Sharpening Your Mind Through Brain Fog
Many women are unsure about how menopause will impact them. The reproductive years have ended, signalling the end of youth, and the beginning of experiencing a long list of symptoms. But while menopause is inevitable, you can still live a long and happy life with the right tools to manage your symptoms, and the team at Toowoomba Obstetrics and Gynaecology are here to help and support you on your journey.
Brain fog is one of the more common menopausal symptoms, defining memory or cognition changes, and can present as distraction, a loss of immediate focus, time lapses, and misplacement of items. We understand that experiencing brain fog can be unsettling. The good news is that brain fog during menopause is temporary, and we have created a list of ways to soothe any anxiety and sharpen your mind during this time.
Get Your Heart Pumping
Whether you are experiencing brain fog or not, exercise is an excellent way to rejuvenate your body and mind. Exercise increases oxygen-rich blood flow throughout your body, including your brain. This boosts brain cell performance, leading to a sharper mind.
Anything from a walk around the block, to weightlifting, to high-intensity interval training (HIIT) can improve your brain performance. If you can, aim for HIIT to increase your heart rate. However, if you have a medical condition, it is best to speak to your doctor about what kinds of exercises are suitable. Just ensure you are being consistent with your exercise routine. A tip to help this is to try and schedule it at a certain time each day.
Train Your Brain
Activities that boost your thinking skills are a great way to sharpen your mind during brain fog. Although your brain is always active, even during sleep, certain activities have been proven to engage the brain in new ways, leading to improvements in cognitive function.
Puzzles, board games like chess and checkers, sudoku, memory card games, crossword puzzles, reading, learning new skills such as an instrument or a language, playing video games, and even just socialising, are all activities that can help boost brain performance and reduce memory loss.
Relax Your Mind and Body
Mindfulness and meditation are similar, in that you focus on the present to relax your mind and body.
Mindfulness is a mental state where you pay full attention to what is going on both in you and outside you, without judgement. There is no need to quiet your mind during this process as you only observe what is happening in the moment.
Meditation is a type of formal mindfulness, where you bring your attention to one particular thing, such as sounds, breathing, body movements and feelings, or a mantra. During this exercise, you quiet your mind (unlike in mindfulness) and focus on the sensations of your body.
Both of these exercises improve your mental wellbeing by helping you stay focused and peaceful during stressful situations, and can even help reduce anxiety levels. By allowing yourself to focus on one thing at a time, your brain is less likely to experience the full effects of brain fog.
Avoid Substances
Smoking, taking illicit substances, and excessive consumption of alcohol is known to decrease your brain productivity, effectively leading to a loss of memory and cognitive function. By lessening your use (or avoiding it altogether), you are less likely to experience memory loss due to brain fog.
If you are wanting to drink alcohol, make sure it is in small amounts, and typically a wine rather than mixed or sweetened drinks.
Eat Like a Mediterranean
The Mediterranean diet has many health benefits, so it is great to incorporate it into your eating habits whether you are experiencing the symptoms of brain fog or not.
The Mediterranean diet defines the traditional consumption of food by people living in countries around the Mediterranean Sea, such as Spain, Greece, and Italy. The diet is made up mainly of vegetables, legumes, fruits, seeds, nuts, fish, and olive oil, but also includes a moderate number of dairy products, low amounts of red meat, and limited processed food.
Research shows that people consistently following the Mediterranean diet demonstrate improved cognitive performance, as well as many other positive health benefits, including: reduced risk of dementia, bowel cancer, and type 2 diabetes. This diet is also great for weight management, bone health, cholesterol, blood pressure, and mental health.
What people don’t realise is that the Mediterranean diet is more than just the food you eat. It also focuses on the time spent eating with friends and family and increasing meal times to boost social connections and reduce stress.
Get Your Thoughts on Paper
Journalling is incredibly beneficial for boosting brain productivity and reducing anxiety. There are no rules to journalling, other than writing down your thoughts and / or feelings. Some ideas for journalling include writing what you are grateful for every day, or doing a freewriting exercise. Freewriting involves writing continuously without making corrections and thinking about what you are writing. This method of journalling can help you gain more clarity for your day.
Another great journalling method for reducing memory loss is using a diary, calendar, reminders, or notes to schedule your day. This can give your days more structure and help with reducing anxiety and brain fog.
Brain fog, and other menopausal symptoms, shouldn’t restrict your lifestyle. If you are seeking more information, or looking for individualised medical support during this transition, contact the team at Toowoomba Obstetrics and Gynaecology today.