate your diet and lifestyle programme and get your brain back to functioning at its best, with nutritional supplements, where appropriate.

There are so many ways that a healthy diet and lifestyle can help to reduce brain fog symptoms, but if you’d like some tips to get started, here are 5 things you can start working on straight away:

• Hydrate! Make sure you’re drinking 2 litres of fluids every day (water, herbal tea). Dehydration can lower oxygen and blood flow to the brain.

• Cut down on sugar and refined carbohydrates. If you’re on a blood-sugar roller-coaster throughout the day, you’re not providing your brain with the steady supply of fuel it needs to work efficiently.

• Aim for regular exercise (2-3x per week) to increase blood flow to the brain.

• Eat a diet rich in antioxidants to protect the brain from damage and inflammation. Aim for a variety of brightly coloured fruits and vegetables every day (minimum 7 portions, 6 veg, 1 fruit).

• Prioritise relaxation and sleep. Meditation, mindfulness, breathing exercises, yoga - whatever works for you to help you relax and get a good night’s sleep.

If you’re struggling with midlife brain fog, you don't need to accept this as part of the menopausal transition. We can work together to help address it. Why not get in touch or book a FREE 30-minute call with me and tell me all about it?