Journal
What is happening to your mind, explained.
Plain answers about memory, focus and words in the perimenopause years, with the research behind them. New articles every week.
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Supplements for perimenopause brain fog, compared
No supplement has strong evidence for perimenopause brain fog, and almost none have been tested in women going through the transition. Of the common options, bacopa...
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Perimenopause brain fog: the complete guide
Perimenopause brain fog is a common, real and usually temporary change in thinking during the years before menopause. It shows up as lost words, forgotten names,...
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Creatine for women over 40: does it help the brain?
Creatine is best known for muscle, but the brain uses it too, as a quick energy reserve. Small studies suggest it may help memory and thinking...
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How to track perimenopause symptoms
The simplest way to track perimenopause symptoms is a short weekly record: your cycle dates, sleep, mood, hot flashes or night sweats, and how your memory...
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Perimenopause brain fog at work: a survival guide
Perimenopause brain fog at work is common and usually temporary. It tends to hit word finding, names, focus and the ability to hold several things in...
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Why can't I concentrate in my 40s?
Trouble concentrating in your forties is very common, and for women the most frequent driver is the hormone swings of perimenopause, usually alongside broken sleep, a...
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Clear Cognition questions, answered
Clear Cognition is a daily herbal supplement from Vantra, made for women in the perimenopause years. One capsule a day contains a 231 mg blend of...
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What to tell your doctor about brain fog: a checklist
To get the most from a doctor's visit about brain fog, bring specifics: when it started, how often it happens, concrete examples, what it affects at...
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How to talk to your manager about perimenopause
You do not have to tell your manager about perimenopause, but if symptoms are affecting your work, a short, practical conversation often helps. Focus on what...
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Supplements for perimenopause brain fog: how to choose
No supplement is proven to cure perimenopause brain fog, but some have early research or long traditional use. The most discussed are bacopa, lion's mane, gotu...
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Non hormonal options for perimenopause brain fog
If you cannot or prefer not to take hormone therapy, there are still several ways to ease perimenopause brain fog. The strongest are treating what breaks...
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HRT and brain fog: questions to ask your doctor
Hormone therapy (HRT) is the most effective treatment for hot flashes and night sweats, and treating them can improve sleep and how clearly you think. But...
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Gotu kola for memory: what it is and how it is used
Gotu kola (Centella asiatica) is a leafy herb long used in Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese practice for mental clarity, memory and calm. Human research on memory...
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Bacopa monnieri: traditional use and what the research says
Bacopa monnieri is a herb used for centuries in Ayurvedic practice for memory and learning. Several human trials have looked at it, mostly over about 12...
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Lion's mane for menopause brain fog: what the research says
Lion's mane is an edible mushroom popular for focus and memory. The best known human trial is small: 30 Japanese adults aged 50 to 80 with...
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Magnesium for perimenopause brain fog: what to expect
Magnesium is one of the most popular supplements for perimenopause, mainly for sleep, muscle cramps and calm. Evidence that it improves memory or brain fog directly...
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Thyroid, iron, B12: other causes of brain fog to rule out
Several common, treatable conditions cause brain fog in women in their forties and are easy to mistake for perimenopause. The main ones to rule out are...
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Is it stress or perimenopause? How to tell the difference
Stress and perimenopause cause very similar brain fog, and in your forties you often have both. Clues that perimenopause is part of it: the fog came...
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Perimenopause, sleep and memory
Broken sleep is one of the biggest drivers of brain fog in perimenopause. Sleep is when the brain files the day's memories and clears its workspace,...
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Estrogen and the brain, in plain words
Estrogen does much more than run the reproductive system. The brain has estrogen receptors in the areas that handle memory, attention and mood, and estrogen helps...
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Can perimenopause start at 40? Early signs that are not hot flashes
Yes, perimenopause can start at 40, and for some women in their late thirties. It most often begins in the mid forties, but anywhere from about...
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Perimenopause and anxiety about memory: breaking the loop
Worrying about your memory can make memory lapses more frequent, because anxiety uses up the working memory you need to focus and recall. In perimenopause this...
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The 3 p.m. crash in perimenopause: why it happens and what helps
The afternoon crash many women feel in perimenopause usually comes from a stack of causes: broken sleep the night before, the natural dip in alertness after...
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Brain fog with regular periods: can it still be perimenopause?
Yes, brain fog can be an early sign of perimenopause even while your periods are still regular. Hormone levels can start to swing years before cycles...
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