Traditionally, this time of year feels like a whirlwind for many of us—holidays, travel, and endless to-do lists.
Life can throw us off balance, and it’s easy to chalk up our struggles to being “busy” or “just getting older.”
But what if there’s more to the story?
For me, this realization hit hard over the past two years.
I experienced what felt like a mental fog creeping in—a persistent haze that dulled my focus, drained my energy, and left me grappling with forgetfulness and overwhelm. I never would have labeled it as “brain fog” back then, but looking back, the signs were clear.
What Is Menopause Brain Fog?
Brain fog during menopause isn’t an official medical term, but it’s an all-too-real experience for many women. Dr. Lisa Mosconi, author of The Menopause Brain, describes it as the feeling of “something hijacking your brain.”
It’s not just occasional forgetfulness—it’s the persistent inability to think clearly, focus, or even find the right words.
Brain fog can also be considered a state of “brain fatigue,” meaning it describes a feeling of mental exhaustion where you experience difficulty concentrating, forgetfulness, slow thinking, and trouble finding words, similar to how physical fatigue affects your body after strenuous activity.
Both brain fog and fatigue share symptoms like difficulty focusing, sluggishness, decreased cognitive performance, and feeling mentally drained.
Here’s how brain fog often shows up:
- Forgetting why you walked into a room
- Trouble concentrating or multitasking
- A constant “tip of the tongue” struggle
- Feeling mentally drained and frazzled
It’s frustrating, especially when you’re trying to juggle work, family, and personal goals.
And it’s alarmingly common. 62% of menopausal women report experiencing brain fog.
Why Does It Happen?
Menopause brain fog stems from multiple factors:
- Loss of Estrogen – Estrogen plays a crucial role in protecting brain health. As levels decline during menopause, cognitive function takes a hit.
- Hormonal Fluctuations – Shifts in hormone levels disrupt neurotransmitters responsible for memory and focus.
- Sleep Disturbances – Insomnia or poor sleep during menopause amplifies mental fatigue.
- Stress and Cortisol – Chronic stress floods the brain with cortisol, impairing memory and decision-making.
- Inflammation – Gut inflammation, often linked to diet or environmental toxins, interferes with the gut-brain axis, exacerbating foggy thinking.
My own Journey: From Foggy to Focused
The fog crept in stealthily, just like the fog I noticed this morning when heading outside for my early morning “first light” walk – I could hardly see my neighbors house. It was so thick.
That’s what the brain fog felt like, one day I realized it was so thick that I couldn’t see two feet ahead.
I had to adapt and rely on endless lists, post-it notes, and avoiding activities that required too much mental energy.
I thought I was “managing,” but in reality, I was just surviving.
Eventually, I discovered underlying culprits: environmental toxins (too many household and personal chemicals), food sensitivities, and gut imbalances.
Tackling these issues through lifestyle changes, nutrition, and functional lab testing transformed my life.
While I’m not yet back to my sharp, go-getter self, the mental clarity and energy I’ve regained are priceless.
This is exactly what I teach my clients so that they can also lift that brain fog, have better energy, mental clarity and confidence and feel like themselves again – and sometimes the best they’ve ever felt!
Why You Shouldn’t Ignore Brain Fog
It’s tempting to dismiss brain fog as part of aging, but it’s not “normal.”
Left unchecked, it can signal deeper issues like brain inflammation, which increases the risk of Alzheimer’s, autoimmune disorders, and chronic illnesses.
The key is identifying and addressing the root causes—whether it’s inflammation, hormone imbalances, gut issues, food sensitivities or environmental toxins.
Steps to Lift the Fog
If you’re struggling with brain fog, here’s where to start:
- Avoid the Top 5 Inflammatory Foods – Eliminate gluten, dairy, sugar, soy, and alcohol, which can fuel gut and brain inflammation.
- Prioritize Sleep – Aim to be asleep by 10 PM to regulate cortisol and support your circadian rhythm.
- Exercise Smartly – Engage in invigorating but not exhausting physical activity to boost energy and focus. Walking outside daily alongside nature does wonders for our brain health.
- Practice Daily Relaxation – Incorporate meditation, deep breathing, or mindfulness to calm the mind.
- Eliminate Environmental Toxins – Detoxify your home and workspaces to reduce exposure to hidden contaminants, while naturally detoxifying your body daily with nourishing anti-inflammatory foods, clean and pure water, movement and self-care.
- “Test and Don’t Guess” and Address Root Causes – Functional testing for hormone levels, gut and immune health, nutrient balance and liver health can uncover hidden contributors to brain fog.
Brain fog is your body’s way of signaling that something is off.
Don’t brush it aside or accept it as your new normal.
With the right support, lifestyle changes, and a commitment to investigating the root causes, you can clear the fog and rediscover your vibrant, focused self.
Remember, you only know what you know – until you feel something better.
Let this be your wake-up call to prioritize your brain health as you navigate the menopause years and beyond.
If you’re ready to take action, and flourish in your menopause years and beyond, I’d love to help you lift the fog and reclaim your vitality.
Click the link here and schedule a FREE call today!
