What is brain fog?

Symptoms and causes of brain fog

Brain fog, sometimes called mental fog or cognitive fog, describes a sluggish feeling when you can’t think quickly or clearly, and your memory feels fuzzy – similar to that feeling you get from a bad hangover or when you oversleep. Other symptoms include forgetfulness, having trouble finding the right words, feeling indecisive, and generally feeling cloudy.

Brain fog can be caused by many things, including stress, a lack of sleep, poor nutrition, certain types of medication, and particular health conditions. It’s seemingly linked to our hormones too, and is a common symptom of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) as well as perimenopause, menopause, and even pregnancy. Some people also experience brain fog as a side effect of hormonal birth control.

Brain fog and PMS

There are several hormones at play during the menstrual cycle, but the main two hormones involved are estrogen and progesterone. Estrogen can improve cognitive function, including memory. But as the levels of estrogen vary throughout the menstrual cycle, this can have a knock-on effect on our mental clarity.

During the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle (that’s the second half of the cycle, after ovulation and before you get your period), estrogen levels decrease, and progesterone levels increase. It’s thought that brain fog during this time is related to the drop in estrogen and a rise in progesterone, leading to that slow, sluggish feeling.

Research into the association between brain fog and the menstrual cycle is limited. However, one study looking at cognitive performance in women with PMS did find that increased severity of premenstrual symptoms could be associated with poorer cognitive performance. That means that those who experience premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD, a severe type of PMS) may be more likely to experience more intense brain fog.

Research suggests that around 80% of women have at least one symptom of PMS before their period, and up to 8% of women suffer from PMDD. So while not everyone will experience brain fog as a regular symptom, there are potentially many who do! 

Birth control and brain fog

Hormonal birth control methods like the pill, patches, hormonal IUDs, implants, and injections can potentially cause brain fog. Studies have found that women taking hormonal contraception, like the birth control pill, found it harder to remember the details of events – although they were able to remember the emotions attached to those events.

It’s thought that, as with PMS-related brain fog, it comes down to the levels of hormones in your body. Hormonal birth control works by altering the levels of estrogen and progesterone – as with the natural changes of hormone levels during the menstrual cycle — these shifts in synthetic hormone levels can cause some unpleasant symptoms.

Pregnancy brain fog and mommy brain

Pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding all have a huge impact on hormone levels, so it’s no wonder that cognitive changes are also reported by pregnant people and new mothers. Research has shown that these hormones actually alter the function of the brain. This probably isn’t news to you if you’ve been pregnant or had a young child. On top of this, tiredness can also cause brain fog or make it worse — and we all know new parents aren’t getting enough sleep! 

The good news is that the brain changes associated with pregnancy and motherhood aren't long-lasting, so while you might find it frustrating, this type of brain fog won’t last forever. Another study found that mothers who experienced increased brain changes due to pregnancy actually had the strongest emotional bonds with their babies. This suggests that brain fog caused by pregnancy and looking after an infant may serve a very important purpose!

Brain fog and menopause

During perimenopause, our ovaries gradually produce less estrogen and progesterone. This can lead to irregular periods, changes in the length of our menstrual cycles, and symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, mood changes, and brain fog. 

Menopause is officially reached after twelve consecutive months without a menstrual period, at which point the ovaries have significantly decreased their production of estrogen and progesterone.

As estrogen is an important hormone for the brain’s cognitive function, when levels drop it can lead to memory loss, difficulty focusing, losing your train of thought, and getting confused — in other words, brain fog.

Symptoms vary from person to person. Some women may not experience any symptoms of brain fog during perimenopause and menopause, while it’s so severe for others that they may worry it’s a sign of a more serious condition. 

Menopause is different for everyone and the severity of your symptoms can vary. Keep in mind that brain fog isn’t always directly caused by menopause and can also be set off – or made worse – by things like hot flashes, night sweats, disturbed sleep, and a low mood.

Whether your brain fog is caused by menopause, PMS, or is a symptom of another condition, it’s important to remember that you don’t need to simply put up with it. If brain fog or another symptom is getting in the way of your everyday life, it’s time to talk to a healthcare professional. Consider keeping track of what’s happening in your body from month to month, as this helps you spot patterns and provides you with helpful info to share with your doctor.

How to deal with brain fog

Brain fog can be annoying at best and debilitating at worst. And while there isn’t a whole lot we can do to change the natural processes of the menstrual cycle and menopause, there are ways we can tackle brain fog at all stages of life, including:

• Regular exercise - This can help to improve blood flow to the brain and release some of those feel-good hormones

• A healthy diet - Avoiding processed and sugary foods and eating plenty of fruit, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, healthy fats and omega-3 fatty acids can support brain health

• Prioritizing sleep - Having a consistent bedtime routine and making sure you get enough sleep (especially deep sleep) helps your brain refresh and restore itself

• Stress reduction - There are several things you can try to manage stress or anxiety including making time for the things you enjoy, practicing mindfulness and meditation, or talking to a therapist.

• Changing birth control method - If you use hormonal birth control and have trouble with brain fog, you may want to consider switching methods or trying a non-hormonal birth control method

• HRT - Some women experiencing menopause symptoms may find that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) alleviates symptoms including brain fog

Get to know your body better

Brain fog can strike at any stage of life – whether linked to PMS, menopause, or another condition. While a bit of brain fog from time to time is both natural and normal, if you are concerned about your symptoms, you should always speak to your healthcare provider.

If you want to become more in tune with how your menstrual cycle affects your mood and memory, while preventing pregnancy hormone-free, then Natural Cycles can help. The app makes it easy to visualize and track symptoms and is a great way to spot any changes happening in your body. Why not find out if Natural Cycles could work for you today?