Day 41: Keeping Your Brain Sharp

You walk into your kitchen, open the fridge, aaaand…what were you looking for…?

Hello, brain fog.

Scenarios like this are probably happening more than you care to admit. It can be scary and make you think you’re losing it.

Having those moments where you’re feeling fuzzy, not quite able to focus…is extremely common. In fact, about 60% of us experience problems with memory and concentration. You are definitely not imagining it.

First, let’s be clear. Brain fog is NOT dementia or memory loss. You’re able to retrieve information but you’re just not quite as sharp. The fogginess is intermittent, not permanent.

So what’s the menopause connection? Your sex hormones, particularly estrogen and testosterone, play a role in almost every system in your body. The brain is no exception. It turns out that your brain is loaded with estrogen-receptors that use estrogen for learning and memory and neuron growth. Testosterone aids in verbal learning and memory. Knowing that, it kind of makes sense that as hormone levels fall, memory becomes harder to access. Brain fog seems to peak in the year just prior to your last period. And in post-menopause, women often report improvement in memory.2 Why is that? Researchers really don’t know yet.

So brain fog happens, and it sucks. The good news is there are things that can help.3

First of all, get your sleep on! Remember your course on sleep hygiene? Here’s one more reason to practice it. It turns out, getting good sleep can help to stave off brain fog. Remember what your brain does at night? It’s cleansing itself, restoring itself and organizing and storing memories and information.

Second, exercise! Take a walk… take a yoga class, do anything that lets you become active. Exercise increases blood flow and oxygen to the brain. This can increase mental clarity and be energizing.

Third, do some mental gymnastics. Your brain needs regular exercise too. This doesn’t necessarily mean brain games. Try learning new skills and changing your routine, even brushing your teeth using your non-dominant hand can help to keep you sharp and focused. Challenges require your brain to access information in different ways and sometimes even forge new neural pathways. A challenged brain is a healthy brain.

Last but not least, remember to eat well. Food is fuel and your brain runs on good fuel. Give it what it needs.

If you find that these lifestyle changes aren’t helpful or if your brain fog is becoming really bothersome, reach out to your healthcare provider. You want to be sure there is nothing else happening, which will give you peace of mind.