5 Ways to Fight Memory Loss During Menopause

Menopause is a condition that has an abundance of anecdotal evidence. Half the human population is scheduled for this life-changing, body-changing condition, so there is plenty of experiential information from which to draw conclusions about the biological, psychological and social realities of menopause.

This study gives some independent credence to what many, many women can tell you: Menopause messes with your memory.

Menopause and Brain Fog

Researchers from the University of Illinois and Northwestern University in Chicago tested 68 women, ages 44 to 62, who had at least 35 hot flashes per week. Those women who reported struggles with memory, negative emotions and more troublesome hot flashes were the ones who did the worst on tests that measured memory. Intense menopause can mean intense memory muddling.

Dr. Daniel Amen wrote a book about the female brain. The book will help you end the confusion regarding hormones, get your cravings under control, no matter where you are in your cycle, and optimize your brain for love, sex and relationships. Plus, the book will help you get your brain ready for babies, and give you insight into how to raise them in a brain healthy way. It will give you 12 simple hour-long exercises to assess, train and strengthen your brain. It’s the only owner’s manual you will ever need for your female brain.

The menopausal brain is at the effect of enormous hormonal changes, and memory can be a casualty. Muddling can be due to decreases in progesterone, which can affect sleep patterns and increase anxiety. It can also be due to the natural decrease in DHEA, a precursor hormone to estrogen and testosterone that is highly protective in the brain, particularly its major learning and memory centers. The reality is that memory problems in menopause are likely a result of many factors.

Whatever the specific cause of memory trouble in menopause, there are some things that every menopausal woman can do to start taking control of the situation. Here are 5 of them from my book Unleash the Power of the Female Brain:

1. Love Your Female Brain

Think: Most people don’t think about their brain because they cannot see it. But to overcome challenges in every part of your body and life, you need to care about your brain more than any other body part.
Do: In all you do, start asking yourself, “Is this good for my brain or bad for it?”

2. Feed Your Female Brain

Think: There is simply no way around it. If your food is not the best, you will never be your best. Eat right to think right!
Do: Discover the best foods for your brain – stock up on them and eat them daily! Get to know The Omni Diet – it has your brain’s best interest at heart.

 3. Sooth Your Female Brain

Think: Determine to put an end to anxiety, worry, depression, and perfectionism.
Do: Try The Amen Solution at home for a couple of weeks and watch your thinking turn around.

4. Balance Your Hormones to Boost Your Female Brain

Think: Hormones run your brain, and problems start when hormones fall into a state of imbalance.
Do: Follow brain healthy habits to naturally balance hormones. Talk to your doctor about bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT).

5. Get Control of Your Female Brain

Think: Conquer cravings, weight issues, and addictions.
Do:

• Decide what you really want (define your goals)
• Know your healthy behaviors (ask yourself what you need to get healthy, then practice those behaviors over and over)
• Know your vulnerabilities (journal to keep track of good times and bad times during your day)
• Learn to love what you hate (make the right choices pleasurable)
• Turn accomplices into friends (friends support good habits, accomplices support bad habits)
• Make your space work for you (surround yourself with healthy food and tools to support healthy habits)
• Embrace your failures (learn from your mistakes and make a plan to break unhealthy patterns)

For women and men alike, as we age, we have less room for error when it comes to our brains. As women approach menopause it is even more critical to take brain health seriously. If you are concerned about menopause affecting your memory, contact Amen Clinics today online or call (888) 288-9834.