Perimenopause Information

Supporting women going through all stages
of perimenopause and onwards.

Brain Fog in Perimenopause

Experiencing brain fog during perimenopause and menopause is quite common and mostly stems from hormonal fluctuations, particularly the unpredictable changes in oestrogen and the decrease in progesterone. Oestrogen is crucial for maintaining neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and acetylcholine, which help control memory, focus, and mood. When oestrogen levels shift, these vital brain chemicals can fall out of sync, causing trouble concentrating, forgetfulness, and a feeling of “mental fuzziness.” Other factors, such as sleep disruptions, fatigue, stress, and nutrient shortages, often pop up during this period of life too. So, remember, brain fog is just a natural, hormone-driven response to these changes and not an indicator of weakness or aging.

Symptoms and Remedies

Navigating the maze of perimenopause can sometimes feel like trying to find your keys in a cluttered handbag—frustrating and filled with unexpected surprises. Welcome to the world of brain fog, that whimsical state of mental haze that can leave you pondering whether you’ve accidentally joined a circus of forgetfulness.

This state of being creeps up slowly until you realise you’ve left your thinking brain back in your 30s, but , once again it’s your pesky hormones having their last laugh before departing. You’re not going mad or galloping toward senility, but your declining estrogen levels are having an affect on the connectivity in your brain and the blood flow – hence Brain Fog.

If you don’t take  a shopping list you will spend hours aimlessly walking round your supermarket with a few random things in your trolley which you’re not certain you need, so you’ll put them back and walk out empty handed. You’ll have problems stringing coherent thoughts together and forgetting a large chunk of your existing vocabulary. It will become a major hassle to make plans, but don’t worry about that because you’ll promptly forget them.

Help for Brain Fog

  • Lists and lists to remember your lists
  • Post it notes – transform your living space into a technicolor wonderland of sticky notes. Important reminders
  • Tech Savvy – Use your phone’s reminders, alarms and alerts
  • Don’t Be Shy – tell friends and family what’s going on and share the hilarity

Remedies for Brain Fog

  • HRT will help if you’re going down this route.
  • All the usual – exercise, sleep and a healthy diet will help.
  • Brain Games – Sudoko, crosswords and puzzles might not help but will remind you that your brain is still intact under that fog.Natural Supplements can help with brain function and to improve memory functions –
  • Ginseng
  • Gingko Biloba (I took this for many years and felt much better for it – Elaine)
  • Magnesium
  • Vitamin D