You know that feeling you get when you can’t think straight? Your brain feels numb, and you can’t make a decision. Your memory is not what it was. So you keep forgetting things: people’s names, items on your mental to-do list, something you were going to say, where you put your keys. It’s starting to get you down. It saps your energy, and you feel tired all the time. Who knew that would happen at menopause?

Brain fog is a common side effect of the physical changes at menopause. For example, in my late 40s, as I entered peri-menopause, I felt like I needed a new pair of glasses to help me think straight to see the world. But it wasn’t my eyesight that was the problem; it was brain fog. Brain fog caused my brain to feel confused or fuzzy, like you’re living in a fog or haze. As a result, the condition can make it difficult to think clearly, concentrate and process information.

Brain fog is not just the result of being tired or not getting enough sleep; it can also be caused by stress and anxiety. Your body enters its “fight-or-flight” response when you become stressed out—which means that areas of the brain responsible for thinking shut down temporarily so that all of your energy can be directed toward survival instead! Here are my simple top 10 tips awesome tips to help alleviate brain fog:

1. Review your sleep pattern. Sleep is an important part of brain function and health, so it’s essential to consider how much you get as you try to reduce brain fog. If you feel like you haven’t been sleeping well, ask yourself why that might be happening. Sometimes the answer is obvious—for instance, if someone in your house has a chronic cough or snores loudly when they sleep (or just one person who does both), that could prevent you from getting adequate rest at night. However, other times it may not be so easy to identify the problem or fix it on your own. In this case, reach out for professional help from a doctor or other medical professional who can evaluate whether there are any underlying medical reasons for why you are having trouble sleeping (such as sleep apnea).

2. Use some basic time-management techniques to help reduce your stress. Schedule your day. Make a list of the tasks you need to get done and schedule them in order of importance. A very important task should be high on your list; if it’s not as pressing or urgent (like paying bills), it can go to the bottom of your list.

Prioritize tasks. When you make your daily schedule, prioritize tasks according to how much energy they require from you. Think about whether each task is mentally draining or not; if so, make sure it isn’t scheduled for early in the day when you’re likely to be at full capacity!

Break large tasks into smaller ones by using five-minute blocks for each step: write down all steps required before starting work on any project, as this will help keep track of what needs doing next without forgetting anything along the way — just like grocery shopping lists!

3.  Learn to say ‘No’ assertively so you don’t over-commit. Saying no is a great way to reduce the stress and anxiety that comes with feeling over-committed. But, it can also be challenging because we all want to please others, especially our family and friends. So, it’s important to remember that saying no isn’t mean or rude; it’s a sign of respect for yourself and others! If you’re having trouble saying no, consider these tips:

Say yes first: If someone asks you to do something, instead of saying “no,” find a way to say “yes” by adding an extra step. For example: “Yes, I can come, but only if we take pictures after dinner.” Or, “Yes, I’ll make cookies for Christmas dinner, but only if I have time because I’m also making another batch for my kids’ school party.” Or even “Yes! Of course! Let me know what day works best for everyone so we can get together then.” By adding conditions to your initial response, the person asking will likely understand where the real limit lies (in this case, with your time). And since they got what they wanted in terms of seeing/eating/taking pictures/etc., there’s less chance anything will feel unfulfilled or unresolved at their end either!

4. Reduce or eliminate alcohol. Alcohol can cause brain fog and many other problems, including memory loss and depression. Alcohol is also a depressant that can cause drowsiness in large amounts. In addition, you may experience headaches after consuming alcohol, irritability, anxiety, and insomnia.

5. Stop smoking. Smoking is a bad habit and is worse for you than most people think. It can cause health problems like lung cancer and heart disease. It can also cause you to feel tired, have a short temper, have poor memory skills, and have a bad sense of smell.

Smoking is linked to brain fog because it affects your blood circulation, which affects the amount of oxygen reaching your brain. It may also confuse and memory loss, as well as other cognitive symptoms such as feeling tired or unable to focus on tasks.

6. Eat foods rich in Omega 3 oils that help support brain function, such as oily fish, linseeds, chia seeds, walnuts, tofu, and avocados. Eating foods rich in Omega 3 oils can help improve brain function. These include oily fish like salmon, mackerel, sardines, linseeds (flax seeds), chia seeds, walnuts, and tofu. In addition, omega 3 oils work as an anti-inflammatory and have been found to reduce stress levels, leading to improved concentration.

7. Take a food supplement. Zinc, magnesium, and vitamin B6 are beneficial as aids to concentration. Food supplements are a great way to ensure you get the necessary nutrients. For example, zinc, magnesium, and vitamin B6 are beneficial as aids to concentration. You can even buy them in capsule form at your local pharmacy or health food store.

8. Stay hydrated. Suppose you’re looking for ways to reduce brain fog; remember that staying hydrated is essential. Staying hydrated helps your body and brain function properly. If you are feeling thirsty or tired, drink some water! If you are feeling hungry or exercising, drink more water! You should drink between 8-12 cups of water per day (more if you exercise regularly).

9. Regular exercise – in the early morning can help you with those first complex tasks of the day. Regular exercise is one of the best ways to keep your brain healthy. It can help you focus, sleep better, manage stress, control weight, and even reduce your heart disease and diabetes risk. You don’t have to start an intense training program; even a 10-minute walk daily will help you improve your brain function.

Exercise that increases blood flow to the brain is especially beneficial for improving memory and learning new information. Cardiovascular activities like brisk walking or running increase blood flow by increasing heart rate and releasing hormones that help clear toxic waste from cells throughout the body, including those in muscles used during exercises like leg muscles (quadriceps) or upper back muscles (latissimus dorsi). Exercise also produces more oxygenated red blood cells, which deliver more nutrients such as glucose needed for energy production throughout the body.

10. Learn to relax. When you are tense or worried, parts of your brain shut down and enter the fight/flight/freeze state. Resting allows your brain to function at its best. In addition, you can use simple breathing exercises, meditation, Tai Chi, or Pilates.

Conclusion

As you can see, these tips are straightforward. They don’t require special equipment or training, just a little discipline and follow through on your part. If you implement at least some of them in your life, your brain fog should start to clear up in no time or at least improve! (we can use all of the help we can get!

I hope you’ve found these tips helpful! Menopause is a tricky phase of life, but it is possible to get through it if you stay positive and follow these tips.

Feel free to comment below with your thoughts about this article, share on social media, and follow along with my next article about sleep. XOXO Mary