This article is from "What No One Told You" by Dr. Karen Tang, a board-certified gynecologist whose series is part of Featured Voices, The Washington Post’s partnership with independent creators.
If you are in your 30s to 50s, and find yourself forgetting words or why you walked into a room, feeling more scattered, and struggling to focus, you’re not alone. This is a very common symptom of perimenopause or menopause called “brain fog,” and it can be one of the most bothersome parts of the menopause transition.
As a board-certified gynecologist, I talk to many female patients about these issues. There are several reasons why brain fog happens during this time in your life. For one, fluctuating levels of estrogen and progesterone negatively impact neurotransmitters like dopamine, which plays an important role in learning, memory, and concentration. Plus, common menopausal symptoms like poor sleep, depression or anxiety, or hot flashes and sweats can also make brain fog worse by causing fatigue and making it harder to focus.
It’s also important to consult a doctor to rule out any other causes of memory or concentration issues. Other conditions to consider include:
And if there are signs of severe cognitive decline, that may be worth screening for possible dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease.
The good news is that for most cases of brain fog directly related to perimenopause or menopause, hormone therapy can help improve symptoms and brain fog can also improve on its own over time.
