Menopause and the Brain Fog That Makes You Question Reality

Did I put the keys in the fridge again? Wait, why did I come into this room? What’s her name… you know, the one I’ve worked with for five years?”

When brain fog hits

If you’re in perimenopause or menopause and finding your brain feels like a browser with 42 tabs open—five of which are frozen and one is playing music somewhere—welcome to the fog. You're not going mad. You're just hormonal.

What Is “Menopause Brain Fog,” Really?

That familiar brain fog—where words vanish mid-sentence, your focus fizzles, and recall takes a coffee break—isn’t all in your head. Well, it is, but not in the way you think. It turns out estrogen has been doing a whole lot behind the scenes to support your cognitive function. It helps your brain process information, retain memories, and even protects your neurons. So when estrogen levels start to dip and fluctuate during perimenopause, things get a little… scrambled.

What the Science Shows:

• Women in perimenopause score lower on verbal memory and attention tests than premenopausal women.Study: Greendale et al. (2009), Neurology

• These changes are not permanent. Most cognitive symptoms improve after the menopause transition is complete.SWAN Study data confirms that while there’s a dip, brain function rebounds post-menopause.

So yes, there’s a legit hormonal reason you can’t remember the name of that actor in that thing. It’s not early-onset dementia. It’s estrogen (or the lack thereof).

How I enter every room some days.

It’s not just hormones, either

Let’s not forget about sleep—or the lack thereof. Thanks to night sweats, anxiety spikes, and 3 a.m. internal monologues about everything from taxes to that weird comment you made in 1998, sleep quality often takes a dive during menopause. And when sleep suffers, memory and focus do too. One study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism confirmed that poor sleep in midlife women is strongly associated with cognitive complaints. (Joffe et al., 2012)

Add stress, shifting insulin levels, and a never-ending to-do list—and you’ve got the perfect storm for brain fog.

What You Can Do (Besides Cry in the Cereal Aisle)

Good news: you’re not helpless here.  While we can’t stop time or magically refill our estrogen reserves, there are ways to support our brains through the transition.

Getting enough restorative sleep is key. Even short-term improvements in sleep have been linked to better cognitive function. Movement helps too—regular physical activity boosts blood flow to the brain and improves mood and memory. And then there’s food: omega-3s, healthy fats, and leafy greens give your brain the raw materials it needs to function.

Social connection, laughter, novelty—these all matter more than we realize. Even something as simple as learning a new skill or having a good conversation can help keep our cognitive gears turning.

Bottom line?

You’re not broken. You’re in transition. Your brain is adjusting to a new hormonal landscape, and while it may feel like you’re stuck in a foggy maze some days, the science is clear: you will find your way through.

You’re doing better than you think. And no, you’re not the only one who’s forgotten the word “refrigerator” mid-sentence.

Comment below with your experience with brain fog. We're all in this together!