STRATEGIES TO TRY

Unfortunately, scientists are just beginning to understand the effects of menopause on the brain. We don’t have any proven interventions to deal with that feeling of forgetfulness or difficulty concentrating, but some things may help.

• Get enough sleep. Poor sleep can increase memory difficulties. If sleep is an issue for you, there are things you can do to improve your sleep.  We discuss this on our page on sleep problems.
• Pay attention to your mood. If you have had mood changes such as depression or anxiety related to menopause, you may want to seek help. Worrying and other repetitive thoughts that you can’t seem to control may affect your ability to remember new information.
• If you have trouble focusing:
  • turn off distractions like background television or audio. (Some people do report that instrumental music can help their concentration and mood.)
  • try not to multi-task. Research shows we may believe we can multi-task, but our ability to think actually gets worse.
• Reduce your stress, since stress makes it worse.
  • Try to make a habit of stress-busters like going for a walk in nature, yoga, tai chi/ Qi Gong, or other exercise. Reset yourself through meditation, or slow deep breathing /paced respiration. Make daily entries in a gratitude journal. There’s research on these approaches helping people feel less stressed, but not specifically for stress and brain fog in menopause.
  • If possible, figure out how to reduce the stressors in your life. Routinize more of the everyday decisions or drop some activities that are making you stressed. Talk a therapist (e.g. one that does cognitive behavioral therapy) to help you strategize about ways to cope with stressors you cannot avoid.
• Talk with your doctor.
  • If you have hypertension, diabetes, or high cholesterol, make sure they are being managed appropriately. Your doctor can also check you for anemia (iron deficiency), thyroid problems, and other conditions that can cause brain fog.
  • Review your meds in case any of them make brain fog worse.