Concentration and menopause
A decline in mental sharpness is a common menopausal symptom. Hormonal changes that occur during menopause can affect your brain and thinking ability. This can lead to what is called brain fog, where thinking clearly becomes difficult. What causes brain fog and, more importantly, what can you do about it?
Whether I'm home or at work, I can’t seem to focus or motivate myself to get things done. Everything used to be effortless, but now I don't have the concentration for anything. - Amber (age 49)
We've all forgotten a name sometimes or find we have to reread a page because it just didn't sink in. However, loss of concentration can get worse during menopause and affect your productivity. In fact, it is estimated that up to two-thirds of women experience some degree of menopause-related cognitive impairment.
The most common issues that women report is forgetfulness (inability to remember words or names), poor concentration and difficulty making decisions. If these symptoms are due to hormones, they often occur during perimenopause, when hormonal fluctuations are more severe and menopausal symptoms are at their peak.
Some women even think that they have early onset dementia. In most cases, fortunately, this isn’t true. Dementia mainly affects adults aged 65 and older and rarely affects younger people. Once your hormone levels settle after menopause, your mental sharpness should return to normal. Although loss of concentration and forgetfulness are a normal part of menopause, you can support your brain by making some small changes to your diet and lifestyle.
What is happening in your body?
Oestrogen and progesterone are hormones that are involved in many processes in the body. They send signals to your cells and organs so that everything runs smoothly. During the menopausal transition, the levels of these hormones start to fluctuate and fall. This can throw everything off balance.
Oestrogen and progesterone are also involved in communication with the brain. They act like a shield against cognitive decline during ageing. Research has shown that oestradiol (a form of oestrogen) is involved in cognitive function, particularly concentration and working memory tasks. Thus, declining oestrogen levels can contribute to decreased mental sharpness, brain fog and forgetfulness.
Progesterone has been linked to improvement in cognitive function, in particular intellectual processes such as thinking, reasoning and remembering. A decline in focus and memory can also be triggered by other factors besides hormones. Stress, gloominess and lack of sleep can also affect your ability to concentrate. Other common symptoms of menopause can also cause concentration difficulties. Take, for instance, nights sweats that keep you awake, or sleep problems.
What can you do?
Poor concentration can be a real problem when trying to tackle your daily tasks. The following has been found to help your brain and cognitive functions.
- Make sleep your number one priority. Sleep is an essential function that allows your brain to work properly. When you don't get enough sleep, your ability to concentrate and to pay attention decreases. Your reaction time is slower, you remember details less well and you lose mental sharpness. Are night sweats preventing you from getting a good night’s sleep? Try to reduce your symptoms (possibly with medication or supplements) and be sure to practise good sleep hygiene.
- Eat foods that boost your brain health. The human brain is nearly 60 percent fat. Unsaturated fats (for instance from fatty fish, walnuts and avocados) are important building blocks for the brain. Vegetables are also good for the brain, because they contain bioactive compounds that prevent brain cell death. Supplements can fill dietary gaps to support your health.
- Take care of your gut. Your gut and brain are connected. So good gut health is also good for brain function. Make sure your diet is rich in fibre (fruit, vegetables, whole grains) and fermented foods (kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha). Fermented products contain lactic acid bacteria which have been shown to have a positive impact on bacteria in the gut.
- Do breathing exercises to improve your focus and alertness. Breathing calmly relaxes the mind, calms down racing thoughts and will help you deal with distractions. Does this sound like too much trouble? A five-minute exercise is enough to deliver benefits.
- Take it easy and reduce stress. If you are relaxed, you’re sharper and better able to remember information. Try to reduce stress by taking more breaks and setting priorities. Practising mindfulness can help, too. Do you need to process a lot of information, for instance at work? Then give your brain some more time.
Support your concentration
A healthy body and a healthy mind work in tandem. Supplements can support a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle, optimising cognitive activity and concentration.
What treatments can help?
Are your menopausal symptoms getting to you? Sometimes a healthy lifestyle isn't enough to get through menopause. Depending on what symptoms you have and how intense they are, you may want to consider hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
Can hormone therapy help?
Do you have other menopausal symptoms besides concentration difficulties, like hot flashes and mood swings? You are not alone! If supplements and dietary and lifestyle adjustments do not provide sufficient relief, you may want to consider hormone replacement therapy (HRT). HRT replaces lost hormones (oestrogen and progesterone) to counteract the effects of menopause.
Sources
- Gurvish C, Zhu C, Arunogiri S. The Conversation. (2021). ‘Brain fog’ during menopause is real – it can disrupt women’s work and spark dementia fears. https://theconversation.com/brain-fog-during-menopause-is-real-it-can-disrupt-womens-work-and-spark-dementia-fears-173150.
- Henderson VW, St John JA, Hodis HN, McCleary CA, Stanczyk FZ, Karim R, Shoupe D, Kono N, Dustin L, Allayee H, Mack WJ. (2013). Cognition, mood, and physiological concentrations of sex hormones in the early and late postmenopause. PMID: 24277815.
- P. M. Maki & N. G. Jaff. International Menopause Society. (2022). Brain fog in menopause: a health-care professional’s guide for decision-making and counseling on cognition. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13697137.2022.2122792.
- Rettberg JR, Yao J, Brinton RD. (2013). Estrogen: a master regulator of bioenergetic systems in the brain and body. PMID: 23994581.
- Bilodeau K. Harvard Business review. (2021) Sleep, stress, or hormones? Brain fog during perimenopause. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/sleep-stress-or-hormones-brain-fog-during-perimenopause-202104092429.
- Norris CJ, Creem D, Hendler R, Kober H. (2018). Brief Mindfulness Meditation Improves Attention in Novices: Evidence From ERPs and Moderation by Neuroticism. PMID: 30127731.
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FAQ
What mindfulness exercise can I do to improve my focus?
Research shows that mindfulness meditation improves focus and flow. People who practise mindfulness are better able to focus on their tasks. This short exercise helps to focus your mind on your breathing and let go of your thoughts. Simply sit quietly and focus on your natural breathing for 5 to 10 minutes. Inhale and exhale through you nose. Whenever your mind starts to wander, gently bring it back to your breath. You can also try this mindfulness exercise from Declutter The Mind: 10 minute guided mindfulness medication for focus.
