Has this ever happened to you?

Your latest issue of AARP Magazine arrives in the mail and you can’t wait to read it. There’s one thing that has put a slight crimp in your plans and you can’t move forward without asking yourself one pointed question: “Where the hell are my glasses?” Fast forward 20 minutes later: you’ve been searching frantically in vain, venomous expletives are shooting from your mouth in rapid fire succession and you’re overtaken by the onset of an anxiety attack culminating in you sitting in the middle of the kitchen floor with a 7-layer high slice of Death by Chocolate cake in one hand and a double bacon cheeseburger (hold the tomatoes ‘cause, uh yeah, you’re on a diet…) in the other. You’ve dissolved into a mass of tears, chocolate and beef, all because you couldn’t find your glasses. By the way, they’re on the top of your head.

Or maybe this?

You’re on your way downstairs, humming the entire way down the staircase. You say to yourself, Today is a great day! and you feel blessed to be alive. Nothing’s gonna stomp on your parade today. You make it as far as the kitchen before you realize you forgot your purse. Back upstairs you go. When you get to the bedroom, you look around quizzically. “What did I come up here for?” you mumble under your breath. You wrack your brain, contort your face into an unflattering scowl and even go so far as to scratch your head like an organ grinder’s monkey. The only thing that’s missing is a ‘ding’ sound effect in conjunction with a giant question mark magically appearing over your head. And just that quick, you forgot what the hell you went back upstairs for.

Or perhaps this?

YOU: “I want to go to that thing next week.”
BFF: “What thing?”
YOU: “You know, that thing that’s gonna be held at that place.”
BFF: “Wait . . . what place?”
YOU: “Girl, don’t play with me. You know what I mean.”
BFF: “I have no clue . . .”
YOU: “That thing. C’mon girl, you know what I’m talking about. That thing…that group…oh lawd…”
BFF: “Group? Oh, you mean the Destiny’s Child reunion concert?”
YOU: (heavy sigh) “Yesssss! Concert! Girl, I couldn’t think of that word to save my life….”.

Or perchance this?

You hear your cell phone ringing, but it’s not in your purse. Or on the nightstand. Or on the dining room table. You left it in the freezer.

Sound familiar? Go ahead . . . hang your head in shame.

Where the hell is my memory?

When women reach menopause, it is our glorious rite of passage. Yay for us! It’s also a time when our cognitive abilities, including our memories, can be shot straight to hell. We struggle to try and form a complete sentence without sounding like a blithering idiot. One minute we have a clear, well-formed thought and the next minute it has completely disappeared from our radar. Our concentration has hit an all-time low and the simple act of reading a magazine article becomes a laborious task because we can’t seem to get past reading, rereading and rereading some more the same damn paragraph.

Ladies, the struggle is real.

Our cognitive abilities can be hampered exponentially during menopause and post-menopause. Seratonin, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and dopamine, the neurotransmitters which help modulate memory and thinking, can get out of whack when estrogen levels are low.¹

So what can we do to quell this ridiculousness called menopausal memory loss? I have a few thoughts in mind.

Train Your Brain – Keep your mind active by playing games. No, I’m not talking about playing hide and go seek or tag. Neurobics, the science of brain exercise, can help with memory. With neurobics, you use your five senses, as well as your emotional sense, in a different way. Brushing your teeth with your non-dominant hand, closing your eyes when you shower (to heighten your other senses) or distinguishing coins one at a time using only your sense of touch are three things you can do to exercise your brain. For more brain games, check out the Neurobics website. 

Get Your Zzzzzzs – Menopause insomnia is a big hairy beyotch. However, when you get a good nights’ rest, you’re likely to be more energetic during the day which can facilitate clearer thinking and also help you to retain information.

Reduce Stress – When you’re stressing out, your body releases cortisol. Elevated cortisol levels have been known to interfere with memory. Meditating, deep breathing exercises, yoga, dancing and laughing are wonderful ways to relax and release stress. And sex . . . sex is a wonderful stress reliever. menopausal memory loss

Watch your mouth – When you’re in the midst of a brain fog, do you say things to yourself like, “I’m having a menopause moment,” or “I must be losing my mind,”? Stop. All you’re doing is giving your brain free reign to believe that negativity.

Maintain a healthy diet – Put good in, get good out. Ever heard of brain food? There are a number of foods you can eat to help boost your memory. Certain seafood—like salmon, sardines and Bluefin tuna—are a great source omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for good brain health. Fresh, frozen or dried cherries, blackberries and blueberries are a powerful way to boost brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in the region of the brain responsible for memory – the hippocampus. menopausal memory loss

Avoid Alcohol – Okay, okay…maybe you don’t have to avoid alcohol altogether, but moderation is the buzzword here. Come on now, you know alcohol makes your brain fuzzy. It’s a no-brainer, right (pun intended)? menopausal memory loss

Avoid multitasking – It’s difficult enough to do one thing at a time. Don’t tax your brain or memory by trying to do too much at once. Put all of that wonderful energy into a solo task.

*****

Ladies, despite our forgetfulness, our cloudy brain fog, our total lack of concentration, all hope is not lost. There is a silver lining to menopausal cognitive dive: studies suggest that this decline is temporary and that brain function and acuity return to normal once menopause is over. Hell yeah! menopausal memory loss

Are you experiencing brain farts and memory loss in menopause? What are you doing about it? Share your thoughts and let’s discuss it in the comments.

¹Miller, M. (2013, April 30). Short-term Memory Loss and Brain Fog in Perimenopause. Retrieved August 22, 2016, from http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/hold-that-pause/short-term-memory-loss-brain-fog-perimenopause